Over 19.3 million Canadians are actively gambling, and this contributes to Canada being ranked number 8 in online gaming globally with players in Canada spending about $825 per person per year on online gaming sites. Online Casinos are also quite popular among Canadians as they make it quite easy to enjoy a genuine casino experience safely and legally from the confines of your home and the mobility of your preferred devices. There is no global legal or regulatory body that oversees online gambling in every single country, so sites can base themselves where they are not subject to strict laws or regulation and be able to operate with relative ease.
In recent years, Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan decided to tap into this popular gambling industry by launching their very own gambling sites. Online casinos in Ontario were officially launched on April 4th. So now, if you are of legal betting age and living in Ontario, you can now play any of the online casinos available in the area.
Even though Ontario was late to the game, it is no surprise the province finally jumped into this lucrative sector. Canadians were already spending at least $4 billion annually in offshore casinos. And even that amount is only a quarter of the $17 billion plus Canadians spend in Casinos back home according to a Canadian Gaming Industry Report. In short, the gambling industry generates tens of billions of dollars every year. And although females gamble a lot, 80% of gamblers in Canada are male. In Canada (including Ontario) all casinos allow for online gambling. Online sports betting is the most popular followed by table games. Luck games such as bingo are women’s favorites in the country. Other games include slot games (played by 72% of Canadian online gamblers), table games, poker (played by 59% of online gamers), and online casinos (online casinos have 13% higher rewards than physical casinos.
Player age differences and preferences are also important. Statistics show that the people most likely to gamble in Canada are those between the ages of 35 and 50. Despite this, the number of young people who gamble remains significant. Most are either in college or just starting out in their careers. Younger players prefer more active gambling options, and even more so online. People 40 years and older seem to prefer calmer and more comfortable games such as bingo. However, there is an exception to this pattern. Both young people and people over 55 like to play slots. It is assumed that at one time, because of the great hype, slot machines have remained a favourite of many since the second half of the 20th century.
Gambling online is cheaper than going to a physical casino and it is super convenient too. But there is an interesting demographic about gambling in Canada – even though the males are the bigger chunk of the gamblers, women use their phones more than their male counterparts in gambling. Canada is, in fact, the only country on the globe where female gamblers using their phones for online gambling outnumber the male mobile-based online gamblers. 55% of all female gamblers do it on their mobile phones.
Ontario online casinos are new in business and are regulated by the government. While they offer new opportunities for gamblers within the province to bet and win, the prospective bettor must be of legal age, which is 19. Bettors don’t pay taxes upon their wins on online casinos in Ontario. However, if a bettor gambles as a profession, then taxes must be paid, and the amount to pay differs from province to each province. According to a prediction by Statistics Canada, 65% of Canada's legal gambling age population will place a bet at an online casino within the coming year. Furthermore, 25% of the country's population will participate weekly in some type of lottery game. In short, Gaming, and online gaming are here to stay.
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