Canada has proven to be somewhat of a dark horse in the iGaming space in recent years, with market innovation and industry leaders all contributing to its rapid growth. So, what can we expect from this market in the future? And how have we gotten here?
iGaming restrictions in Canada
One thing that has undoubtedly had a significant impact on Canada’s iGaming market is the relaxation of restrictions over the past few years. These vary depending on the province, but generally make it much easier for gamers to access gambling sites online. Ontario is leading the charge with an open-ended gambling market.
Sports betting has also been greatly boosted, largely due to a 2021 bill that was passed, which allows gamers to make bets on single sporting events. As this bill is country-wide, it has allowed each province much more freedom to regulate this as they see fit.
The growth of online providers in Canada
All of this growth has caused a massive influx of online casino provider sites. This is great for the continued growth within the industry, but it can mean that newcomers to the space may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. That’s where sites such as Comeon casino comes in; there you can explore a vast catalogue of games through a smooth and intuitive user interface that is very newcomer-friendly. There is no better place to start your iGaming journey.
Canada is cracking down on offshore betting sites
Much like in the US, there has been an issue with players using offshore casino sites for a while. These can, at first, seem beneficial as they may offer things that Canadian-regulated online casinos don’t. However, as Canadian regulations don’t apply to them, they can be very dangerous and should not be used at all.
This crackdown has allowed more space for Canadian iGaming sites to flourish within their market, which may be a contributing factor to the significant growth experienced in the past few years.
How developments in technology are likely to affect the industry
We are currently in a technological boom, with innovations in tech being made nearly every day. This has, of course, influenced the iGaming market as a whole.
The rise in popularity of mobile gaming over the past decade has had a significant impact on the iGaming industry, with over 50 percent of Canadian gamers stating that they use their phone as their primary gaming device. It’s not hard to see why, as this allows for a lot more freedom than being tethered to a computer.
Virtual reality is likely to have a big effect on the iGaming industry in the coming years. This technology has been in development for over a decade now, with continuous improvements and innovations being made. There are games such as Half-Life: Alyx that have introduced a new level of immersive gameplay. It’s not hard to see how this can be applied to the iGaming industry for an incredibly immersive experience.
A rising threat of cyberattacks
The number of cyberattacks has been rising globally in the past few years, which may concern some gamers, but there are things you can do in order to protect yourself and your personal data online. Here are a few of them.
Checking that a site has an HTTPS connection can greatly improve your security. This encrypts all data transmissions to and from the website, making it much harder for people to intercept your data. To check this, simply look for the HTTPS at the beginning of any URL.
While it may be boring, you should never skip reading the terms and conditions of a site you plan to use. You must understand how your data is being handled and be comfortable with it. If not, it is probably best to avoid that site.
Conclusion
The iGaming market in Canada has come a long way since its inception. This can be attributed to several factors, including stricter enforcement of offshore sites, increased availability of Canadian providers, or more lenient betting laws. The future certainly looks bright, and we can expect this market to continue flourishing.
