Short answer first, friend: online casinos are fully legal in Ontario, and the province has the most open regulated market in Canada. As of 1 September 2026, iGaming Ontario (iGO) lists 49 licensed operators running 84 gaming sites, from BetMGM and FanDuel to Jackpot City and Spin Casino. You must be 19+ and physically in Ontario. Below: the full picture in numbers, the licensed brands you’ll recognise, what changed in 2026, and the narrow cases where an offshore site still makes sense.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Ontario?
Yes, since 4 April 2022. Online casino games (slots, table games, live dealer), online poker and online sports betting are all licensed through the iGO marketplace and regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The government’s own platform, OLG, runs alongside the private operators. Geolocation is enforced: leave the province and the licensed apps lock you out.
iGO started in 2021 as a subsidiary of the AGCO and has since become a standalone Crown agency under the iGaming Ontario Act, 2024. In practice the split is simple: AGCO is the regulator that registers operators, sets the standards and issues penalties, and iGO is the marketplace manager that holds the commercial agreements.
Ontario iGaming by the Numbers
| Metric | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed operators / gaming sites | 49 / 84 | As of 1 September 2026 |
| Cash wagers | C$103.3 billion | Fiscal 2025-26 (April 2025 to March 2026) |
| Gaming revenue (NAGGR) | C$4.27 billion | Fiscal 2025-26 |
| Cash wagers / NAGGR | C$98.4 billion / C$4.04 billion | Calendar 2025 |
| Cash wagers / NAGGR | C$28.25 billion / C$1.22 billion | April to June 2026 |
| Cash wagers / NAGGR | C$9.74 billion / C$396.3 million | August 2026 |
| Active player accounts | 1.21 million | August 2026 |
| Casino share | 90% of wagers, 85% of revenue | August 2026 |
So when you read “a $4 billion market”, that is the gaming revenue (what operators keep after paying out winnings), not the amount bet. Ontarians wagered about 24 times that. Online casino is the engine: in August 2026 it accounted for 90% of everything wagered and 85% of the revenue, with sports betting and poker making up the rest.
Licensed Ontario Online Casinos: The Brands You’ll Recognise
All of these appear on iGO’s list of regulated operators (as of 1 September 2026). It is not the full list of 84 sites, just the names most players search for; iGO’s page has the complete, current list and is the only place to confirm a site is licensed.
| Brand | What it’s known for |
|---|---|
| BetMGM | Large casino library, linked to MGM’s US network |
| FanDuel | Casino and sportsbook under one app |
| DraftKings and Golden Nugget Casino | Two brands from the same group |
| Caesars | Caesars Rewards loyalty programme |
| bet365 | Sports-first, with a full casino |
| theScore Bet | Toronto-born sports media brand |
| BetRivers | Rush Street Interactive |
| Bet99 and Sports Interaction | Canadian brands |
| 888 Casino, Betway, LeoVegas, PlayOJO | Long-running international casino brands |
| Jackpot City and Spin Casino | Microgaming-era Canadian favourites, now on Ontario licences |
| Fanatics Casino, Hard Rock Bet | Newer US entrants |
| GGPoker | Online poker |
Why no bonus amounts in this table? Ontario’s rules bar licensed operators from advertising bonuses publicly; offers appear inside the operator’s own site or in messages to players who have signed up. They also change often, so a precise “Ontario welcome bonus” quoted on a review site is usually out of date. In general, regulated Ontario offers are smaller than offshore ones but come with clearer terms; run any of them through our wagering requirements guide before you opt in.
One trap worth knowing about: several big Canadian brands run two separate sites, an Ontario-licensed one and a “rest of Canada” one. The rest-of-Canada versions don’t accept players located in Ontario. If you live in Ontario, sign up only through the site listed on iGO’s page.
What Changed in Ontario in 2026
- One self-exclusion for every site (BetGuard). Since 14 May 2026, iGO’s BetGuard lets you exclude yourself from all licensed sites at once, instead of operator by operator. Operators must block excluded players and stop marketing to them.
- International poker and casino liquidity is still pending. In November 2025 the Ontario Court of Appeal said letting Ontario players share tables and jackpots with players abroad would be lawful. Several provincial lottery corporations appealed, and the Supreme Court of Canada hears the case on 7 October 2026. Until it rules, Ontario poker stays Ontario-only.
