Last Updated On 24 January 2025, 9:23 PM EST (Toronto Time)
The gaming sector has changed entirely in the last few years with the advent of online casinos, which have opened up opportunities for economic growth in various localities across Canada.
Over time, land-based casinos have been primarily located in cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
Nonetheless, with the introduction of internet gambling facilities, online casinos are now able to reach clients from all over Canada.
This expansion of gambling through online platforms can result in different economic advantages for provinces and municipalities that adopt this new sector at a local level.
Table of Contents
Undoubtedly, online gambling contributes to the provincial economy, and job creation is one of online casinos’ most significant potential economic impacts.
Establishing new regulated online casino operators such as BetMGM Online Casino (Canada) in a locality means greater demand for various white-collar professional services.
This includes jobs for customer service representatives, accountants, IT professionals, security specialists, and marketing specialists across the affiliate, media buying, SEO, and content production disciplines.
The jobs created by the industry can be located anywhere with a constant internet connection rather than just being concentrated in metropolitan areas, as online casinos are remotely based.
This means that smaller towns and cities around Canada can benefit from creating jobs in online casinos, leading to new streams of stable income and employment sources.
Online casinos also support broader job growth in the local economy by purchasing goods and services from area businesses and spending wages by their employees.
A regulated online casino company setting up operations in a small town will need office space, utility services, and various business-to-business professional services.
The indirect job creation stimulated across real estate, construction, utilities, legal services, and other B2B sectors by launching and operating an online casino site can be significant.
As employees of the online casino company spend their wages at local restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues, this generates further induced economic impacts.
The tax revenue generated from regulated online casinos represents another valuable way these remote gambling sites can aid local economies.
Provinces that have legalized real money online casinos impose licensing fees and taxes on gross gaming revenues, with a portion of these funds allocated to cities and counties where the operators are based.
For instance, in Ontario, a portion of tax revenue from online gambling goes to host municipalities under the Gaming Revenue Sharing model.
This new stream of public funds generated by online casinos can support improved schools, infrastructure development, public safety, parks, libraries, social programs, and other important local government services.
Funds derived from remote gambling taxes also help expand access to quality internet broadband service in rural and underserved communities — infrastructure that better positions local economies to attract businesses and residents in the modern economy.
The introduction of legal online casino gaming into a local area can also stimulate wider community economic growth by attracting new residents and businesses.
As seen in cities like Sault Ste. Marie, which have transitioned from declining industrial towns into small tourist destinations, the arrival of casinos and related entertainment services can transform struggling municipalities.
While land-based casinos may provide more significant impacts, increasing revenue and attention from online casino companies can still revitalize small-town economies by generating welcomed new economic activity, infrastructure upgrades, and enhanced quality of life.
Online casinos support local economies through promotional partnerships and sponsorships with small businesses, events, venues, charities, and non-profits.
Many online casino brands seek to ingrain themselves as valued members of their local communities.
They do this by promoting small businesses on their platforms, contributing to local charities and community organizations, advertising at regional events and venues, and sponsoring local attractions or sports teams.
These promotional activities all drive increased consumer spending and visibility for local partners.
Lastly, regulated online casinos allow residents to conveniently access entertainment while keeping gambling dollars in their hometown economy.
Prior to online gambling, locals interested in casino gaming would travel and spend significant amounts in out-of-province destinations like Las Vegas and Niagara Falls.
Their spending can stay in the local economy and support in-province business activity.
Accessing online casinos also lowers the barrier for entry for casual gamblers who may be intimidated by land-based casino environments.
This democratization effect of online gambling allows more locals across age, gender, and income levels to participate in gaming entertainment from home and contribute to the local economy through spending.
The arrival of regulated online casino gaming can generate transformative and ongoing economic benefits at the local level, even for small suburban and rural communities not traditionally associated with the casino industry.
Through job creation, supply chain impacts, taxes, community reinvestment, destination appeal, and the keeping of entertainment spending local, online casinos demonstrate promising potential to strengthen and diversify local economies across Canada.
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
You may also like: Canada Spousal Open Work Permit Full List Of Eligible Occupations
New Canada provincial immigration quota 2025 raises concerns
New Canada Study Permit Allocations For 2025 Revealed By IRCC
New Ontario Regional Permanent Residency Pathway 2025 Details
