Ontario Casino Wagering Hits Record Market Share in August

^{Ontario's regulated casino segment captured an all-time-high 90% of wagering in August, as total handle held close to July's record, iGaming Ontario data shows. (Image: imageBROKER.com/Alamy)}

Casino wagering in Ontario's regulated iGaming market claimed its largest-ever share of total betting activity in August.

Players wagered $8.776 billion on regulated online casino games during the month, according to iGaming Ontario's monthly market performance report.

That figure was essentially unchanged from July, but it accounted for 90% of all wagers placed in the market, the highest share the casino segment has held since Ontario's regulated market launched in April 2022.

Operators' non-adjusted gross gaming revenue from casino products reached $336.3 million in August, up 2% from July.

That is the highest monthly casino revenue total in the market's four-year history.

Ontario online casino products also captured 85% of the market's total gross gaming revenue for the month.

Where Overall Wagering Landed

Total wagers across all product types came to $9.740 billion in August, down 1% from July's record $9.884 billion.

Total gross gaming revenue across the market fell 4% month over month to $396.3 million.

Active player accounts dropped 11% to 1.208 million, while average revenue per active account rose 8% to $328.

Sports Betting Cools After the World Cup

Sports betting handle fell 15% month over month to $843 million, a 9% share of total wagers.

Sports betting revenue dropped 30% to $54.4 million, for a 14% revenue share.

The decline landed in the gap between the men's World Cup final and the start of the NFL season, a stretch that typically produces less betting volume.

Enforcement and a Growing Roster

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario issued close to $290,000 in penalties during August.

Betty Gaming was fined $120,000 after age-verification gaps allowed 23 people under 19 to open accounts, and Booming Games was fined $70,000 over slots that ran with prohibited autoplay features.

NorthStar Gaming settled a separate anti-money-laundering penalty at $80,000, down from an initial $100,000.

Ontario's regulated iGaming market now counts 49 licensed operators running 84 gaming websites, with Fanatics securing regulatory approval in August to become the next brand preparing to launch.