- Penalties keep coming. The AGCO fined FanDuel C$350,000 in January 2026 and Betty Gaming C$120,000 in August, and proposed a five-day suspension for PointsBet in February. Being licensed means someone actually enforces the rules.
Payment Methods for Ontario Players
Interac is the standard: instant CAD deposits and withdrawals that usually land within a few banking days. Visa and Mastercard work for deposits at licensed sites, and PayPal and Apple Pay are available at some operators. Crypto is generally not offered by Ontario-licensed casinos; that is one of the few areas where offshore sites differ.
Are Ontario Casino Winnings Taxed?
Not for casual players. The Canada Revenue Agency treats recreational gambling and lottery winnings as windfalls, not income (Income Tax Folio S3-F9-C1). You don’t report them. The exception is someone who gambles as a business, which the CRA judges case by case. That is a real difference from the US, where all gambling winnings are taxable income.
Live Dealer in Ontario
Ontario’s licensed casinos carry the big live-casino studios, so players get the game shows and live tables that US offshore players (mostly limited to Visionary iGaming streams) don’t. If live dealer is your main game, the regulated market is clearly the better place to be.
Do Ontario Players Need Offshore Casinos?
For most Ontario residents, no. The licensed market has more games, real consumer protection, Interac, BetGuard self-exclusion and a regulator that fines operators. Offshore sites still accept Ontario players, but you lose all of that, and if a payout dispute goes wrong there is no Ontario authority to turn to. The people who still go offshore usually do it for one of these reasons:
- Crypto: licensed Ontario sites generally don’t accept it.
- Bigger headline bonuses: offshore offers are larger, but with heavier wagering and less transparent terms.
- Travel: licensed apps lock at the provincial border.
If none of those applies to you, stay licensed. The full comparison is in our offshore vs regulated casinos guide.
How Ontario Compares With Other Provinces
Alberta went live with its own licensed private market in July 2026, modelled on Ontario. British Columbia keeps a government monopoly through PlayNow, and Quebec keeps Loto-Québec’s. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada are covered in our Canada online casino guide, and our national picks are in the best Canadian online casinos ranking.
Responsible Gambling in Ontario
Licensed operators must offer deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion, and BetGuard now covers every licensed site in one step. ConnexOntario offers free, confidential support 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600, by text (CONNEX to 247247) or chat.
Ontario Online Casinos — FAQ
Is online gambling legal in Ontario?
Yes, since 4 April 2022. As of 1 September 2026, 49 licensed operators run 84 gaming sites through iGaming Ontario, regulated by the AGCO. Players must be 19+ and physically in Ontario.
How many online casinos are licensed in Ontario?
49 operators running 84 gaming sites, according to iGaming Ontario’s list as of 1 September 2026. They include BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, bet365, theScore Bet, BetRivers, 888 Casino, Betway, LeoVegas, PlayOJO, Jackpot City and Spin Casino.
How do I know if an Ontario casino is licensed?
Check iGaming Ontario’s list of regulated operators on igamingontario.ca. Several brands also run a separate “rest of Canada” site that does not accept Ontario players, so make sure you sign up through the Ontario version listed there.
Do I pay tax on Ontario casino winnings?
Not if you play recreationally. The Canada Revenue Agency treats casual gambling winnings as windfalls, not income. Only people who gamble as a business can be taxed on winnings.
Can Ontario players play poker against players outside Ontario?
Not yet. The Ontario Court of Appeal said in November 2025 that shared international liquidity would be lawful, but the decision was appealed and the Supreme Court of Canada hears the case on 7 October 2026. Until it rules, Ontario poker stays Ontario-only.
How big is Ontario’s online casino market?
In fiscal 2025-26 Ontarians wagered about C$103.3 billion on licensed sites, which kept about C$4.27 billion in gaming revenue, according to iGO’s monthly data. Online casino accounts for roughly 90% of the wagers.
19+ · Must be physically located in Ontario · Play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600, 24/7. Figures checked 6 October 2026.
Loris Barce is the founder and editor of The Casino Monkey. Based in Italy and writing in English for players in the United States and Canada, he started the site after finding that most casino "reviews" were sales pages with a rating attached. Every score here is built from the operator's own terms, withdrawal checks and attributed complaint data, and he is the one who reads the fine print. When a number can't be verified, he would rather say so than make one up.