Ontario sports betting revenue jumps 27 percent in September
The increase coincided with the start of the NFL season and came as active player accounts hit a record high.
Ontario's regulated iGaming market recorded a 27 percent month-over-month increase in sports betting revenue in September, according to market performance data released by iGaming Ontario. The province generated $416.3 million in total non-adjusted gross gaming revenue, up five percent from August. Sports betting saw $1.074 billion in cash wagers, also a 27 percent monthly increase. The increase in sports betting revenue coincided with the start of the National Football League regular season in September, traditionally a key driver of sportsbook activity.
Total cash wagers across all products reached $9.71 billion in September, unchanged from the previous month. Year over year, the total handle increased by 13.6 percent, and total revenue increased by 26.2 percent. Online casino continued to dominate the market, generating $8.504 billion in cash wagers for an 88 percent market share, though that figure was down three percent from August. Peer-to-peer poker generated $130 million in handle, a seven percent increase, for a one percent market share.
On the revenue front, online casino generated $340.8 million, up one percent, for an 82 percent market share. Sports betting generated $69.1 million in revenue, for a 17 percent market share. Peer-to-peer revenue was $6.4 million, up 14 percent from August, for a two percent market share. The number of active player accounts in Ontario jumped 17 percent in September to 1.413 million, a new record. Average revenue per active player account was down 10 percent, to $295. The regulated iGaming market in Ontario, which launched in 2022, currently has 49 operators doing business in the province with 84 gaming websites, according to iGaming Ontario. New entrants to the market this year include Fanatics Casino, which launched in early September, and Hard Rock, which launched in July. Online poker could get a boost in Ontario, as the Supreme Court of Canada is expected to decide soon whether players in the province can compete against international opponents in peer-to-peer games such as online poker and daily fantasy sports.