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Jemma McColgan analyzes the current situation of online casinos in Canada
Canada’s online gambling market has been on the rise in recent years. While much of the conversation in North America has been focused on the slow rollout of legal online casinos in certain states in the USA, Canada has not shied away from innovating and developing a very mature online casino industry of its own.
Back in the early 2010s, Canadian casino goers were limited to either finding a physical casino (often no small feat considering the vast size of the country), playing at one of the government-run monopolies such as PlayNow or PlayAlberta, or delving into the grey market of offshore casinos, which can be of varying quality.
Things changed in 2022 when Ontario, through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario, created a framework to legalize online casinos in the province. Since then, operators have sprung up, focusing on creating a vibrant and competitive iGaming scene across Canada. Offshore operators have improved in quality, too. Earlier this year, Alberta announced legislation to regulate online gambling operations.
To gain a deeper understanding of this, we spoke with Casino.org’s in-house Canadian expert Jemma McColgan about the best online casinos in Canada, the development of the Canadian online gambling market in recent years, and the current lay of the land for players and operators alike.
Yeva: Hi Jemma. First off, would you be able to give us an overview of the current state of regulation in Canada?
Hey, thanks for the question. Canada is somewhat more complicated than other markets, such as the UK or Malta, both popular places that have long had online gambling regulation. This is because Canada has provincial and territorial governments, as well as a federal government. Laws and regulations vary depending on locations across the country. For example, Ontario brought in regulation of privately owned casinos in 2022, and Alberta is currently in the process of launching its own regulated market, which should kick off in 2026, along the model of Ontario. Players have also long played at offshore casinos. In the case of Alberta, for example, almost 9 out of 10 players have wagered at offshore casinos in recent months, according to an Ipsos report commissioned by the AGCO. This makes it pretty clear that the state-run monopolies are falling behind in regard to player choice. Improved, modern regulation that allows competition is obviously something that players want, and I’m happy to say that it does seem that governments are catching on.
Yeva: What would good regulation look like to you?
Well, the bottom line is looking at what Canadian online casino goers want, and tailoring regulation toward making sure they get it. Players going to offshore casinos not only means that Canada is failing to collect tax revenue that could be used to invest in the growth of the country, but also that players can end up engaging in risk-taking behaviour without really knowing so. Sensible regulation would make players want to play at regulated casinos over offshore casinos.
Yeva: And in your opinion, what is it that Canadian online casino players are actually looking for?
Well, it’s obvious that online casinos are becoming more popular in Canada. Revenue in the Canadian gambling market is projected to grow to $15.9bn by the end of 2025, of which $9.5bn is expected to be from online casinos. This is due not only to changes in legislation, but also to improvements in offerings. Canadians have access to hundreds of different online casinos offering really competitive bonuses and great user experience. These days, gamification is increasing in popularity too.
All of this is on top of one of the most important parts of any online casino – the game offerings. Blackjack, video poker, roulette, and baccarat are classic favourites, and on top of that, the number and quality of online slots available these days is truly mind-blowing. On Casino.org alone we’ve tested over 7500 different slot games, and that number just keeps growing. With improved regulation, Canadian players are able to play these awesome games in safety, knowing that their casino of choice plays by the rules.
Yeva: What about affiliates in all of this? What place do they hold in this changing landscape?
I’ve always been firmly of the opinion that the job of a great online casino affiliate is to be clear in directing their player base to the very best places to gamble. I’ve already mentioned the large numbers of casinos and games available – it’s completely mind-boggling, even to our veteran players. So, the way I see it, what we need to do is break down these massive amounts of information and present it to players in a way they can actually digest. This way, when they decide where they go with their money, it’s safe in the knowledge that they are getting the best bonus, the fastest payout, or the biggest game selection, depending on their preference.
Another thing that, in my view, is a very important role filled by the best affiliates is to make sure that gamblers are going to websites that they can trust and that will fulfill their obligations when it comes time to pay out winnings. Nothing sours the experience of a big win like a shady operator refusing to pay the money players have won. So, we have to make sure to thoroughly vet the casinos we recommend, and to challenge any that don’t play by the rules.
Yeva: What do you think the future holds for Canadian iGaming?
It’s pretty clear to me that the future is bright, both for players and for the iGaming business in general. Improved, common-sense regulation in Canada means success for everyone involved. Gamblers can play safely. Operators know where the lines are drawn. The government can collect revenue to fund state coffers. And of course, for those of us involved in affiliation, we can confidently work on directing these players to the very best offerings, safe in the knowledge that our time and energy is well within legal limits.
Of course, there will always be challenges. Legislation is famously slow, some players will still seek out less than legitimate casinos offering impossible deals, and we in affiliation will come up against our own issues. Something I love about AffPapa is your iGaming complaints section, helping ensure that affiliates are getting the deals they signed up for with their partners.
Yeva: Thank you so much for your time, Jemma.
Company: Casino.org
Interviewee: Jemma McColgan
Date: 02.12.2025
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