Ontario’s regulated online gambling market has opened 2026 with another benchmark month, but the real story sits beneath the headline numbers: online casino continues to pull further ahead of sports betting.

Fresh figures from iGaming Ontario show licensed operators processed CA$9.52 billion in wagers in January, the highest monthly total since the province launched its open market in April 2022.

$9.52 Billion Handle Marks New High

January’s wagering volume rose 21.4% year-over-year and marked the fourth consecutive month above CA$9 billion.

Gross revenue followed suit:

  • CA$401.5 million in non-adjusted gross gaming revenue (NAGGR)
  • +22.2% year-over-year growth
  • Down roughly 6% from December’s CA$425 million peak

The market currently includes 48 licensed operators running more than 80 approved gambling sites.

While the topline growth remains robust, the balance between product verticals is shifting.

Online Casino Drives the Market

Casino products once again dominated activity across the province.

Wagering Breakdown

  • CA$8.18 billion wagered on iCasino (86% of total handle)
  • CA$1.18 billion wagered on sports betting
  • CA$156 million in peer-to-peer poker

Revenue Performance

The revenue gap is even more striking:

  • CA$308.9 million iCasino revenue
  • +33.7% year-over-year growth
  • Casino now accounts for 77% of total market revenue

Notably, casino revenue expanded faster than casino wagering volume (+25.6%), suggesting stronger hold performance or evolving player behavior.

Ontario may have launched with sports betting as its public-facing attraction, but online casino is now the commercial backbone of the ecosystem.

Sports Betting Cools After 2025 Spike

Sportsbooks posted:

  • CA$86.7 million in revenue
  • –5.8% year-over-year decline
  • Marginal 0.25% drop in betting handle

The comparison is partly skewed. January 2025 was unusually strong for sportsbooks, generating CA$92 million — a level not exceeded again until November.

Even so, sports betting now represents:

  • 22% of total wagering activity
  • A smaller share of overall revenue

As the market matures, the volatility of sports betting contrasts with the steadier margins seen in online casino.

Player Growth Remains Strong

Ontario recorded more than 1.32 million active player accounts in January, up 19.9% year over year.

However, revenue per account suggests moderation:

  • CA$303 average NAGGR per active account
  • +2% year-over-year
  • –9% compared to December’s CA$333

Growth is being driven more by expanding participation than heavier individual spending — a hallmark of a maturing market rather than a boom phase.

Provincial Revenue Impact

The fiscal implications remain significant.

In 2025, operators generated over CA$4 billion in NAGGR from nearly CA$98 billion in wagers. Under Ontario’s 20% revenue-sharing structure, that translated to more than CA$800 million in public revenue.

January 2026 alone contributed roughly CA$80 million to provincial coffers.

It is worth noting that these figures exclude the government-run platform operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which reports separately.

Competition Expands as Alberta Eyes Launch

Ontario remains the most competitive regulated online gambling market in North America by operator count. Yet new brands are still entering.

In January, sports streaming platform DAZN secured approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and is preparing to launch DAZN Bet later this year.

Meanwhile, Alberta is targeting a mid-2026 rollout of its own commercial iGaming framework. Several Ontario operators are expected to pursue licenses there, using Ontario as both template and testing ground.

A Market Moving Into Scaled Maturity

Ontario’s January data confirms two parallel trends:

  • The market continues to post record wagering volumes
  • Online casino is widening its structural lead over sports betting

Approaching its fourth anniversary, Ontario is no longer a regulatory experiment. It is a scaled, high-volume marketplace generating billions in wagers and hundreds of millions in monthly revenue.

The next chapter will test whether other provinces can replicate the model — without eroding the competitive edge Ontario has built.

Summary

Ontario’s iGaming market reached CA$9.52 billion in January wagers, with revenue climbing above CA$400 million. Growth remains strong, but it is casino — not sports betting — that now defines the province’s regulated gambling landscape.