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Ontario’s regulated online gambling market has reached a new milestone, with more players than ever choosing licensed operators over unregulated alternatives.

According to a new Ipsos study commissioned by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario, 91.1% of online gamblers in the province reported using regulated gambling websites during the survey period. The figure marks a significant increase compared to 83.7% recorded a year earlier.

The findings suggest that Ontario’s regulated framework continues to attract players away from offshore and unauthorized gambling platforms, strengthening one of the primary goals of the province’s gambling reform initiative.

Unregulated Market Share Continues to Decline

The study also found that only 8.9% of respondents said they exclusively used unregulated gambling websites. This represents a sharp decline from 16.3% in 2025, indicating that the illegal market is steadily losing ground.

Before Ontario launched its competitive online gambling market in April 2022, provincial estimates suggested that roughly 70% of online gambling activity took place through unregulated operators. The latest figures demonstrate how dramatically the market has shifted over the past four years.

Regulators Credit Consumer Protection Measures

Ontario officials attribute the rising channelization rate to the province’s regulatory framework, which requires licensed operators to comply with strict standards related to responsible gambling, player protection, game integrity, and data security.

Regulators argue that these safeguards help distinguish licensed operators from offshore sites, which may lack adequate consumer protections and oversight.

The AGCO noted that channelization remains a key indicator of the health and effectiveness of Ontario’s regulated market, as higher participation in legal platforms generally reduces exposure to illegal operators and associated risks.

Ontario Emerges as a Global Regulatory Success Story

With a channelization rate exceeding 90%, Ontario now ranks among the most successful regulated online gambling jurisdictions globally. Industry observers view the province as a case study for how regulation, competitive licensing, and consumer protections can encourage players to migrate from the black market to licensed operators.

As Ontario continues to expand responsible gambling initiatives and strengthen enforcement against illegal operators, regulators hope the remaining unregulated market share will continue to shrink in the coming years.