Harrison Barrett, Business Development Director at GiG, assesses the lay of the landscape in the Canadian gaming industry. Hot off the heels of Canadian Gaming Summit, Barrett outlines his thoughts on the opening three years of Ontario, and looks ahead to the opening in Alberta next year.

Canadian Gaming Business: Tell us about what GiG is doing in Canada. What solutions are you offering, which jurisdictions and how many partners are you working with?

Harrison Barrett: Canada is a key growth market for GiG, and we’ve been proactive in our investment there. Being fully live and operational in Ontario, offering our platform, LogicX rule engine, and SportX sportsbook solution, all tailored for the province’s regulatory framework since regulation came in in 2022. 

We’ve already launched several brands, with multiple Ontario-certified partners currently live and others in certification stage, and we’ve worked hard to ensure our setup allows us to support both new entrants and land-based operators making the transition online and to start enjoying the growth potential in the market as soon as possible..

CGB: Canada is often seen as one of global iGaming’s biggest opportunities — why has GiG invested time and resources into the nation? What potential do you see there?

HB: From the outset, we saw Canada, and Ontario in particular, as a strong fit for our regulated-market strategy. The combination of high player engagement, a tech-savvy consumer base, and a maturing regulatory framework makes it incredibly compelling. For us, Canada isn’t just a one-jurisdiction play, we see it more as a long-term opportunity to build trusted partnerships as more provinces open. We believe our experience across Europe and LatAm gives us the operational discipline and adaptability to succeed here.

CGB: What are the major differences between working in Canada compared to other jurisdictions such as Europe and the US?

HB: One key difference is the provincial nature of the regulatory environment. Ontario has created a more open, competitive model that mirrors European-style regulation, especially around responsible gaming, data transparency, and backend reporting. We’ve adapted our platform to meet these requirements out of the box, giving our partners a faster route to market.

CGB: There are idiosyncratic quirks in Canada given most provinces are grey — what are the biggest challenges of being in Canada?

HB: Navigating the coexistence of regulated and grey markets is probably the biggest challenge. Operators need clarity and technical flexibility, to pivot when other provinces move toward regulation. Our platform helps address that, offering segmented configurations and compliance overlays per region. The other challenge is timing, as partners want to be early in new markets like Alberta, but it’s crucial to balance readiness with compliance.

CGB: How would you surmise the opening three years of the Ontario market? Are the realities matching up with expectations?

HB: Broadly, yes. Ontario has created a functioning, competitive, and commercially viable market with a good mix of local and international brands. There was early scepticism around channelisation and taxation, but the market has matured impressively. For us, the key takeaway is that operators who invested early in localisation and regulatory compliance are now seeing the rewards.

CGB: What adaptation do you feel operators need to make now that Ontario is reaching somewhat of a maturation point?

HB: We’re at an interesting inflection point in Ontario. The market has had a strong start, generating over 2.4 billion Canadian dollars in gross gaming revenue in its second full year and attracting around 1.3 million active player accounts. But what we’re starting to see is a natural slowing of new customer acquisition and a flattening of average revenue per user. That shift is typical of a market moving from its early growth phase into a more mature cycle.

For operators, the playbook now needs to evolve. Success is no longer just about getting to market quickly with a compliant product, it’s about how effectively you can retain players, differentiate your offering, and optimise your operations. We’re seeing a lot more focus on player retention tools, real-time CRM strategies, and localised content that connects with a Canadian audience. Promotional strategies need to feel native, not generic, and platforms must be agile enough to let operators test and optimise without weeks of development work.

The maturity of the market also means higher competition, there are now over 70 licensed operators in Ontario. That puts pressure on margins and forces everyone to think more strategically. Operators need to streamline their back-end processes, consolidate technology where possible, and lean into smart automation. At GiG, we’re seeing real demand for modular tools like LogicX, which let partners adjust their player rules, triggers, and compliance flows on the go, without having to rebuild product or code releases. That kind of flexibility is becoming essential, not optional.

In short, Ontario isn’t winding down by any means, and operators who adapt to that shift, who stop thinking like market entrants and start acting like market leaders, are the ones who’ll thrive.

CGB: What lessons do you feel operators have learned from the Ontario experience heading into the Alberta market when that eventually launches?HB: The Ontario rollout taught everyone the value of being early, prepared, and fully compliant. Many operators learned the hard way that retrofitting platforms post-regulation is expensive. We think Alberta will be a faster, more efficient process for those who apply Ontario’s lessons, like early engagement with regulators, technical readiness, and having the right local content and payment integrations from day one.