Why More Ontario Players Are Choosing Regulated Gambling Sites as Legal Market Share Reaches 91.1%

Ontario’s regulated online gambling market has reached a major milestone in 2026, with 91.1% of surveyed online gamblers selecting regulated gambling sites when wagering online. This figure represents a 7.4-percentage-point increase relative to 2025 — a clear shift since the province opened its competitive iGaming market in April 2022. New research confirms that the share of players using only unregulated sites has fallen sharply — indicating growing regulatory ground within the province.

Regulated Gambling Now Dominates Ontario

The latest channelization study from Ipsos, commissioned by both the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario, surveyed 2,012 Ontarians aged 19 and above between March 30 and April 20, 2026. That study found that 91.1% of respondents who gambled online were choosing regulated sites, compared with 83.7% in the previous year’s study.

Such a finding is particularly significant because Ontario’s regulated market was created partly to move consumers away from offshore and unregulated gambling sites. Prior to the launch of the competitive market in 2022, the province estimated that around 70% of its online gambling activity was occurring on unregulated sites. The latest figures suggest that the market has moved considerably in the opposite direction over the past four years.

Unregulated Site Use Has Fallen

The Ipsos research also shows a clearer picture of the decline in unregulated gambling. Some 8.9% of respondents indicated their gambling was exclusively on unregulated websites. In 2025, that figure stood at 16.3% — which represents a decline of 7.4 percentage points in just 12 months.

The distinction is important. The 91.1% figure does not imply that the same proportion of gambling revenue or wagers comes from regulated operators. Rather, it is a channelization measure based on surveyed online gamblers. After all, some players may opt to use both regulated and unregulated sites. Nevertheless, the results do suggest that Ontario’s regulated market has become the preferred destination for most surveyed players.

More Choice May Be Driving the Shift

The growth of regulated gambling sites has given Ontarians significantly more choice. As of August 6, iGaming Ontario listed 48 regulated operators and 83 gaming websites within the province.

That’s a major expansion relative to when the market launched in April 2022. Such an increase in operators means that consumers have more choice when comparing sportsbooks, online casinos, poker platforms, payment methods, and mobile experiences — without necessarily turning to offshore providers.

The market has also grown substantially in financial scale. To put this into perspective, the value of wagers among regulated operators hit $82.7 billion during fiscal 2024-25 — with $69.6 billion from online casino games, $11.4 billion from betting, and $1.7 billion from poker activities.

These figures highlight the commercial strength of Ontario’s regulated gambling industry. They also help explain why major international operators continue seeking access to the province.

Player Protection Is a Key Factor

Greater participation in regulated gambling creates even more opportunities for enforcing consumer-protection standards. All licensed Ontario operators must comply with provincial requirements relating to areas like game integrity, responsible gambling, and consumer safeguards.

A significant recent development is BetGuard — Ontario’s centralized iGaming self-exclusion platform. The system permits eligible players to exclude themselves from all participating regulated iGaming sites through one process rather than by contacting each operator separately.

For consumers, these measures offer an important difference between regulated Ontario gambling sites and offshore platforms. As always, players should check the license details of any operator they intend to use, along with its terms, limits, and responsible-gambling tools — before depositing any money.

Ontario Still Has an Unregulated Market to Address

Despite the 91.1% channelization rate, the latest research shows that unregulated gambling has certainly not disappeared. The 8.9% of players who used only unregulated sites present a remaining challenge for regulators and licensed operators.

The AGCO has continued to focus on enforcement efforts against illegal operators while also working with iGaming Ontario to develop and strengthen the regulated market. Such challenges are particularly relevant as new gambling brands enter Ontario and competition increases. The province, therefore, must find a balance between providing sufficient choice to attract consumers and ensuring that licensed operators meet strict standards.

What the 91.1% Figure Means for Ontario Gambling

Ontario’s latest channelization figures suggest the province’s model for regulated gambling is drawing a growing majority of online players. The rise from 83.7% to 91.1% in just one year is especially notable, while the use of exclusively unregulated sites fell from 16.3% to 8.9%.

The trend occurs even as the regulated market in Ontario continues to expand. With 48 operators, 83 gaming websites, and billions of dollars in annual wagers, the province features one of Canada’s largest regulated online gambling markets.

For players, the recent numbers affirm the increasing significance of licensed gambling sites in Ontario. For regulators and operators, however, the unregulated market is an indication that the job is not finished. Maintaining consumer choice, strong player protection, and effective enforcement will be key to Ontario’s iGaming strategy as the market enters its fifth year.