Ontario's Regulated iGaming Market Drives Live Casino Expansion
Nathan Williams 
Key Takeaways:
- Ontario's iGaming market grew 34% in 2025.
- Live dealer games are core to offerings.
- Evolution Gaming dominates live casino sector.
Alberta launched its regulated online casino market on July 13, 2026, with approximately 50 licensed operators, becoming the second Canadian province to do so, following Ontario. This development underscores the established framework in Ontario, which generated C$4.04 billion in 2025, marking a 34% year-over-year increase. The Ontario market, managed by iGaming Ontario (iGO), an arm of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), provides a regulated environment for online gaming, with a significant emphasis on live casino offerings.
Regulatory Framework and Live Casino Integrity
IGO enters into specific operating agreements with each licensed operator, including platforms like BetMGM, PointsBet, DraftKings, and Unibet. These agreements legally require operators to provide responsible gambling tools, segregate player funds, submit to independent audits, and comply with Ontario-specific advertising standards. This regulatory oversight ensures a secure environment, contrasting with unregulated offshore sites that offer no legal recourse for Ontario players, reflecting a trend seen across regulated live casino markets.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario demonstrated its enforcement capabilities in 2023 by suspending two operators for failing to meet responsible gambling standards, highlighting the accountability present in the regulated market. This framework extends to guaranteeing the software integrity of live casino games and other offerings developed by live casino software providers.
The Growth of Live Dealer Gaming in Ontario
Live dealer gaming represents a core offering within Ontario's regulated market, allowing players to connect via video stream to real physical studios. Companies such as Evolution Gaming, often operating from facilities like their Riga studio, and Ezugi, host these live tables where human dealers manage games in real time. Unlike standard online slots that rely on certified RNG software with published RTPs, live dealer tables determine outcomes through observable physical processes, offering a distinct form of transparency for fans of live dealer casino games.
Evolution Gaming holds a dominant position in this sector, with popular variants such as Infinite Blackjack and Lightning Roulette. The random multiplier mechanic introduced in Lightning Roulette significantly contributed to the growth of live dealer gaming experienced in Ontario during 2025. Furthermore, licensed live tables ensure stringent KYC and withdrawal compliance, clear disclosure of terms for live casino bonus offers, and game content certified by approved testing labs like eCOGRA or GLI, distinguishing them from unregulated alternatives.
