The State of Gambling in Canada: Trends and What to Expect in 2025

By Julieta Belen Correa

January 24th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

2025 is set to change the gambling landscape forever. How do we know? If there’s anything to take away from the year 2024, it is that lawmakers are shaping up to deliver a gambling regulatory framework that will interest enthusiasts in the region. With land-based casinos making a remarkable comeback, not to be outdone by their online counterparts, you can expect that online casinos will readily offer more of the mouth-watering bonuses they are already popular for.

How often do you get a hand like this – and how well do you do in keeping it to yourself if you are at a table with other players?

Besides this tug-of-war, the number of gambling operators has continued to surge, with Alberta, for example, already looking to test the waters in Q1 of 2025 with offline and online sports betting options. As more provinces steal leaves from Alberta’s book, we are guaranteed a gambling year like no other before. But what exactly are we to expect?

The first one would be a shift in consumer habits and preferences. With more options, Canadians are expected to want to explore all that’s available to them, allowing for near-restrictionless gaming. A good place to start will be the deposit and withdrawal options available, while top online casinos like Samba Slots already allow users to access their services with payment options like Interac, Pix, Open banking, Visa, and Mastercard, and enjoy unique bonuses when they use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, having these options is expected to become the industry standard. As more operators join the gambling space, they will bring with them more payment service providers, allowing users to access their favorite games without having to convert money across platforms or be denied access if they do not use a particular provider.

Another way user preferences will shift is towards mobile gaming. With Canada among the countries with the highest smartphone penetration at 84.6%, it should come as no surprise that more Canadians will jump aboard the mobile gaming ship in search of more flexibility and convenience that their personal computers simply cannot afford. This is already reflected in newer online casinos as their services are designed to serve mobile users more than users accessing their websites.

Cell phone penetration is very very high in Canada.  84.6%

Besides mobile gaming and exploring new options, the increased popularity of social gambling is another way consumer preferences are expected to change. Social gambling is gambling without the financial rewards. It mimics normal gambling, but instead, users use fake virtual currencies to play their favorite games. This is perfect for people who are only in it for the thrill of winning, not necessarily to turn a profit; with gamification becoming more popular by the day and casinos creating leaderboards for users to show off their wins, there’s more incentive to be a part of the social gambling movement.

As users move to mobile gaming, privacy becomes more important than ever. People’s mobile phones have quickly become an extension of themselves, carrying their personal effects and private data they would not want to see falling into unauthorized hands. This is a feat easier said than done, considering that in the 2020 Q1 alone, over five million data records were breached. With this in mind, users are likely to prioritize gambling outfits with extensive security protocols in place. Extending to physical casinos, users will expect their gaming outcomes to be fair and that processes are in place to ensure cheaters are removed from the casino floor.

Lastly, casinos will look to take advantage of novel technologies that can significantly improve the casino-going experience. Artificial intelligence, for example, can be used in both physical and online casinos. At brick-and-mortar casinos, it can be used to power up the security and surveillance systems. It can quickly identify threats to normalcy and contain the situation before it leads to a full-blown panic. It can do even more at online casinos; while the selling point of these casinos is hundreds or thousands of gaming options, users can quickly get lost without proper guidance. With AI deployed, player preferences can easily be analyzed to find game recommendations, rewards, and promotions that are tailored to them for a personalized gaming experience.

Blockchain, and cryptocurrencies are also going to be big players in the gambling industry in 2025.

VR, AR, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies are also going to be big players in the gambling industry in 2025. AR can be used to overlay digital elements in real-time at brick-and-mortar casinos; it might make it easier for newbies who are having a difficult time keeping track of the details of the game. For online casinos, AR and VR will allow for a more immersive experience, allowing gamers to recreate the brick-and-mortar casino experience from the comfort and safety of their home. While blockchain and cryptocurrency will allow for more transparent record keeping at both physical and online casinos, coupled with its increasingly global nature, it makes remittances more straightforward than ever before.

2025 promises plenty; if you are a betting man (or woman), the odds do appear to be in your favor. However, it is crucial you do your own research and continue to monitor the development of your local gambling regulatory framework.