Source: Canva Editor
Online gambling is a hugely popular activity that many people from across Canada participate in to some degree. While some only spend a bit of money on gambling once in a while, others devote more of their spare cash to it. Regulated platforms like swiper, which operates under the oversight of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), have become part of this landscape, offering players a catalogue of over 5,000 games with mobile access.
Since the Canadian gambling industry is extensive and growing, there’s a large amount of data to be extracted from it. Industry analysts use data to understand trends, pinpoint opportunities for change, and find out what players want. When it comes to interpreting data, it’s important to consider demographics and learn more about the people who engage in gambling activities.
The more a casino operator knows about players, the more they can adjust their offerings and tailor their site to suit player preferences. This same data also plays a role in responsible gambling. Understanding player behavior helps operators identify risk profiles and step in with support tools where needed. So what do the demographics say about Canadians who play casino games?
The Typical Canadian Casino Player
There’s a common stereotype of the casino gambler as a young man in his 20s or 30s who prefers to play on his phone. The data only partly supports this: men do make up the majority of online gamblers (59.3%), but age is spread almost evenly between the 19-to-34 and 35-to-54 brackets.
Not every casino player in Canada fits this description. Canada is a diverse country, and casino players vary greatly and come from all walks of life.
What Surveys Show About Canadian Casino Players
Ontario’s regulated online gambling market offers a clearer picture of how adult players actually behave. According to Ipsos research commissioned by the AGCO and iGaming Ontario, 86.4% of Ontarians who had gambled online in the previous three months did so through regulated, licensed sites, up from 85.3% a year earlier. In 2025, licensed operators in the province handled roughly $98.3 billion in wagers, a 26% year-over-year increase, generating about $4.0 billion in gross gaming revenue.
The same Ipsos research, based on a census-weighted sample of Ontarians aged 19 and older, breaks down who these online gamblers actually are. Age is fairly evenly split between the 19-to-34 bracket (40.3%) and the 35-to-54 bracket (40.6%), with those 55 and older making up a smaller 19.1% share. Men account for 59.3% of online gamblers versus 40.7% for women. Just under half (44.2%) come from households earning $75,000 or more, while 55.8% earn less than that. In terms of education, 42.6% have a high school education or less, 27.3% have some university experience, and 30.1% hold a university degree or higher.
When looking at casino players specifically rather than gamblers in general, there’s less to go on. Industry reporting consistently points to lottery tickets and instant-win games such as scratchcards as the most common gambling activities in Canada, with casino table games and electronic gambling machines drawing a smaller, more dedicated share of players.
People who live in urban areas also have easier access to casino venues than those outside Canada’s main cities, who have to travel further. Some make the trip anyway, drawn by the broader casino experience: the hospitality, food, drink, and entertainment on offer.
Today’s Casino Players in Canada
People across Canada play casino games for a range of reasons: entertainment, the sociability of gaming with others, and the chance to win real money. They differ greatly in where they’re from, how old they are, and what they’re looking for.
It’s worth remembering that casino games are games of chance. No outcome can be guaranteed, and no strategy changes that. Players are encouraged to set personal time and spending limits before they start, and to stick to them regardless of how a session is going. Players who want to check their own habits or set limits can use resources such as GameSense or ConnexOntario, both available to Ontario players.
The typical casino player isn’t fixed, because players throughout Canada are so diverse, and habits shift as the gambling industry grows. With new games, new features, and new ways to access casino games constantly emerging, the typical player profile will likely keep evolving.
