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BC government will stop giving casino slot revenue to horse racing

The B.C. horse racing industry is reeling after the provincial government revealed that it will end the practice of providing slot machine revenue to the province’s last operating horse track, Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, on Jan. 31, 2026.

In a letter signed by Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety Nina Krieger that was sent to representatives of the thoroughbred and harness racing sectors, the government said that not only is providing additional provincial funding for horse racing no longer viable, but neither is dedicating a portion of net slot revenue to the industry.

“While the review identified some economic, social and other benefits flowing from live horse racing in B.C., it also revealed significant concerns with its financial sustainability and ongoing viability despite revitalization efforts,” wrote Krieger. “Horse Racing BC’s April 2025 Industry Plan presented a possible path forward for horse racing in B.C., but not without significant additional government funding over the next three years. In government’s current fiscal situation, we are unable to support this additional funding request.

“We also reviewed the practice of providing the horse racing industry with a share of net slot machine revenue from Hastings Casino and Elements Casino Surrey. Given the significant financial sustainability concerns revealed by the review, we have made the very difficult decision to stop providing net slot machine revenue to the industry as of January 31, 2026.”

Krieger added that the government has come to the conclusion that even with government investment from casino-generated revenue, the B.C. horse racing industry is not sustainable because of a range of factors, primarily declining revenues and public participation and attendance at racing events. She acknowledged in her letter that the decision will have “significant implications” for the future of live horse racing in the province and for industry workers and stakeholders.

Update: On Friday, Dec. 5, days after Krieger’s letter, Hastings announced that it was ending all horse racing at the racecourse effective immediately due to a ” lack of economic feasibility.”

Fraser Downs already shut its doors

B.C. has traditionally hosted horse racing at two longstanding racetracks, the Standardbred Fraser Downs course and the Thoroughbred Hastings Park Racecourse.

Hastings began operating slots in 2008 as part of an initiative to expand gaming in B.C. and the province currently returns 25% of the gaming revenue to the racetrack. Per the Vancouver Sun, government officials said the amount of slot machine income dedicated to the horse racing industry was between $8 and $10 million annually. That money will be reallocated as part of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) general revenue to government after Jan. 31.

Already, only Hastings’ racing operations remain in B.C. after Fraser Downs closed abruptly in August of this year when the City of Surrey exercised the land recapture option in its lease agreement and terminated the lease for the racetrack property. Great Canadian Entertainment continues to operate Elements Casino Surrey.

Great Canadian purchased Hastings in 2004, before the government approved the venue for casino gaming. The operator’s lease for Hastings Park and the casino is due to expire in May 2026, although the operator and the City of Vancouver could agree to a five-year renewal option.

Canadian Gaming Business reached out to Great Canadian for comment on the B.C. government decision.

“As an operator of racetracks in the province, we are grateful for the government’s support of horse racing through slot machine funding the last 20 years and understand that government must regularly adapt its programs,” the casino operator said in an emailed statement. “We are reviewing this decision to understand the implications for our operations and we will be engaging with our industry partners shortly.”

Great Canadian selling Hastings casino ops to First Nation

In November, Great Canadian announced it had entered a definitive agreement to sell the casino operations and casino real estate at Hastings to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, one of six casino venues that Great Canadian has agreed to sell to a B.C. First Nations group.

That deal, which does not include the racetrack or racing operations, has not yet closed, but Canadian Gaming Business understands that the provincial government’s decision is not expected to impact the pending transaction.

Alberta iGaming regulations coming soon, hopes minister’s office

The launch of regulated Alberta iGaming is arguably the biggest item on the calendar for Canadian gaming in 2026.

The consensus is that Alberta will become the second Canadian province and the newest North American jurisdiction to launch commercial online gambling at some point next year. Exactly when remains the subject of debate.

Originally ambitiously targeted for as early as late 2025, the mooted date was shifted to “early 2026” before the province’s legislature passed the iGaming Alberta Act in May. The minister responsible for iGaming, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction of Alberta Dale Nally, spoke about the process at the 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit in June.

Nally said at that SBC event that he would return to his cabinet colleagues this fall for discussions on key issues such as iGaming regulations, advertising standards and tax rate ahead of making firm decisions.

Since then, there has been little in the way of public update.

