The 2026 FIFA World Cup gave Ontario’s sports betting market a major summer lift in June, pushing sports betting handle past $1 billion as bettors poured into the tournament.
Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal from the penalty spot during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Portugal and Croatia at the Toronto Stadium in Toronto on July 2. (Image: Cole Burston / AFP via Getty Images)The event, held across the United States, Mexico, as well as in Toronto and Vancouver, helped fuel one of the strongest months of sports betting activity this year, underscoring the impact that major global sporting events can have on the province’s regulated market.
The World Cup ran June 11 to July 19.
World Cup Sparks Betting
While iGaming Ontario (iGO) does not break down handle by individual sport, operators reported record-setting activity driven by the tournament.
According to iGO’s latest quarterly performance report, sports betting wagers in the province eclipsed CAD $1.033 billion in June—a 6% month-over-month increase that accounted for 11% of Ontario’s total gaming handle.
June marked the eighth time in the past 12 months that monthly sports betting handle crossed the $1 billion threshold.
On the revenue front, sports betting generated CAD $78.6 million in Non-Adjusted Gross Gaming Revenue (NAGGR) in June, down 3% month-over-month, representing a 20% share of total market revenue.
Summer is traditionally a quiet period for sportsbooks, as major leagues like the NFL, NBA, and NHL reach their off-seasons. However, the expanded 2026 World Cup provided a massive counter-seasonal boost, offering operators unprecedented betting volume across 48 teams and 104 matches.
The year-over-year growth was sharp: in June 2025, Ontario sports wagers stood at $768 million with NAGGR at $58.5 million.
Casino Holds Top Market Share
Despite the sports betting surge, digital casino games continued to dominate Ontario’s iGaming landscape.
Casino handle reached $8.299 billion in June to capture an 88% market share—down just 1% from May. Revenue similarly slipped 3% month-over-month to $316.8 million, though it still accounted for 79% of total market revenue.
Activity in peer-to-peer poker also saw a minor dip, with total wagers falling 6% month-over-month to $126 million. That generated $5.2 million in revenue, representing a 4% monthly decline, with poker maintaining a 1% share of both handle and revenue across the market.
Meanwhile, player participation continued to expand. Active player accounts grew 5% month-over-month to reach 1.319 million, though average revenue per active account dropped 8% to $304.
Total Market Overview
Across all regulated iGaming verticals, Ontario posted $9.458 billion in total handle for June—flat month-over-month—and $400.6 million in total NAGGR, down 3% from May.
Ontario’s regulated market currently features 48 licensed operators running 82 active gaming websites. Figures reported by iGO do not include wagering activity from the government-run Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) platform.
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