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Ontario’s regulated iGaming market processed C$9.48 billion in total cash wagers in May, up 17% year-on-year, with online casino setting new all-time highs in both handle and operator revenue, according to data released by iGaming Ontario (iGO).
Casino drives the record
Online casino accounted for C$8.37 billion of the month’s total handle, surpassing the previous record of C$8.33 billion set in March. Operator non-adjusted gross gaming revenue (NAGGR) from casino reached C$326.4 million, up 25.6% from C$259.8 million in May 2025 and above the prior record of C$320.7 million posted in December 2025.
The result extends a consistent pattern in Ontario’s regulated market: casino is the engine. Since the market launched in April 2022, online casino has accounted for the vast majority of both wagering volume and operator earnings. In May, casino handle alone represented roughly 88% of the province’s total iGaming activity.
The year-on-year growth rate, however, is decelerating. Casino revenue gains ran above 40% in the final months of 2025. The May figure of 25.6% is the lowest growth rate recorded in 2026 so far, marking three consecutive months below 30%. Through the first five months of 2026, Ontario’s licensed operators have collectively generated C$1.54 billion in casino revenue, up 29.4% on the same period in 2025 and tracking toward a full-year total above C$4 billion.
Sports betting remains a minor contributor
Sports betting handle in May was in the range of C$1 billion, with the remainder of the total wagering figure spread across sports and peer-to-peer poker. That split is consistent with Ontario’s established pattern, where sports betting accounts for roughly 10-12% of total market handle.
The picture differs somewhat on the revenue side. April saw sports betting NAGGR of C$86 million, a 40% increase month-on-month driven by favourable results margins — a reminder that revenue from the vertical can swing considerably depending on outcomes. The corresponding margin dynamics also apply in reverse, as Ontario’s licensed sportsbooks posted softer revenue in months with less favourable results.
Sports betting handle in Ontario has trended flat to slightly down year-on-year for much of 2026, in contrast to casino, which has grown consistently and at pace. For operators entering or expanding in the province, the Ontario data presents a clear commercial signal: iGaming in this market is primarily a casino proposition.
Alberta launch approaches
Ontario’s May figures land against the backdrop of Alberta preparing to open its own private, competitive iGaming market on 13 July 2026, following the same regulatory model Ontario introduced four years ago. DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel and other operators with established Ontario presences are already in pre-registration in Alberta.
Ontario’s numbers — particularly the casino dominance — offer a direct read of where Alberta’s market may land once it matures. The province’s first-mover market remains North America’s most competitive regulated iGaming jurisdiction by number of licensees, with 44 active commercial operators running 77 gaming websites as of May. iGO reporting excludes the government-run Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) platform.
The 20% revenue share rate applied to operator NAGGR means the provincial government collected approximately C$65 million in iGaming tax from casino activity alone in May. Ontario crossed C$800 million in iGaming tax revenue for the full year 2025.
For further context on Ontario’s market trajectory, see the full-year 2025 results and the Q4 2025 operator performance from key Ontario participants.
Source: iGaming Ontario