Alberta awaits iGaming corporation

Whenever the market does open, the plan is for AGLC to continue as both the operator of Play Alberta and the market regulator (similar roles as Ontario Lottery and Gaming and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, respectively, in that province’s market) while a new Alberta iGaming Corporation will perform the iGaming Ontario role as the conduct-and-manage agency.

Canadian Gaming Business reached out to Nally’s office this week to check in on where things stand.

“We continue to meet with members of the iGaming industry and other interested partners so we can get the launch of a private, regulated iGaming market in Alberta right,” Nally’s new Press Secretary Kevin Lee told Canadian Gaming Business on Friday. “Conversations are ongoing and cover a wide range of topics, including the development of the province’s regulatory framework, the implementation of player safety measures like system-wide self-exclusion, and the registration process with Alberta’s iGaming market regulator – Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis.

“The Alberta iGaming Corporation, which will oversee the conduct and management of Alberta’s private regulated iGaming market, is a statutory corporation, created when the iGaming Alberta Act was passed this past spring. Work is currently underway to finish standing the organization up.

“We anticipate regulations could be finalized soon and look forward to sharing more details about Alberta iGaming Corporation in early 2026.”

Operators push back launch timelines

With no public details having emerged in recent months, Ontario-licensed operators eyeing the Alberta market have begun to push back their timelines.

PointsBet CEO Sam Swanell said in August that he expected the second quarter of the calendar year, while Betway and Jackpot City parent company Super Group suggested in November that the second half of 2026 was more likely.

Many big questions still need answering.

While Nally has confirmed Alberta will follow an Ontario-like model of offering regulated online sports betting and online casino and letting numerous operators enter the market, as well as the fact that a province-wide self-exclusion system will be established, we don’t know what the tax rate will be, what the advertising rules will look like (as Canadian senators continue to push for national restrictions), whether it could seek to pool liquidity with Ontario, and more.

Nally faces voter recall petition

Somewhat complicating the issue, and potentially the timeline, is the fact that iGaming is likely not the most pressing thing on Nally’s mind right now. The minister is one of numerous sitting Alberta Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) facing a recall petition, a process aimed at removing MLAs from office between elections by collecting sufficient signatures in the respective member’s electoral division.

Elections Alberta approved the petition filed by a citizen against Nally, and the signature collection process is open until late February. The number of signatures on the recall petition must be equal to or more than 60% of the votes cast in the constituency in the 2023 election to trigger a recall vote on Nally’s future as an MLA.

Morinville-St. Albert MLA Nally told the St. Albert Gazette that the recall process “should not be used to overturn democratic elections just because an individual disagrees with government policy.”

Nally publicly responded to the recall petition by claiming that the constituent’s petition may not be valid as they didn’t vote in the last election, something which turned out to be incorrect. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith defended Nally this week over accusations that he may have breached election laws by inappropriately using the confidential electoral list.

Nally’s office did not comment on the recall petition situation when asked by Canadian Gaming Business.

NorthStar Gaming warns of liquidity risk despite revenue growth

Canadian gaming operator NorthStar Gaming’s revenue and gross margin ticked up in the third quarter of 2025, as it continues to build out its content vertical and focuses on catering to higher-value players.

For the three-month period ended Sept. 30, 2025, revenue was 4% higher than last year at $6.9 million. Gross margin was $2.4 million, up 14% year over year, and gross margin percentage increased to 34.7% of revenue, up from 31.7% in Q3 2024.

Profit before marketing and other expenses was $0.2 million, compared to a loss of $0.5 million in Q3 2024. Both general and administrative (G&A) and marketing expenses were more than $2 million, although those numbers fell 16% and 21% year over year, respectively.

NorthStar Gaming said it has optimized its marketing investments to reduce costs and attract high-value players, and it continues to enhance its VIP infrastructure through events and incentives aimed at delivering a premium experience to players who contribute to a disproportionate amount of its revenue.

“We maintained our track record of year-over-year growth in both revenue and gross margin in the third quarter,” said CEO and Chair Michael Moskowitz. “We continue to strengthen the fundamentals of the business with KPIs remaining solid and ongoing innovation helping to attract and retain customers. Our team has been implementing operational improvements that are improving the player experience while at the same time reducing operating expenses.

“The third quarter of 2025 represented overall growth in NorthStar’s revenue at a time when the company’s business is maturing and the Ontario iGaming market continues to evolve.”

