SBC Canadian Gaming Summit 2025 Recap
July 8, 2025
Canada’s premier gaming and betting event did not disappoint this year in Toronto. Several members of the Locance team attended the conference to meet with customers, share our perspectives and get the latest insights on the Canadian market and industry trends. There was a wealth of information exchanged in both one-on-one meetings and at many interesting sessions. Below are the top takeaways compiled by our team.
Top takeaways from SBC Canadian Gaming Summit
Ontario Leads the Way in iGaming
Ontario’s regulated market now captures 80–85% of players, generating $10 billion annually across OLG and iGaming Ontario. Enforcement is tightening, with gray market operators now facing prosecution and ISP blocking. The goal of iGaming Ontario is to entice the remaining providers to apply to be licensed.
Alberta Prepares to Enter the Market
With iGaming legislation passed, Alberta is poised to launch in the next 6 to 12 months – either at the end of 2025 or early 2026. This legislation (Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act) aims to create a competitive market similar to Ontario’s, allowing private operators to offer online sports betting, casino games, and poker. Officials project $300–$500M in annual revenue, positioning the province as the next major player in Canada’s digital gaming economy.
National Push for Unified Regulation
Recent trade tensions have accelerated Canada’s openness to new revenue sources. Provinces are showing greater willingness to break down interprovincial barriers and support domestic growth in iGaming.
Room to Grow Beyond Ontario
While Ontario has reached 85% legal online play, British Columbia, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada remain far behind with only 10 to 27% of their respective iGaming activities being considered as legal, signaling major expansion potential across the rest of the country.
Geolocation Demand on the Rise
With AGCO’s new player protection framework requiring operators to use “all available information” to detect risk and the potential of regulatory audits, accurate location intelligence is essential. This is likely to gain traction in other provinces as well.
Canadian gaming insights
There is certainly a lot of change in the iGaming industry in Canada right now, with more changes looming. If you have questions about iGaming geolocation compliance in Canada or how you can future-proof your iGaming platform to withstand these changes, schedule a call with our team.
