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ONTARIO IS A dynamic province not only in terms of its governance, culture, and economy, but also when it comes to supporting learning and entertainment industries. In recent years, the educational landscape has embraced digital tools and open-source platforms. They have done this while, concurrently, the entertainment sector, including film and television, interactive media, and digital casino/online gaming, has shown remarkable growth.
Drawing on a resource such as eCampusOntario’s initiatives and linking to insights from BetMGM Ontario online blogs within the regulated online-casino context, this article will run through how Ontario’s education system is supported with strong resources. It also ties in how the entertainment sector has fared, and includes a special section on the casino/digital entertainment space as an anchor to the broader discussion.
Ontario has made considerable strides in making resources available for teachers, educators, and students across all levels. The Ontario Educational Resource Bank (OERB) makes thousands of curriculum-linked digital items available for Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The publicly funded school boards also have access to a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platform such as Brightspace, enabling online and blended learning. At the post-secondary level, eCampusOntario supports the following:
Teachers and school leaders have access to platforms such as EduGAINS, which provide:
The push towards digital fluency for educators is also supported by programs like Ontario Extend via eCampusOntario.
The provision of rich digital resources has improved flexibility, access, and the ability to deliver learning in different modes (in-person, hybrid, online). At the same time, challenges remain: ensuring equity of access (devices, connectivity), supporting teacher capacity for new tools, and ensuring that digital resources are high quality and aligned with pedagogy.
The culture and creative industries in Ontario form an important part of the economy. According to data, Ontario’s culture sector alone generates tens of billions of dollars annually and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. For example, the province’s film and television industry contributed approximately $3.15 billion in 2022 and created over 45,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
Looking more specifically at interactive digital media (games, virtual reality, augmented reality, and digital content), Ontario is positioned as a hub. A past industry report noted nearly 1,000 companies in Ontario’s mobile- and web-game development, generating over CA$2 billion annual revenue in certain years.
More recently, digital entertainment in Ontario, including regulated online gaming, has become a rising force. Video games, streaming platforms, and real-money online casinos are all contributing meaningfully to jobs, research, innovation, and local consumer spending.
Thus, Ontario’s educational resources and its entertainment/digital economy are complementary: as more digital content, media production, and interactive experiences emerge, the demand for digital fluency, robust online resources, and creative talent grows.
One of the most notable parts of the digital entertainment sector in Ontario is the regulated online casino and iGaming market. In the fiscal year 2024-25, for example, Ontario’s online casino industry reportedly generated CA$2.40 billion of the province’s CA$3.20 billion iGaming revenue.
Wagering in the regulated digital casino market reached nearly CA$69.6 billion, up 34% year-over-year. With mobile devices accounting for roughly 72% of play and an active player base of about 1.1 million, this is clearly a strong and growing market.
Behind the entertainment of online casino games, Ontario’s digital ecosystem is building the following sectors:
The same educational resources that support digital learning in K-12 and post-secondary can feed into pathways for students moving into creative technology, game development, digital content creation, and regulated entertainment professions.
Within the regulated entertainment space, platforms such as the BetMGM Ontario blog can play a role in providing consumer education, transparency, industry updates, and responsible gaming awareness to the broader public. Embedding the blog within the broader narrative of Ontario’s educational and entertainment resources makes sense: it is part of how digital entertainment is communicated, explained, and engaged with by users.
As Ontario’s digital entertainment and regulated gaming sectors expand, the demand for digital literacy, critical thinking, content creation, compliance awareness, and creative media production rises.
Educational resources that immerse learners in technology-enabled environments (for example, via eCampusOntario’s digital learning frameworks or K-12 resources such as the Virtual Learning Environment) help equip students with skills that are relevant to these sectors.
The existence of open-license collections (such as the VLS Collection by eCampusOntario) enables continuous learning and adaptability. This means educators and learners have access to flexible, digital-by-design learning materials, helping support those entering or transitioning into fields like:
When resources address real-world skills, such as narrative design, interactive media, digital marketing, compliance, and regulation, students are better prepared to join the workforce supporting Ontario’s entertainment economy. With Ontario’s culture and digital sectors performing strongly, aligning education and industry needs benefits both learners and the province’s economy.
Ontario presents an interesting narrative of how educational resources and the entertainment/digital media sector can reinforce each other. From K-12 digital learning platforms and vast repositories of curriculum-aligned resources to the expanding field of interactive digital media, film and television production, and regulated online gaming, the province is forging pathways where learning supports careers in thriving creative and entertainment industries.
By acknowledging and integrating platforms like BetMGM Ontario into the broader ecosystem, we see how consumer-facing entertainment can be connected to industry transparency, education, and responsible participation. For learners, educators, and industry alike, Ontario’s approach underscores the importance of adaptable resources, digital fluency, and strategic alignment with economic growth sectors.
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