NorthStar bolsters betting and content platform

NorthStar owns and operates NorthStar Bets, an Ontario-facing online casino and sportsbook, and also provides managed services to the NorthStarBets.com iGaming site that is owned and operated by the Conseil des Abénakis de Wôlinak and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

The company’s growth in Q3 was aided by several upgrades in the quarter, including the launch of The Boost, a website dedicated to the company’s sports and casino content, including news, insights and scores. The website also targets a wider audience to help accelerate customer acquisition in Ontario, as well as to further build its brand awareness in Alberta as that province prepares to launch iGaming. NorthStar also continued its “Exceptionally Canadian” marketing campaign, including TV ads.

NorthStar users also now get a revamped casino lobby that prioritizes top-performing titles and provides a more personalized experience. The operator ran a slate of fall tournament events, including the Grand Slots Showdown and the NorthStar Blackjack Championship, along with the free-to-play NFL-themed Beat the Spread Challenge and other offerings.

Company may have to take on more debt

Year to date, for the nine months ended Sept. 30, revenue is 17% ahead of 2024 at $23.3 million, including $1.9 million of managed services revenue (up 138%). Gross margin of $8.9 million is 32% higher than January to September 2023, and gross margin percentage of 38.2% of revenue is more than four percentage points higher.

Profit before marketing and other expenses was $1.5 million YTD 2025, $2.2 million better than the loss of $0.6 million in YTD 2024.

Moskowitz said NorthStar has adjusted its strategy to focus on prudently spending to continue to optimize player acquisition and retention where those investments fit with the company’s finances and with market conditions.

However, a note in the company’s financial update acknowledged that its continued revenue growth is dependent on its ability to maintain adequate liquidity. Based on current forecasts, its cash flow and liquidity position may not be enough to fund its operating and marketing expenditures while also meeting all of its debt agreements.

“There is a risk that the company may breach certain debt-related covenants, and management has initiated discussions with the lender regarding these matters,” added the statement. “A breach could require the company to implement operational adjustments and, if necessary, seek additional debt or equity financing.”

BC man charged in Vancouver Island illegal gambling investigation

A B.C. man faces charges of illegal gambling and money laundering as a result of an investigation that lasted nearly two years and uncovered an illegal gaming house on Vancouver Island.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia’s (CFSEU-BC) Joint Illegal Gaming Investigation Team (JIGIT) said in a release that it began a lengthy investigation into a suspected illegal gambling operation in Saanich in January 2024.

Over the course of the probe, officers gathered substantial evidence confirming that multiple individuals were involved in the operation and management of the illegal establishment. Assisted by CFSEU-BC teams and Saanich and Victoria police, investigators carried out multiple search warrants in both Saanich and Victoria in August 2024, which led to the arrests of 14 people.

Police seized two poker tables, several thousand poker chips, multiple electronic devices used by alleged keepers of the gaming house, tax documentation and approximately $17,000 in cash. Three subsequent search warrants were executed on vehicles associated with the investigation, which were also seized as proceeds of crime.

As a result of the findings, the BC Prosecution Service approved criminal charges on Nov. 21 against Bryan William Toth, 55, of Esquimalt, including keeping a common gaming house, possession of proceeds of crime and money laundering. Toth turned himself into police five days later and was released on conditions until his next court appearance.

“These results demonstrate our unwavering commitment to disrupting criminal enterprises operating in British Columbia,” said CFSEU-BC Media Officer Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha. “Illegal gaming houses are often intertwined with organized crime, and this investigation sends a clear message: CFSEU-BC will continue to investigate, dismantle, and hold accountable those who profit from criminal activity.”

Ontario man charged after allegedly trying to hog $1M group jackpot

Ontario Provincial Police have charged a 70-year-old man with fraud and theft after he allegedly claimed to be the sole winner of a $1 million jackpot that was won on a group play lottery ticket.

The OPP said in a release that Alex Parucha claimed an Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) Lotto Max ticket in July that was intended to be split among three people.

An Aug. 12 OLG press release detailed Parucha as the million-dollar winner from a May 20 Lotto Max draw after a ticket purchased at a Toronto retailer matched seven Encore numbers.

“I won a Free Play, so I went to the store to claim it,” Parucha said in the OLG release. “When I handed my ticket to the cashier, she asked me if I wanted to add ENCORE to it, so I said, ‘Sure, why not? Being a winner is a very emotional experience. It’s brought a lot of disbelief, happiness, and excitement. I feel so fortunate to have won this prize.”

