During the last year, Ontario has served as a pioneer and test site for Canada's authorized online casinos and sportsbooks. The most populated province in the country is now providing the best online casinos in Canada. The market in Ontario offers an unmatched variety of products from both public and private providers.
According to iGaming Ontario, the industry had a total handle of $35.6 billion and gaming revenue of nearly $1.4 billion in its first year. With a tried-and-true strategy and the money to support it, another province will undoubtedly join Ontario regulated casinos online. But who will be the next? Which Canadian provinces are likely to imitate Ontario, according to Online-Casinos.ca's predictions?
Alberta Online Casinos Lead the Odds
Albertans as well as government officials are interested in Ontario's success. Both organizations advocate for provincial regulation. There is now just one regulated gambling website, PlayAlberta, although the results are promising.
PlayAlberta Casino has had remarkable growth since debuting its sports offering a year and a half ago, according to the communications manager, Karin Campbell, of Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, who wrote to CBC News in an email. Campbell attributed the development to online lottery services' greater accessibility as well as linked betting activity.
Because of this, the AGLC is keeping a close eye on the changes in the Ontario market and is still committed to helping a larger sports betting industry be implemented legally and successfully. Although there is no ETA for growth, Alberta has already ticked two important boxes: a receptive government and an interested citizenry. You can learn more about the current landscape by reading through our Alberta Online Casino guide.
BC Online Casinos are Second in Line
British Columbia is prepared for an expanding market and is known for its GameSense responsible gambling program, which leads the industry. Only one legal gambling website, PlayNow Casino, is present in British Columbia, exactly as its Western Canadian equivalents in Alberta. As a result, PlayNow saw a huge increase in single-event sports betting, which brought in $170 million in the first 12 months.
The bulk of sports wagers on the website is single-event wagers, according to Matt Lee, a British Columbia Lottery Corporation spokeswoman, in an email to CBC News. Lee added that BCLC continues to consider what sports-betting options could soon be offered in light of the popularity of these services. Although vague, Lee's remarks do indicate a bit more than cautious optimism, and for now, that's the most that can be said. Take a look at our BC Online Casinos guide to find out more.
Quebec Online Casinos are Third in Line
Montreal started a $2 "voluntary" tax lottery in 1968, which is considered to be the inception of Canadian lotteries. There isn't much evidence that can be used to create assumptions about possible growth, but La Belle Province's composition makes assumptions inevitable.
Quebec has the basis to effectively develop its sports betting business because to the fact that it has the second-largest provincial population in Canada and a long history of athletic achievement. However, Loto-Quebec's Espacejeux is the only legal, licensed and regulated operator in the territory despite far surpassing the required standards.
Perhaps Quebec is adopting a strategy like to Alberta's, carefully observing the market in Ontario to predict how it could perform in the same circumstances. After all, in terms of population, it is the province that most closely resembles Ontario. Regardless of whether or not there has been development, Quebec is a province that has to be watched closely. Find out more by reading our comprehensive Quebec Online Casinos guide.
Atlantic Canada is the Dark Horse
The Atlantic Lottery Corporation is in charge of managing all single-event sports betting for East Coast residents. According to ALC spokesperson Greg Weston, sales have been good since February 2022 when the option became available. The hypothetical expansion offer from Atlantic Canada will vary significantly from those from Quebec or Alberta. In contrast, AGLC and Loto-Quebec only operate for their namesake, whereas ALC is in charge of four provinces.
This isn't always an issue, however. It is more dependent on the "strength in numbers" tactic, which depends on cooperation within a single area for success. The four Atlantic provinces together have a population of around 2.5 million, making them Canada's the fifth-largest province. ALC may get the go-ahead in the not-too-distant future if the goal is harmony and sales are robust.
Provincial Online Casinos Across Canada
Over the years, a few governments have made the decision to launch their own official provincial casino sites. In British Columbia, there is a website called PlayNow where people may play poker, bingo, sports betting, and casino games for real money. EspaceJeux, a legal online casino in Quebec, as well as Play OLG, a licensed online casino in Ontario, are both available. Find out more about the various provinces that legalized internet gambling by visiting our provincial online casinos Canada guide.
Pros and Cons of Playing at Provincial Gambling Sites
Playing at provincially run online casinos in Canada offers both mobile and desktop players access to a legit real money gambling experience. Below we list the advantages and possible disadvantages of playing at the best Canadian online casinos in 2024.
- Player information are secure
- Accurate and timely payouts of winnings
- All games offer transparent play
- Closely monitored sites ensure responsible operations
- Smaller variety of online casinos games
- Only residents of the province can play at provincially run online casinos
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