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By Diana Guerrero, journalist at G&M News.
Canada’s gaming market has undergone significant changes since the legalization of single-event sports betting in 2021. How would you describe the evolution of the Canadian sports betting and iGaming landscape since then, and what are the main challenges facing the industry today?
There was enormous stakeholder support (provinces, gaming industry, professional sports, law enforcement, to name a few) when the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act (Bill C-218) was before the Senate of Canada in 2021 to legalize single-event sport wagering. Legal sports betting provides provinces with the necessary tools to deliver a safe and legal option to Canadians while enabling economic benefits to flow to licensed gaming operators, communities, and provincial governments. There isn’t a single province that hasn’t moved -quickly- to take advantage of this through their respective lottery corporations. Others like Ontario and Alberta chose to license and regulate offshore operators to offer products to their customers and introduce player protections. Canada’s gaming industry has undergone a massive transformation thanks to passage of the Bill C-218 and Ontario’s and Alberta’s decision to license and regulate online gaming. This evolution has been driven by several key factors: launch of new regulated markets and products, technological innovation, shifts in public perception of gaming, consumer demand for new and engaging gaming channels, and innovation occurring in a globalized, competitive market.
The rapid growth of digital platforms and prediction markets is creating new questions around how sports-related products should be classified and regulated. What regulatory approach do you believe is needed to ensure that innovation can develop while maintaining consumer protection and market integrity?
The Canadian Gaming Association has long held that sports wagering, in whatever form it takes, should be offered only through provincial gaming regulators, and that the framework governing a product should be determined by what it does, not by what it is called. The Canadian Securities Administrations and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization issued guidance in August 2026 and have drawn a clear and sensible line: the distinction between a sports contract and a sports bet should not be reduced to semantics. Sports wagering carries risks that provincial gaming regulators are specifically equipped to manage. Robust know-your-customer checks, anti-money laundering controls, responsible gambling safeguards, and integrity monitoring to detect and deter collusion or match manipulation are not incidental features of a well-run sports betting market. They are the foundation of one. These protections have been built and refined over years by provincial regulators working directly with licensed operators, and they do not appear automatically simply because a product is labelled a “contract” rather than a “bet.”
Alberta launched its regulated iGaming market in 2026, adding a new dimension to Canada’s provincial gaming model. What impact could Alberta’s market have on the broader Canadian gaming industry, and what lessons could other provinces draw from its development?
The Canadian Gaming Association commends Alberta for establishing an expanded, regulated iGaming market. Alberta is now the second province in Canada to show that a market can reflect consumer preferences while delivering world-leading player protections and strong regulatory oversight. With 10 companies launching 22 sites on day one and another 25 operators seeking licenses, Alberta demonstrates that government can strike the right balance between taxation, regulation, and consumer protection. All the other provinces and territories are aware of what Ontario and Alberta have done, and various conversations have been initiated with Ontario regulators over the past few years. However, the decision to launch a regulated market is a political one and is up to the governing parties of the remaining provinces. We hope that, in another year or two, more will follow.
Responsible gambling, player protection, and sports integrity are becoming increasingly important as betting moves further into digital environments. What measures should operators, regulators and industry stakeholders prioritize as technology continues to transform the betting experience?
The regulated gaming industry in Canada is recognized for its advanced, accountable, and player-centric framework. Over the past two decades, operators, regulators, and industry associations have established a comprehensive system of protections that many international jurisdictions now seek to emulate. It is crucial to consistently and collectively articulate this narrative with clarity and conviction. However, Canada’s gaming landscape is at an inflection point. Alberta’s market has launched, Ontario’s model continues to mature, and momentum is being built in other provinces. Government, regulators, and industry are each independently reaching the same conclusion: existing responsible gambling efforts are fragmented, inconsistently resourced, and not delivering measurable outcomes. There is no coordinated national strategy, and the Canadian Gaming Association is leading the attempt to bring government and industry together to develop one.
