Ontarians Love Online Casinos More Than Sports Wagering

The online gambling industry is extremely popular in Canada, as the people here just love the chance to test their luck with all the latest technological advancements. Even though Canada is not recognizable as some of the gambling capitals of the world such as Las Vegas or Macau, Canadians rate very highly among the gambling nations of the world. People from Ontario are no strangers to indulging in this hugely popular hobby, and the data shows us some exciting results regarding their preferences.

Gambling Is Legal in Ontario

As Canada decided to invite players and establish legislation regarding the iGaming market, players were thrilled! Opening to this industry is even more interesting as the state’s provinces are allowed to decide on regulations in their territories and this is something in which Ontario is leading the way. If you are looking for some gambling platforms you can check this list of the top legal online casinos in Ontario where you will find some of the leading names on the market. This is undoubtedly exciting to everyone involved, as Ontarians now have a buffet of offers from which they can choose. But it seems that at first glance, they are more likely to engage in online casinos rather than sports betting.

The Preference That Ontarians Make Between Online Casinos and Sports Betting

People in Ontario are far more engaged in gambling online. This made iGaming Ontario (iGO), a branch of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission for the province, analyze the data of the player’s preferences. As with many legalized markets in the world, the offer of games is in abundance, but gamblers have their favorites. Now you can play poker or roulette at online sites and wager on matches in many different competitions, such as the 2023 Women’s World Cup even. And according to their research, the category that is considered as betting on online casinos (all the table games, slots, and bingo) is recording 82,86 percent of all wagers made in the second quarter of the year. Besides that, sports betting on various sports events is only 14,29 percent of the total wagers, leaving the remaining 2,85 percent to peer-to-peer poker games.

The Financial Aspect of These Preferences

To increase the importance of all this data, let us talk about money. The second quarter of the year brought in 14 million USD of the total wagers in Ontario according to iGO. Betting on online casinos generated 11.6 billion USD while sports betting generated “only” 2 billion. This means that players are spending nearly 6 times more on online casinos than on sports betting. It is also important to note that the province gathered 545 million USD in gambling revenue for the mentioned quarter. It is more than 3 times larger than the same quarter last year when the revenue was 162 million USD. That is the money that can be invested to better Ontario in every way possible.

People From Ontario Love Online Betting

As the study shows, Ontarians love to play online casinos even more than the other provinces in Canada. They are established as active players (with over 900 thousand active gamblers playing) and that made this province’s gambling market worth almost 1 billion USD as per estimates, even before the adjustments in regulation were made. With the updated legislation the betting scene will certainly look even more appealing in Ontario. Players will feel even more comfortable and confident playing here, and that is even more supported by the decision of appropriate bodies to tax this type of income at just 20 percent. This amount represents one of the lowest, forecasting an increase in the value of the market of up to 1.5 billion USD in the next 3 years, making it one of the most appealing on the continent. This is huge news for the gambling community and people in the province as well.

This Results Make Ontario the Leading Province in the Country

It seems that officials are overjoyed with the recent developments, as Ontario now represents a national leader. Keeping in mind that this widespread attractiveness of online gambling is present, the governing body is making sure it doesn’t evolve into a problem for its people. When gambling is allowed, addiction becomes a problem, but Ontario is preventing this unfortunate thing. Once again, this province represents a leader in the yearly amount it spends on funding for problem gambling. More than 30 million USD goes to this cause with additional 25 million USD for treatment programs and more than 5 million USD for education and prevention purposes.

Conclusion

Studies are showing an increase in the popularity of gambling in Ontario due to the latest regulations of the industry. This invited analysts to see what are the most appealing games for players. Online casinos are a big hit for gamblers in comparison to sports wagering, and on further inspection, we have found one of the reasons for that. It is noted that sports betting is taking a hit due to a backlash in aggressive marketing campaigns. Advertising and connecting with sports events, teams, and even individuals is a bit frowned upon in Ontario. The reason is simple, athletes represent role models for kids, and they are certainly at an age in which gambling shouldn’t be forced on them. Meanwhile, it is highly commendable that the province officials are regulating and profiting from this industry, making the funds generated from gambling available for investing in a brighter future.