For a long time, online sports betting and casino play existed as separate experiences in Canada. Different sites, different logins, different reasons to play. That distinction has largely disappeared. Today, licensed platforms in Ontario offer both under the same account, with shared wallets and seamless navigation — and that structural change has quietly reshaped how people gamble.
To understand what actually shifted beneath the surface, we spoke with Jonathan Leggett, who has closely followed user behaviour in regulated gambling markets. His view is pragmatic: the market didn’t suddenly invent new demand — it removed friction.
“Regulation didn’t create bettors. It made staying easier.”
When Ontario opened its regulated iGaming market, Leggett didn’t interpret the growth as a sudden cultural shift toward gambling. In his view, most of the activity came from people who were already betting — just doing it more smoothly.
“The biggest change wasn’t motivation,” Leggett explains. “It was convenience. Once everything lives under one account, there’s no natural stopping point anymore.”
Recent market data supports that idea. Ontario’s online gambling market reached record levels in late 2025, not because of a surge of first-time users, but because sessions became longer and more continuous. Betting no longer requires switching platforms or re-committing to a different activity. You’re already there.
The October figures show the effect. Ontario’s online gambling market reached record levels for total betting and revenue. Leggett’s view is straightforward. People didn’t start betting because something new appeared. They simply continued because they were already there. When you don’t have to switch sites or rethink your play, you simply keep going.
“When you remove those small barriers — logging out, moving money, opening another app — people don’t consciously decide to keep playing,” Leggett says. “They just do.”
Hockey Builds Routine, Not Hype
According to Leggett, hockey is the backbone of Canadian betting habits, but not for the reasons many assume. It’s not about big events or viral moments. It’s about rhythm.
NHL games happen throughout the week, at predictable times. Fans know when their team is playing, and checking odds becomes part of an existing routine rather than a special occasion. Leggett notices that this is often how a session starts. Someone logs in to look at NHL picks or lines because a game is on that night. Once they’re already on the site, they tend to stay. A sports bet turns into more time spent on the platform, and sometimes leads into casino play as well. It’s not a planned switch. It’s just what happens when everything sits in the same place.
“Hockey doesn’t rely on excitement,” Leggett notes. “It relies on familiarity. People log in because a game is on tonight, not because it’s a major event.”
That routine often determines how a session begins. A user logs in to check NHL lines or place a small wager. From there, the platform does the rest. With casino games sitting one tab away, the transition doesn’t feel like a decision — it feels like continuation.
“It’s rarely planned,” Leggett adds. “It’s just what happens once you’re already inside the ecosystem.”
Football Drives Volume, Not Loyalty
Football, by contrast, plays a different role. The NFL creates bursts of betting activity, not daily habits. Games are concentrated on specific days, heavily promoted, and socially driven. This is seen most clearly on weekends. People log in to check NFL picks and matchups, place their bets, and often stay on the site while the games are on. Once the main bets are placed, people don’t log out straight away. Football brings people in almost by proxy, but it doesn’t keep them coming back on its own.
Leggett sees football as a powerful entry point, but a weaker anchor.
“Football brings people in all at once,” he says. “But it doesn’t bring them back every day.”
On weekends, users log in to place bets, follow games live, and stay active on the platform while those games are unfolding. Once the core bets are placed, many users don’t immediately leave — and that’s where cross-play often begins.
Football generates attention. Hockey sustains presence.
Casino Dominance Is About Immediacy
Casino games account for the majority of online gambling revenue in Ontario, and Leggett isn’t surprised by that at all. From his perspective, the reason is structural rather than promotional.
“Sports betting creates anticipation,” he explains. “Casino games remove waiting.”
A sports wager locks money into an outcome that may resolve hours or days later. Casino games offer instant feedback. When both exist on the same platform, users naturally gravitate toward what delivers immediate results. This doesn’t mean users arrive intending to play casino games. More often, casino activity emerges organically within the same session — especially when the platform is designed to encourage exploration.
Why Platform Choice Matters More Than Ever
As sports betting and casino games merge into a single experience, choosing the right platform becomes a more consequential decision. The November numbers from iGaming Ontario reported CA$406.2 million in online gambling revenue for the month, with casino games accounting for most of it. Leggett’s interpretation of the numbers confirms this. People want something they can play straight away. Casino games offer that, which is why they continue to lead overall revenue.
Leggett points out that users are no longer evaluating sites based on a single feature, such as odds or a favourite game. They’re evaluating the entire environment.
“When everything happens in one place, trust matters more,” he says. “Licensing, payments, clarity — those things suddenly become very important.”
That shift explains the growing relevance of comparison and review sites. A user searching for an Online Casino in Canada isn’t just looking for entertainment. They’re looking for reassurance: that the site is legal, that withdrawals work, and that bonuses aren’t misleading.
According to Leggett, this reflects a more deliberate type of user behaviour — not less gambling, but more selective gambling.
The Crossover Is Structural, Not Temporary
Leggett doesn’t see the blending of sports betting and casino play as a passing trend. In his view, it’s the inevitable result of how modern platforms are built.
“As long as sportsbooks and casinos live under the same roof, people will use them together,” he says. “That’s not psychology — that’s design.”
For Canadian players, the change hasn’t been dramatic or ideological. It’s been practical. Gambling online no longer feels like switching activities. It feels like staying in the same session and following where it naturally leads.
“This is just how online gambling works in Canada now,” Leggett concludes.
