A new study commissioned by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario has revealed that the vast majority of Ontario’s online gamblers play on regulated websites.

With Ontario celebrating two years since the opening of the regulated iGaming market, a new study from Ipsos has found that 86.4 per cent of Ontarians gambled online in the preceding three months on regulated sites.

This represents an increase from the 85.3 per cent of iGaming participants who reported playing on regulated sites in a similar study conducted in 2023.

It also represents a significant improvement from the estimated 70 per cent of online gambling that occurred on unregulated sites before the Ontario Government established a competitive and regulated open market for Ontarians in April 2022.

There are currently 47 registered operators offering 77 regulated sites to Ontarians.

“As this made-in-Ontario iGaming market celebrates its second anniversary, we’re very pleased to share that 86 per cent of players are now participating on regulated sites,” said Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey. “This is another pivotal milestone in our ongoing work to provide players and businesses with a strong, competitive and safer online gaming environment that meets consumer expectations.

“We look forward to iGaming Ontario’s continued success as a global innovator, as a job creator that sustained more than 12,000 jobs in its first year of operation, and as a leader in the online gaming space.”

According to the study however, a notable portion of Ontario’s iGaming participants continue to wager on unregulated sites, with 20.1 per cent of those who had gambled online over the prior three months wagering on a combination of regulated and unregulated sites, while 13.6 per cent did all their betting on unregulated sites.

Participants named over 350 unregulated websites they have used, highlighting how many unlicensed betting options can still be accessed by Ontarians.

“In Ontario, regulated sites are held to high standards of game integrity, data security and player protections, including having significant responsible gaming safeguards,” said AGCO chief executive and registrar Dr Karin Schnarr. “While it’s encouraging to see most participants are choosing regulated gaming options, those who are not are unfortunately risking far more than their wagers.”

With 27 licensed operators in the province offering sportsbooks, Ontario’s overall online sports betting market ranks in the top five in total wagers in North America.

Basketball remains the most popular sport for betting, accounting for 24 per cent of all wagers in the year ended 31 March 2024, followed by American football at 15 per cent, Ice Hockey and Baseball at 11 per cent each, Soccer at 10 per cent, and Tennis at 7 per cent.

Online poker is the smallest of Ontario’s three major iGaming segments, with its five licensed operators collecting more than $1.5 billion in wagering during FY 2023/24, making Ontario the largest ring-fenced online poker market by gaming revenue in North America.

The Casino category continues to be largest segment, with Ontario’s 47 licensed operators generating around 82 per cent of total wagers in the market, with more than 5,000 games certified.

Blackjack represented 27 per cent of total table game wagers, followed by Roulette at 9 per cent, Baccarat at 8 per cent, with Poker (single player) and Craps at 1 per cent each.

“With 24 months behind us, we are starting to see a clearer picture of the Ontario player landscape in all three segments, betting, casino and poker,” says iGaming Ontario executive director Martha Otton. “I am looking forward to what comes next as we work with our operators to invest in Ontario and better understand Ontario players’ interests.”

iGaming Ontario board chair Heidi Reinhart added: “When talking about Ontario’s igaming market, the numbers tell us a lot. But what I’m most proud of are the countless ways that our government partners, operators, responsible gambling experts, players and employees have worked together to help us create a world-class market that is Ontario-made for Ontarians.”