Forecast for the growth of online casinos in Canada during the second half of the year
Canada’s iGaming scene has been booming, but what will growth look like in the second half of 2026?
CANADA IS PROBABLY home to one of the most exciting online casino scenes right now. Ever since the launch of Ontario’s regulated market, the country has been growing at a remarkable pace, becoming a certified hotspot on the iGaming map. Four years have passed since the successful introduction, so how is the industry doing in 2026, and what’s the forecast for online casino growth in Canada in the second half of the year?
Ontario’s Impact on the Industry
Before we get into 2026, it’s important to offer up some context. For many years, Canada’s online gambling landscape was fragmented. Sure, Canadians could legally access many offshore online casinos licensed in international jurisdictions. Still, there was no large-scale, competitive regulated market where private operators could obtain licenses and compete under a single provincial framework.
That all changed in April 2022, however, when Ontario officially launched its regulated online gaming market in partnership with the AGCO – Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Rather than operating a government monopoly, the province opened the door for licensed private companies to offer their own online casino games, as well as sports betting, provided they met the strict regulatory standards laid down for player protection.
The move drew some raised eyebrows, especially within the industry, because it wasn’t guaranteed to be a success. Indeed, in other corners of the world, governments have tried and failed to launch a successful iGaming market, mainly down to the difficulty of attracting enough operators and convincing players to move away from established offshore sites.
But contrary to those raised eyebrows, the move proved to be an immediate jackpot. Across the world, a range of online casino brands applied for licenses, giving Ontario residents access to a far broader – and safer – range of operators than ever before, and also the chance for entrepreneurs to launch businesses that support the infrastructure around the offshore casinos. As such, competition increased rapidly, resulting in better bonuses, game libraries, payment options, and an overall better experience for players taking advantage.
Enter: Alberta
There was the chance, of course, that this surge of competition could have an adverse effect on the market as a whole – when more and more casinos become available, it actually becomes harder for players to pick one and stick with it. But with casino affiliates like Casino.ca and similar reviewer blogs giving Canadian players a way to compare operators without conducting hours of research, the growth was smooth and sustainable.
Most importantly, however, it demonstrated that a regulated market could generate significant economic benefits. Licensing fees and tax revenue all flowed into the province; the iGaming boom created opportunities for new investments, and other provinces took notice.
Since Ontario’s launch, Alberta has similarly taken a big step forward in the same direction, passing a legislative framework that closely resembles Ontario’s market, with the market itself just about to launch commercially.
If that launch is also a success, there’s a good chance that other provinces will follow, creating a domino effect that could make the country one of the biggest iGaming sectors in the world.
Forecast for the Second Half of 2026
Back to the present: 2026. Right now, there is a range of licensed online casinos operating in Canada; the best ones are ranked here, and provide reviews and ratings to compare them. But really, it’s the approaching launch in Alberta that will carry the most weight.
This very month, Alberta will be leaping into the iGaming scene, and in doing so, will dictate how the country will fare in the second half of the year. Right now, projections suggest that Canada’s iGaming sector grows by around 32% annually, with dozens of new online casinos launching every year. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, an eye-watering $1.04 billion was generated, and it’s set to hit $3.46 billion in the second half of the year.
Looking beyond, there’s projected to be a market volume of $7.34 billion by 2029, but again, this will depend on the success of Alberta’s market and the potential for other provinces to follow suit. Of course, there will always be regional differences – online casino interest, specifically, fluctuates depending on the province – but with growth mostly driven by private-sector investment, that investment is likely to soar if those first few months of Alberta’s regulated market are strong.
That will depend on a few factors. First, operator participation. As mentioned before, the speed and scale at which major international and domestic casino brands enter newly regulated markets is hugely important, especially when it comes to creating immediate credibility.
Regulatory clarity and stability will also be important, with investors and operators far more likely to commit long-term if the province maintains a clear, consistent framework around licensing and advertising.
Lastly, it all comes down to the users. If accessibility – especially around payment infrastructure – is not there, there’s no reason why they would migrate from offshore sites, so one of the main goals is to provide those smooth experiences and ensure that engagement is strong.
True to the nature of casinos themselves, it’s hard to predict anything in a market as fast-moving as this. But from what we know now, there’s every chance Canada’s grip on the industry is only just getting started.