Ontario iGaming Sets January 2026 Record at CA$9.52B as Online Poker Hits CA$156M

Ontario’s regulated iGaming sector kicked off 2026 by shattering previous benchmarks. Official reports for January reveal a staggering CA$9.52 billion in total wagers across online casinos, sports betting, and peer-to-peer (P2P) poker—a new high-water mark for the province’s competitive framework.

A standout figure in this growth is the P2P online poker segment, which reached CA$156 million in wagering. This represents an 11% month-over-month increase, signaling that poker is not just holding its own but expanding alongside the broader iGaming economy.

To understand the health of Ontario’s poker economy, it is essential to distinguish between wagers (total handle or amount bet) and revenue (the amount operators retain after payouts).

According to iGaming Ontario, the January wagering handle was distributed as follows:

Ontario remains one of the most robust regulated jurisdictions in North America. As of late 2025, the market boasted 48 operators managing 82 gaming websites under the provincial framework.

• Regulatory Oversight: The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) handles strict regulatory supervision.

• Market Management: iGaming Ontario manages the operating framework and handles performance reporting to ensure transparency.

Record-breaking handle isn't just a corporate win—it directly impacts the player experience in several ways:

• Enhanced Liquidity: Higher wagering volume typically leads to more active tables, larger tournament prize pools, and less "dead time" in lobbies.

• Operator Competition: With 48 operators vying for a slice of that CA$9.52B, players often benefit from more competitive rake structures, better loyalty rewards, and improved tournament schedules.

• Superior Protections: Operating within the AGCO framework ensures players have access to standardized responsible gambling tools and a formal complaints process that offshore sites lack.