The Ontario online poker market continues to dominate two successful U.S. gambling markets: New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Both states saw a decline in revenue in the second quarter. According to data from regulatory agencies in all three jurisdictions, the Canadian province maintains a slight edge in revenue per capita.
Ontario online poker revenue increased by 3.4% year-over-year
On Wednesday, the provincial regulator iGaming Ontario (iGO) reported revenue from online poker totaled $11.7 million (CAD $16 million) during the first quarter of 2024.
Ontario online poker revenue also expanded by 3.4% year-over-year. Additionally, the province’s poker operators combined for nearly $11.3 million in the first quarter of 2023.
Canada’s most populous province reported a total gambling handle of $18.4 billion in the second quarter of 2024. That’s a 31% increase compared to the same period last year.
Ontario still has the largest per capita revenue from online poker in North America, surpassing New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Online poker represented 3.8% of Ontario’s iGaming revenue in Q3 2023, compared to 1.6% and 1.7% in New Jersey and Pennsylvania respectively.
In 2023, Ontario made 81 cents per capita from poker in Ontario in Q3. That was just one cent better than New Jersey, but Pennsylvania was almost 25 cents lower.
Ontario’s 50 operators generated $726 million in total gaming revenue in the second quarter of 2024
Moreover, Ontario’s 50 operators generated $726 million in total gaming revenue during Q2 2024, a 34% climb compared to Q2 2023. The numbers include online casinos, sports betting, and poker.
The province’s licensed operators reported nearly 1.9 million active player accounts in Q2 2024. It was a step in the right direction. For comparison, total active player accounts in Q2 2023 reached about 920,000.
Casino games led Ontario’s figures for Q2 2024. Those include slots, live and computer table games, and peer-to-peer bingo. Ontarian gamblers wagered $15.5 billion on casino games in Q2 2024, accounting for approximately 84% of total wagers placed in the province.
Of course, the casino game handle closed at $11.6 billion during last year’s second quarter. The casino games helped operators in Q2 to generate $529 million in gaming revenue, contributing 73% of the total revenue. In Q2 2023, casino game revenue reached $393 million.
Revenue estimates for both 2024 quarters were reported in CAD and converted to USD using historic monthly exchange rates provided by The Bank of Canada.