After paying out the winnings to Parucha, OLG’s forensic team reviewed initial claims of fraud before referring the case to the OPP. The OPP’s investigation and enforcement bureau (IEB), a part of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), began investigating in September. Police verified that the ticket was part of a group play arrangement.

Parucha faces charges of theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime. He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 8. The allegations haven’t been proven in court.

His lawyer told CTV News that Parucha “categorically denies” all of the allegations and charges laid against him and insists that he did “nothing wrong.” The lawyer added that the dispute over the winnings involves “complex facts” that will be addressed in court.

BCLC partners with GenWell to launch Human Connection Project

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has partnered with Canadian registered charity GenWell to launch its Human Connection Project.

BCLC’s Human Connection Project aims to foster stronger and healthier communities in the province through on-the-ground projects, community impact initiatives and partnerships.

GenWell provides education programming across Canada, and BCLC will work with the non-profit to amplify opportunities for human connection across its organization, including in its community initiatives and its employee programs. GenWell will provide resources including research gathering, resource development and project planning and activation.

“At BCLC, giving back to community has always been part of our DNA,” said BCLC President and CEO Pat Davis. “Since 1985, our net profits – more than $30 billion – have supported communities, provincial programs and services, local employment, charities and major events that have helped shape B.C.

“This year, we decided to use our presence in communities across B.C. to focus our social purpose, which is to generate win-wins for the greater good. We’re excited to work with GenWell to help BCLC and communities raise awareness of the importance of human connection and how we can embed it in the work we do.”

“Human connection isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’,” added GenWell Founder Pete Bombaci. “We know that meaningful social interactions can improve mental and physical health, strengthen communities and even boost resilience. That’s why we’re proud to work with BCLC, to help promote the importance of human connection across our communities and throughout day-to-day life.”

Partners to work on community projects and events

Together, BCLC and GenWell will co-create local projects and work to improve gathering spaces in communities in B.C., working colaboratively with the communities themselves.

Initiatives will include creating new games and experiences, building new partnerships, launching community events or shared spaces for great social outings.

While the project’s work will span the entire province, BCLC will celebrate the Human Connection Project’s launch in Kamloops, which has been the home of the lottery’s headquarters for 40 years.

BCLC is the presenting sponsor of Kamloops’ inaugural Christmas Market, which runs until Nov. 30. It has set up a Connection Corner for community interaction (pictured above), featuring some of its community partners including United Way, the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and Western Canada Theatre.

The lottery is also running a Scratch & Win ticket promotion that gives players the chance to win a top prize of $10,000 for themselves and $10,000 for a registered B.C. charity of their choice. Earlier in 2025, BCLC collaborated with Vancouver Canucks owners Canucks Sports & Entertainment to host Nourish the Neighbourhood to provide meals for residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

PENN Entertainment lays off majority of theScore esports staff

Five months after roughly halving the size of theScore’s editorial newsroom through a round of layoffs, PENN Entertainment has eliminated the majority of positions in the Toronto-founded company’s esports team.

Numerous social media posts from present and now-former employees since Nov. 20 suggest that the majority of theScore esports staff have lost their jobs. Canadian Gaming Business understands that around three-quarters of the esports team was laid off, leaving around half a dozen esports content-focused employees.

“After 10 amazing years, today is my last day at theScore esports,” wrote theScore esports’ former manager of esports content and scripts. “Our parent company made the decision to eliminate my role along with a vast majority of the staff this morning.”

Canadian Gaming Business reached out to PENN for comment on the extent of the layoffs and the future plans for theScore’s esports arm.

A decade of esports leadership

theScore esports predates the Canadian sports brand’s move into betting. The company launched theScore esports more than a decade ago, in 2015, as it sought to diversify its offering beyond typical sports content and to provide entertaining and accessible programming focused on video gaming. Back in 2020, theScore said it had assembled the largest dedicated esports content team anywhere in the world.

As of the time of writing, theScore esports’ YouTube channel and TikTok channels both have more than has 2.1 million subscribers, and it also has hundreds of thousands of Instagram and X. The brand generates upwards of 60 million views per month across all channels and has produced custom content for several recognized brands including Riot Games, Mortal Kombat, Mastercard, Razer, Geico and others.

