Ipsos Poll Shows Huge Swing Away From Unregulated Gambling Sites Since Ontario Launch
When Ontario opened its legal online gambling market in 2022, one intention was to reduce illegal gambling. Four years later, new Ipsos research finds more than 90% of Ontario gamblers are playing on legal, regulated platforms.
Four years after Ontario’s regulated online gambling went live, a new poll shows that 91.1% of players play on legal sites. That’s up 7.4% over 2025’s results, and a major shift from before Ontario’s 2022 commercial launch, when an estimated 70% played with unregulated operators.
Commissioned by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario, the Ipsos study found that over 9 out of 10 Ontarians gamble on legal, regulated platforms. Conversely, the tally of people who said they play only on illegal sites fell by nearly half over the past year, from 16.3% in 2025 to 8.9%.
In a release detailing the shift, Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey said the data shows regulation is working:
Results are clear—Ontario is an international leader in upholding a safe, competitive, and regulated online gaming market. Only four years ago, our government took action to bring online gaming into a modern, regulated framework that protects players, supports greater choice for consumers, and tackles the illegal market. To date, we’re proud to see Ontario’s world-class online gaming model continue to support jobs, innovation, and economic activity across the province.”
Since Ontario’s market launch, the AGCO and iGaming Ontario have had Ipsos conduct annual surveys on where Ontarians are gambling. AGCO then uses the collected data to combat remaining illegal gaming sites.
Data is Proof Regulation Works: AGCO, iGaming Ontario
“It’s encouraging to see more and more Ontarians choosing regulated sites when they gamble online,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, AGCO’s CEO and Registrar.
This continued shift reflects the strength of Ontario’s model and its focus on protecting players. The AGCO remains committed to addressing the residual illegal market and ensuring regulated operators meet Ontario’s strong regulatory standards.”
Ontario’s regulated iGaming market, said AGCO, is “built on clear, enforceable standards.” Those standards require strong consumer protections, including safeguards for game integrity and responsible gaming, according to the Commission. In contrast, unregulated gaming sites risk compromising player protections and information security, increasing potential player harm. They also fail to protect against criminal activity, such as money laundering and match-fixing.
Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, said Ontario players are safer as a result of legalization.
“This increase in Ontarians choosing regulated igaming sites proves that we’ve taken the right approach to responsibly expanding the online gaming market. By prioritizing player protections and embedding responsible gaming tools into the market, our government is committed to providing a safer experience for players across the province.”
iGaming Ontario’s President and CEO Joseph Hillier said the data proves Ontario is effectively balancing protection and choice.
“Today’s findings are further proof that Ontario continues to strike the right balance of providing players the choice and protection they need to have confidence in the regulated igaming market. iGaming Ontario is committed to building a safe and robust marketplace for players and operators alike.”
Ontario Success Bodes Well for Alberta iGaming Legalization
With Alberta’s go-live date for regulated gambling set for July 13, Ontario’s recapture of a significant portion of illegal gambling dollars is undoubtedly a welcome revelation.
Alberta has maintained regulated online gambling would give Albertans choice, enhance protections, curb illegal gambling, and recapture lost taxes.
Speaking last week at the SBC Canadian Gaming Summit, Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction of Alberta, said his government had a responsibility to act.
In doing so, they are “simply simply responding to a need in the marketplace,” he added.
We know that online gambling is alive and well, and you can do one of two things as a government. You can stick your head in the sand and pretend it’s not there. We have a different approach. We believe we have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Alberta, and that means we gambling to be as safe and responsible as possible, and that’s only going to happen in a regulated environment… The best way to deal with an illegal, illicit market is to have a healthy, responsible legal market.”
Four years in and less than two months before Alberta’s launch, Ontario’s data seems to back that reasoning.
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