Recent data has revealed that the average Canadian spends $6.75 per month on gaming and gambling, adding up to a total average spend of $81 over the course of a single year. This fascinating statistic includes a broad spectrum of activities, including online casino games and mobile gaming, casual sports betting, and the purchasing of lottery tickets and sweepstake entries. Whilst this figure may seem relatively low in comparison to other countries, examining the wider statistics offers an intriguing insight into the behavior of gamers in Canada today. This popular source of casual entertainment continues to attract a growing user base around the nation, and the sheer variety of iGaming choices available to Canadian players is increasing at an incredible pace. Let’s take a closer look at some of the latest gaming trends in Canada!
The Latest Canadian Gaming Trends
The recent data clearly demonstrates that there is a varied existing demographic of gamers in Canada right now, with around 75% of Canadian residents engaging in some form of gambling over the course of the last year. Within this figure, there are some fascinating variations across the different regions and demographics across the nation. For example, younger Canadians are more likely to spend on casual mobile gaming and in-game microtransactions, as they typically take a more informal approach to online gambling activity. In contrast, older demographics in Canada often spend on more traditional forms of wagering, including regular purchases of lottery tickets, or habitual expenditure at in-person bingo games. For those who enjoy using online casino sites, classic options like slots and poker continue to dominate across every demographic, although there is an ongoing, steady rise in the popularity of less traditional web-based options such as betting on esports tournaments.
Naturally, since gambling legislation varies across the different Canadian provinces, certain regions also have a more significant population of regular online gamers. For example, ever since a legal, regulated iGaming market was opened in Ontario back in 2022, the popularity and prevalence of online casino gaming in the area has gone from strength to strength. The province now has over 1.1 million active player accounts, and in January 2025 gross gaming revenue in Ontario hit $328 million – a 36% increase on the same time last year. Players in this area therefore spend more on average per month when compared to those living in other provinces where iGaming is not regulated. This means that the $6.75 average spend does actually vary somewhat depending on the age, gender and location of each Canadian gamer, with some spending significantly more than others. If other provinces soon follow in Ontario’s trailblazing footsteps, this figure will likely increase rapidly, once more people around the country are able to access legal and well-regulated online gambling options.
The Growth Of Igaming In Canada
With online gaming and gambling becoming increasingly popular across Canada, a variety of unique factors have contributed to the continued uptake of this style of entertainment. Many online casino operators have expanded their offering to attract a growing base of more informal gamers, and there are now a wide range of $1 deposit casino sites available to Canadian players today, which has increased the number of convenient and affordable options for those seeking a more casual entertainment format. Similarly, as the global iGaming landscape becomes more competitive, online casino operators are competing to offer the most lucrative welcome bonuses and promotional offers in order to attract new users to their sites. Because of this highly competitive market, there are now more casual online gamblers in Canada than ever before – a trend which has clearly contributed to the fast-growing average spending figures in the country.
Advancements in technology have also hugely contributed to the increasing popularity of iGaming amongst Canadians in recent years. Improvements in online game design have dramatically transformed the possibilities within the digital gaming world, whilst the growing availability of innovative payment methods on online casino sites has simplified the overall user experience for players of all levels. The rise of seamless mobile betting platforms has also had an enormous impact, with many people using portable devices to regularly place small bets or play quick games in their moments of spare time. As the years go on, the dawning of transformative new AI (artificial intelligence) technology also appears set to revolutionize the global digital gaming landscape, bringing with it more possibilities for highly unique and personalized entertainment. These game-changing inventions are combining forces to bring casual gaming options to a wider audience, and this will undoubtedly be reflected in a continuously growing user base throughout Canada in future.
The wider economic implications of this $6.75 average monthly spend are considerable, amounting to over $3 billion flowing into Canada’s gaming and gambling industries by the end of a single year. Whilst the figure may seem relatively low when compared to the average monthly spend of gamers in other countries, it still carries enormous consequences for the nation’s economy as a whole – and this major financial impact shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. Digital gaming is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries today, and the resulting wide-ranging possibilities for job creation, revenue generation and general economic uplift can make a huge difference to the economies of countries like Canada. The gaming industry has injected some much-needed energy into the nation’s finances at an incredibly turbulent time for the wider global economy, and has even generated some much-needed funding for public services and charitable projects.
Ultimately, the fact that the average Canadian now spends $6.75 per month on gaming and gambling offers a fascinating insight into the rising national demand for digital entertainment. This statistic encapsulates a broad spectrum of demographics, and is especially indicative of the increasingly casual and informal style of gaming that is becoming more widespread today around the world today. As Canada continues to develop its own world-leading iGaming market, this figure is certainly set to increase in the coming years – so be sure to watch this space!