The major layoffs on the esports team follow PENN’s large round of job cuts at theScore in June of this year. The parent company eliminated dozens of content, sales and other staff positions at that time, and more than 75 employees’ roles were eliminated in a scaleback that roughly cut the brand’s editorial newsroom in half.

A PENN spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business at the time that the changes reflected “the ongoing evolution of our digital business.”

“Under the leadership of key recent product and technology hires, we are structured to advance our online strategy and efficiently grow our business,” added the company.

PENN rewrites theScore playbook

Under PENN, which bought theScore from its founding Levy family in late 2021 in a deal worth approximately $2 billion USD, theScore has continued to offer sports and esports coverage but has moved increasingly towards sports betting and online casino products through theScore Bet and theScore Casino.

The flagship theScore media app has approximately four million monthly active users across North America, around one-third of which are spread across Canada, while PENN says the betting platform competes strongly in Ontario’s regulated iGaming market.

While the Canadian side of PENN’s online sports betting operations remained under theScore’s name, PENN pulled the Canadian brand out of the U.S. in July 2022 and attempted to capture a significant share of the U.S. sports betting market with first a Barstool-branded sportsbook and then its ESPN Bet joint venture with Disney. Neither effort was successful, and PENN laid off some workers at ESPN Bet earlier in 2025 before abandoning the joint venture entirely in early November.

PENN is in the process of rebranding ESPN Bet as theScore Bet, bringing it in line with its offering in Ontario’s regulated market and returning the Canadian brand to the American market three-and-a-half years after it withdrew it from the market south of the border.

PENN promises Canadian investment

PENN CEO Jay Snowden said the company is realigning its digital focus to leverage the strength of its Canadian sports betting and online casino operations and its U.S. iCasino business. PENN executives continually sing the praises of theScore Bet’s progress in Ontario, and PENN expects theScore’s cross-Canada sports cachet to make theScore Bet a big player in Alberta whenever that province launches regulated iGaming, slated to be the first half of 2026.

Snowden also said that ending the ESPN partnership will allow PENN to invest more in Canada, and suggested that land-based gaming could potentially be an option.

Where PENN’s continued refocusing on online betting and casino leaves the future of theScore esports is uncertain.

DraftKings launches Spanish-language iGaming in Ontario

DraftKings is launching a Spanish-language experience within its DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino app in markets including Ontario.

First announced publicly by CEO Jason Robins on an earnings call in early November as something that had been in the works for a while with a primary focus on the U.S., the operator confirmed on Tuesday that the functionality is now being rolled out across North America.

It will initially be available only to select existing customers in Ontario and the U.S. and will expand to everyone in the coming weeks. People whose mobile device language is set to Spanish will automatically see the DraftKings app primarily appear in Spanish after an app update. This functionality will eventually encompass all aspects of the platform, including account onboarding, navigation, betting content, gameplay, promotions, customer support and responsible gambling tools.

DraftKings said the move is an effort to ensure it delivers a product that is uniquely tailored to each customer’s preferences.

As of the 2021 Canadian census, more than 400,000 Ontario residents recorded Spanish as one of their spoken languages, representing 2.86%. Of those, just under half (191,000, 1.43%) said it is their mother tongue.

CEO points to 2026 FIFA World Cup

Chief Product Officer Corey Gottlieb noted in a release that Spanish-speaking players represent a growing segment of DraftKings’ customer base.

“By bringing Spanish-language functionality to our best-in-class product, we’re creating a more intuitive experience for our customers and expanding our total addressable market,” he added. “This is consistent with our commitment to delivering the most authentic, personalized product for everyone.”

On an earnings call on Nov. 7, CEO Robins said the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted next summer in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, is the perfect time to launch a Spanish-language experience.

“We have the World Cup coming up in 2026, how big an audience do we think there’s going to be for that that is Spanish language-first, and what kind of opportunity could that create?” he told investors and analysts. “We’ve done some testing into Spanish-language media, directing to the English language product, to see if there is an incremental customer acquisition opportunity there.”

Toronto will host six World Cup games at BMO Field, with the teams involved yet to be determined. A Canadian men’s national team game against Ecuador at that stadium earlier this month saw scores of Ecuadorian-Canadians attend.

DraftKings spies chance to be first-mover

Ultimately, DraftKings believes that providing an experience that caters directly to a significant demographic in Ontario and particularly certain parts of the U.S. will prove to be another differentiator in the market.

