Ontario’s iGaming Market Rivals US Giants, Says Gaming News Canada

A North American Powerhouse

Ontario’s online gambling scene is making waves, stacking up impressively against heavyweights like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Gaming News Canada’s analysis shows Ontario snagging second place in total online gambling revenue over its first three years since launching in April 2022, clocking in at $5.22 billion USD.

“To be fair, Ontario is likely No. 1 in revenue in this comparison when you consider the numbers released by iGaming Ontario (iGO) do not include those for the digital platforms operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), which through the first two years made up about 20% of the total Ontario online revenue. But, since we don’t have the OLG numbers, yet, for third fiscal year since the open sector launched in April, 2022, we’ll just stick to iGO-only figures for this exercise,” says GNC. 

That’s just shy of Michigan’s $5.97 billion, but ahead of Pennsylvania’s $4.11 billion and New Jersey’s $1.55 billion, using the Bank of Canada’s three-year average exchange rate of 0.739.

These figures, pulled from iGaming Ontario, don’t even include the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s digital platforms, which account for about 20% of the province’s online revenue. Add those in, and Ontario might just steal the top spot.

The province’s 50-plus operators and over 80 gaming platforms are driving a big chunk of this success, offering everything from slots to sports betting. Yet, despite its dominance, Ontario’s market doesn’t get much buzz south of the border, where Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are seen as the gold standard.

Leading in Sports, Strong in Casino

Ontario’s a beast in sports betting, topping the charts with $1.29 billion in revenue over three years, edging out Michigan’s $1.2 billion, Pennsylvania’s $1.1 billion, and New Jersey’s $1.09 billion.

For online casinos, it holds second place with $3.8 billion, behind Michigan’s $4.77 billion but ahead of Pennsylvania’s $3 billion and New Jersey’s $457.5 million.

These numbers include online poker, mirroring the US states’ data, and show Ontario’s knack for balancing both categories. Casino games, like slots and table games, dominate, making up 83% of wagers in Q3 2024, while sports betting holds a solid 15% share.

BetMGM’s calling itself the king of Ontario’s iGaming scene. “We are the number one operator in gaming in Ontario with a 22% market share,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt in May 2024, claiming leadership in both online casino and sports betting.

Greenblatt added in Q1 2025 that BetMGM’s market share grew in both segments, cementing its iGaming lead. But since iGaming Ontario doesn’t release operator-specific data, it’s tough to verify if BetMGM’s truly on top or just talking a big game.

Why Ontario’s Thriving

Ontario’s regulated market, launched in April 2022, has hit a sweet spot with strong oversight and a flood of private operators, unlike the slower-to-adapt US states.

Its $3.2 billion CAD ($2.36 billion USD) in gross gaming revenue for 2024-25, up 32% year-over-year, reflects a hungry player base and slick tech, like mobile-optimized platforms.

Michigan leads overall, thanks to its longer-established market, but Ontario’s catching up fast, especially in sports betting, where it’s already number one. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, while strong, lag in total revenue, partly due to smaller casino shares.