Canada’s gaming landscape is facing unprecedented change. How can we balance commercial innovation with public interest?

Canada’s gaming sector¹ has entered a period of accelerated change. Digital platforms, new gaming models, and shifting consumer behaviours are expanding the market in ways that traditional regulatory frameworks were not designed to accommodate.

With innovation now happening in months rather than years, reactive policy approaches are under strain. The next five years will require a more proactive, collaborative approach to ensure the sector evolves in a way that is both commercially vibrant and aligned with the public interest.

Understanding what comes next starts with exploring the forces reshaping the market, the regulatory shifts underway, and the questions industry leaders must answer.

The forces redefining Canada’s gaming market

Speed of digital and technological innovation: Rapid advances in digital platforms, new product models (such as crypto casinos, sweepstakes, and social gaming), and stronger data analytics are reshaping how gaming is designed, personalized, and monetized, speeding up innovation and making it easier for new operators to enter the market.

Rise of convergent products: Alternative products like prediction markets are blurring the line between financial services and gambling, with momentum accelerating as Canadian fintech platforms launch apps in collaboration with U.S. exchange markets.²

Public sentiment and advertising saturation: The opening of Ontario’s competitive iGaming market has driven a sharp increase in gaming and sports betting advertising, intensifying public and media scrutiny and prompting growing pressure for tighter controls on marketing practices and inducements.³ And with the launch of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) on July 13, these trends are expected to continue.

Growth, engagement, and responsible gaming pressures: iGaming has experienced strong, sustained growth in recent years, often driven by iCasino as the primary engine, alongside a concentration of spend among highly engaged players.⁴ Ontario exemplifies this dynamic, where the increasing prominence of loyalty and VIP programs is heightening scrutiny around their influence on player behaviour and responsible gaming outcomes.

AML and CTF measures and programs: Expectations around financial integrity are increasing, with stricter requirements for anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CTF), and player data protection. A signal of this trend is the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) mandate for 100 percent “known play” in its land-based casinos by 2029.⁵ This initiative, requiring comprehensive Know Your Customer (KYC) and due diligence for all players, represents a shift toward higher standards of accountability and serves as a benchmark for where regulatory expectations may be headed.

What modern gaming regulation needs next

For Canadian gaming regulators, the transforming market presents a key opportunity to shift from a static to a more dynamic model of oversight. Regulators should rethink the traditional approach to licensing, compliance, and enforcement around several key themes:

• Outcomes-based regulation: Shift from rigid, input-based technical standards to flexible, outcomes-focused principles. Outcomes-based models focus on what must be achieved, such as player protection and integrity, while giving operators flexibility in how they meet those expectations.
• Cross-channel oversight: As players engage across products and platforms, oversight must follow. A holistic view of the player journey enables more consistent standards of safety and fairness.
• Data-driven and strategic policy development: More proactive policymaking involves consultations, horizon scanning, and regulatory sandboxes, supported by player data and market insights. By engaging with industry earlier, they can better anticipate risks and shape policy before issues emerge.

Legal shifts that could reshape the sector

Several active legislative and legal proceedings are poised to have a significant impact on the national gaming landscape.

• National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising (Bill S-269): A federal private member’s bill has been introduced to address public health concerns over sports betting advertisements since the legalization of single-event wagering.⁶ The bill proposes the creation of a national framework to regulate how sports betting is advertised across Canada.
• First Nations Gaming Jurisdiction (Bill S-268): A federal bill, S-268, aims to amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act to affirm the inherent right of First Nations to self-government, which includes the authority to conduct, manage, and regulate gaming on their own lands.⁷ If passed, this legislation would represent a landmark shift, establishing a new framework for First Nations-led gaming schemes.
• Ontario Pooled Liquidity Reference Case: Ontario’s reference case on pooled liquidity and international play, which would allow players to compete across jurisdictions, was ruled lawful by the Court of Appeal for Ontario in November 2025.⁸ This decision was subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada in December 2025 by a coalition of other provincial gaming corporations.⁹

What gaming leaders should ask next

Regulators and government leaders

1. How should our compliance and enforcement approach evolve to effectively oversee a market shifting from product-centric approaches to a holistic, player-centric model?
2. What strategies and investments are needed to foster responsible innovation as new technologies like AI, cryptocurrencies, and prediction markets evolve?
3. As we move to a more data-driven model of oversight, what player-level and transactional data becomes essential, and what new capabilities must we build to analyze it effectively and responsibly?
4. How can we harmonize key standards and regulatory oversight across Canada, while still respecting the distinct mandates and priorities of each jurisdiction?
5. Are we investing in the necessary staff training and skill development to ensure oversight keeps pace?

Private sector and government operators

1. Are you actively adjusting your business portfolio for where the industry is heading, or optimizing a model that will be limited as value shifts, regulations change, and new gaming models reshape how, where, and why people play?
2. What “no‑regrets investments” are you making across technology, player experience, and responsible gaming that will create durable, defensible value regardless of how regulation evolves, player behaviours shift, and the competitive landscape evolves?
3. Are you ready for more dynamic, data‑driven, outcomes‑based regulation? Are you helping shape it through early, transparent engagement, or reacting after the fact?  

How Deloitte can help shape what comes next

The industry is changing rapidly. It's time for the full ecosystem to come together to help balance innovation, growth, and public trust.

Deloitte’s leaders work across governments, regulators, and operators to turn this moment into a strategic advantage. We can help you design the policies, capabilities, and operating models that enable innovation, build trust, and sustain growth in a more complex, scrutinized future.