“I have to imagine there’s a lot of people who would prefer Spanish language, maybe even some who won’t use an English-language app,” Robins added. “We have a pretty good idea of what kind of opportunity this could represent. If we can create the best experience, if we can get there first and early, it gives us an opportunity to really build outsized share in that demographic.”

The move also comes as DraftKings prepares to launch DraftKings Predictions in the U.S., which will offer sports event contracts the likes of which are found on Kalshi and Polymarket in states that do not provide for legal sports betting. The two biggest U.S. states by population, California and Texas, have not legalized sports wagering and have the highest number of Spanish-speaking people of any U.S. states.

Dozens of senators urge Prime Minister Carney to ban sports betting ads

More than 40 senators have written to Prime Minister Mark Carney to urge his federal government to ban all sports betting advertising in Canada.

The letter, sent by Sen. Marty Deacon and Sen. Percy Downe on Nov. 13, listed 40 other senators who support the proposal. The politicians called for Carney’s federal government to use the legislative and regulatory powers at its disposal to ban all advertising for sports betting websites and apps nationwide, labeling it a public health problem.

“We are asking for a ban on all advertising for sports gambling apps and websites,” stated the letter. “Such a measure would be similar to the advertising ban for cigarettes, and for the same reason: to address a public health problem.”

Senators already approved Bill S-211

The petition from the dozens of senators comes a few weeks after the Senate passed Bill S-211, the 2025 version of Deacon’s legislation that aims to establish a national framework of regulations for sports betting advertising.

Deacon’s 2024 effort, S-269, also passed the Senate in fall 2024 but was never taken up for discussion in the House of Commons amid a backlog of legislative issues and Justin Trudeau’s eventual resignation that prorogued Parliament. This year’s betting ads legislation had its first reading in the House on Nov. 5.

S-211 would seek to restrict the use of sports betting advertising by limiting its “number, scope or location.” Ideas floated have included implementing a whistle-to-whistle ban on ads during live sports broadcasts, prohibiting betting-sponsored intermission shows during games and preventing in-game promotions within betting apps themselves.

It would also seek to set out national standards for preventing and diagnosing problematic gambling addiction and supporting those affected.

At committee sessions in both 2024 and 2025, Deacon urged her fellow senators to pass the bill, citing regrets over the legalization of single-event sports betting in 2021. “We can see where this is headed, but we’re deciding to steer straight toward that iceberg anyway if we do nothing,” Deacon opined during a Senate session earlier this year.

Senators take question straight to PM

Deacon has spoken several times of having “sober second thought” about some of the effects of expanding sports wagering in Canada. She acknowledged in Parliament that she did not push for a full ban on sports betting ads in the Senate because she did not feel it was a realistic measure.

“While that is what I would love to see, I do appreciate there are Charter implications in that,” she said in October. “I believe that if I had sought a complete ban through this legislation, it would certainly have had a much rougher ride. As the saying goes, ‘don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.’

“If the government decides that a full ban is warranted after this bill becomes law, or even before, I would not be happier. But that will be for them to decide.”

Now, she and more than three-dozen other senators have taken the issue straight to the Prime Minister.

“A decision by Parliament helped create this problem, which means further action might minimize the damage that is already being done,” the senators wrote in last week’s letter. “We urge your government to correct this situation and ban all sports betting ads.”

Betting advertising declining, finds CGA research

One of the oft-cited complaints about sports betting in discussion of Deacon’s bills has been that senators feel that Canada has been “flooded” with sports betting adverts since 2021 and particularly since Ontario launched commercial regulated iGaming in April 2022. A Leger study published in September found that 59% of Canadians reported seeing sports betting adverts recently, and 75% of that cohort said that there are too many of them.

“Very real harm [is] being done today to vulnerable people of all ages exposed to a constant stream of advertisements promising a ‘premium gaming experience’ and urging them to turn their phone into a pocket-sized casino,” added the senators’ letter to Carney.

Not everyone agrees that it’s a problem that needs federal intervention, with some gaming industry leaders pointing to the fact that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) places several restrictions on how licensed operators in the province can advertise, such as banning advertising of sign-up bonuses and marketing that would appeal primarily to minors, as well as limiting the use of celebrities to the promotion of responsible gambling.

