The regulatory landscape of Canada's online gambling industry saw significant shifts in 2024, marking a pivotal year for both players and operators.
To better understand these changes and how they’ve impacted the market, we turned to the experts at CasinoRIX Canada. Their insights shed light on what these new rules mean for casinos operating across the country, as well as what Canadian players can expect moving forward.
As we look ahead to 2025, let’s explore how these developments are shaping the future of online gambling in Canada.
Key Legislative Changes in 2024
Licensed casinos must follow the legal framework and regulations to operate in Canada. However, there is a trickier landscape for operators to navigate because gambling is also provincially regulated. Each province has specific laws, with many updates that happened throughout 2024.
Ontario has set the benchmark for online gambling regulations in Canada. They are the first province to have a regulated iGaming market. While there are stricter rules for operators to follow, it is done to enhance player protection. These rules do place limitations on the casino’s advertising methods.
Other provinces have taken notes, following in Ontario’s footsteps. While BC still allows offshore gambling sites with authorised licenses to operate within the province, they have taken regulatory actions to ensure security and player protection are the top priority.
Impact on Canadian Online Casinos and Operators
One of the main shifts in legislation through 2024 was how online casino operators have promoted their services. Some provinces placed limits on how these casinos can attract new customers, creating challenges. However, there is enough interest in these platforms that iGaming providers can get over these hurdles.
Another area that changed with new legislation is taxation. Ontario and BC have both set tax rates on revenue earned by online casinos. This ensures that every casino providing services in the country must report their earnings and follow tax laws.
Canadian minimum deposit casinos may have to pay more to operate online in Canadian provinces, but the amount of traffic and loyal customers they will receive is worth it.
What to Expect in 2025
As we spoke to the team at CasinoRIX about what 2025 holds for gambling regulations, they gave us some further insight into the trends that are shaping the industry. It’s very likely that the Canadian government could add changes to Bill C-218 with more transparent and stricter guidelines.
The main area that officials are concerned with is player protection. We can expect Canadian online casinos and operators to be required to put a stronger emphasis on responsible gambling. This could mean improvements to responsible gambling tools available, stricter account monitoring, and more focus on education and resources.
Overall, all new developments that will come forward in 2025 aren’t put in place to slow down the gambling industry. They will be set to create a safe environment for all involved.
Corporate News and Industry Adaptations
Casino operators are looking at other routes to attract customers in place of advertising. One efficient way these platforms are appealing to more Canadians is by investing in the latest technologies. This means a more robust gaming selection with higher security measures.
More casino operators are also branching out to collaborate with casino affiliate sites.
Many gambling enthusiasts use sites like CasinoRIX to find high-quality and trustworthy online casinos. These pages don’t promote the services. Instead, they perform a full review of the platform and what it offers to give followers real insight into what they can expect and help them make good decisions using the platforms.
Another route that operators are taking is merger deals. These deals allow companies to acquire multiple brands under one umbrella. They do this to appeal to a diverse audience. For example, they could have one platform that focuses on sports while another platform focuses on nostalgic entertainment, and so on.
Overall, advertising restrictions are only a minor setback for legitimate casino operators. They understand the market and their target customer’s key values. By providing safe and quality entertainment, they can easily stay ahead of the market’s demands.