“For over two decades, Canadians have had unrestricted access to unregulated online gaming and disregarding the existence of such activities or purporting that advertising is the cause of problem gambling would be unrealistic – and naïve,” wrote the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) in a statement in September.

In the Senate last year, leaders of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and the Responsible Gambling Council testified that Canadian broadcasters were taking measures to limit the quantity of sports betting ads on their channels. The CGA and thinkTV, which works with broadcasters to clear ads, presented research this year that shows that the number of adverts related to gambling content has fallen annually since an initial boom in 2022.

ThinkTV CEO Catherine MacLeod said at the Canadian Gaming Summit in June that the number of gambling ads that her organization sees every year “has gone down, down, down, down, down” and is a very small fraction of the total. The CGA wrote in September that online gambling ad spend fell 7% in 2023 and another 1% in 2024, and that iGaming made up 5% of total ad spend and 2% of total media ad spend in 2024.

Ontario iGaming smashes record in October with $9.2B in wagers

Ontario’s regulated iGaming market broke the $8 billion barrier for the first time in May. Five months later, Ontario iGaming wagering exceeded $9 billion as the market set a new all-time monthly record in October.

iGaming Ontario (iGO) data for October showed that the total value of all cash wagers placed via Ontario’s 50 licensed operators last month was more than $9.2 billion, a new watermark for a market that continues to grow and grow as it approaches its fourth anniversary.

That handle total was up 8% from September’s previous record of $8.5 billion and a 24% year-over-year jump from October 2024.

The increase was aided by a rise in the number of active player accounts, which hit an all-time high of almost 1.3 million, up 9% from the previous record of 1.2 million in September and 36% higher than this time last year.

Not only did Ontarians wager more than ever before last month, but licensed operators made more money than ever before. Non-adjusted gross gaming revenue soared 38% from October 2024 to hit $367.7 million, also a new all-time record by a distance. The previous high mark was $338 million in May 2025. This time last year, operators’ combined earnings were $266 million.

The near-1.3 million active accounts generated an average revenue of $286 for online casinos and sportsbooks.

Blue Jays and busy sports calendar fuel record sports spending

Online casino continues to account for 85% of total Ontario iGaming wagering, setting another new all-time record of $7.9 billion in handle, up 26% YOY. Ontario’s dozens of online casino sites together reaped $303.8 million in NAGGR (guess what: another new record), a total purse that was up a massive 43% from this time last year.

Sports betting, though, had a banner month, at least in terms of online gambling activity.

As the Toronto Blue Jays contested Canada’s first World Series in three decades and the return of the NHL and NBA clogged up the sporting calendar, Ontarians bet more money on sports than they did any month before.

iGO reported a total of more than $1.2 billion in sports betting handle in October, up 17% from the same month in 2024 and a new monthly record.

But sportsbooks told Canadian Gaming Business in late October that they were suffering from Ontario bettors backing Canada’s MLB team on their run to the Fall Classic, and the record sports betting handle wasn’t reflected in operators’ winnings. From that $1.2 billion in wagers, Ontario’s licensed sportsbooks made a shade over $58 million in gross gaming revenue. That total was 20% higher than last year, and up from September’s all-time low of $47 million, but lower than operators earned from online sports betting in January, February, April, May or August.

Ontario had 50 licensed commercial operators in the market for most of October, running a total of 88 iGaming sites. Those numbers have since fallen to 48 and 82, respectively, as Wildz Group completed the shutdown of its four sites and the Aristocrat Interactive white-labeled Betiton and MagicRed Casino also stopped doing business in the province.

Peer-to-peer poker stagnant… but not forever?

As always, Ontario’s ring-fenced peer-to-peer poker activity made up a tiny sliver of the total iGaming activity. The P2P poker handle of $131 million was just 1.4% of the total handle, and gross revenue from the vertical was just $5.6 million.

That may change eventually. Last week, the Ontario Court of Appeal’s long-awaited judgment opined that it would be legal for Ontario to expand its online poker and daily fantasy sports (DFS) markets beyond its borders by allowing Ontario players to compete with users in other countries in P2P play.

Actually implementation of such a model could take years, but the legal opinion cleared the way for iGO and Canada gaming stakeholders to begin pursuing a multi-jurisdictional model for online poker.

As always, iGO’s October reporting did not include Ontario iGaming wagers placed with the government-run Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG), which is expected to report its full-year results for April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, before the end of the month.