Martin Backhouse: Part of our job is to choose the best casino bonuses for each type of player

Canada’s iGaming industry has witnessed considerable growth in recent years – especially since the opening of Ontario’s legal, regulated online gambling market back in April 2022. In the years since, this relatively new market has surpassed expectations and continues to grow at a rapid pace, demonstrating the widespread demand for online casino entertainment in Canada today. 

Whilst the regulatory landscape across the country is complex, other provinces may soon follow in Ontario’s footsteps, with Alberta currently preparing to launch its own regulated iGaming market as soon as 2026. Given the growing accessibility and popularity of these entertainment platforms, many Canadians now have an impressive array of sites to choose from, which has led to an increasing need for impartial guidance and reviews. 

Highlights of the Article

• Canada’s iGaming industry has expanded rapidly since Ontario launched its regulated online gambling market in April 2022, marking a major shift toward legal, safe online play.
• Ontario’s success has inspired other provinces, with Alberta preparing to launch its own regulated market by 2026, signaling further national expansion.
• The province’s gross gaming revenue hit $3.2 billion in FY 2024–25, with 87 licensed platforms and 84% of players now using regulated sites instead of offshore ones.
• The rise of legal platforms has reduced unregulated gambling, improved player safety, and fueled demand for trusted reviews and expert guidance.
• Casino.org has become a leading review site for Canadian players, offering in-depth casino comparisons, bonus breakdowns, and player-first recommendations.
• Martin Backhouse, Content Editor at Casino.org, emphasizes the importance of understanding player preferences and evaluating each site’s full experience, not just bonuses.
• Top Canadian casinos prioritize strong customer support, financial security, fair wagering terms, and long-term rewards for loyal players.
• In a growing and complex market, expert reviews and guidance remain essential for helping players make informed, confident choices and find the best online casinos in Canada.

To understand the current picture, we spoke to Martin Backhouse, Content Editor at Casino.org, who shared some key insights into this fast-paced and rapidly growing industry.

The rapid growth of the iGaming scene in Canada

The figures speak for themselves – gross gaming revenue in Ontario’s iGaming market reached a massive $3.2 billion in FY 2024-25, and this considerable growth shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. There are now a variety of legal, regulated online betting and gambling sites to choose from, with 87 gaming websites now available in Ontario alone. 

For Canadian players, increasingly permissive legislation has increased access to well-regulated sites, which has therefore reduced the use of offshore, unregulated platforms. In fact, according to the regulatory body known as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), almost 84% of users in the province now play on regulated sites. This change in habits reflects the vital role of regulatory bodies and demonstrates the considerable success of regulation – however, it also means that Canadian players have a lot more options to choose from. Sifting through the immense number of welcome bonuses, loyalty rewards and promotions can be a daunting task, meaning that finding up-to-date, uniquely tailored guidance has become a key priority for gamers in Canada today.

How Casino.org became a leading guide for Canadian players

Due to the dramatic expansion of iGaming in Canada today, leading review websites like Casino.org have become an invaluable source of information for players in the nation. Their impressive array of guidance, reviews, and expert advice can help players to understand the basics and ultimately gives them more time to enjoy the games they love. 

According to Martin Backhouse, Content Editor at Casino.org, understanding player preferences is the site’s number one priority. “We always consider the overall experience that each individual casino has to offer. This means we take each unique aspect of every site into account, and we place the needs of Canadian players at the heart of everything we do,” says Backhouse, “and if a site doesn’t meet our standards, we’ll say so.” 

Evidently, Casino.org’s team of industry experts bring considerable knowledge and a keen understanding of the priorities of players in Canada, with many also demonstrating personal experience of what to look for from an iGaming platform – as well as what kind of things to avoid.

“Part of our job is to choose the best casino bonuses for each type of player,” says Backhouse, “after all, what works best for one person might not be appropriate for the next”. Experts like Martin Backhouse compared online casino bonuses for many years and are dedicated to sharing this knowledge with both new and returning players alike. “Some people are looking for those lucrative welcome bonuses, which can be especially effective for those who are relatively new to the world of iGaming” says Backhouse. 

Alongside identifying the best casino bonuses for new players, “we’re also keeping an eye out for the sites which offer the best rewards in the long term. This is particularly important for our audience of more seasoned gamers, who will be returning to their chosen site over a long period of time, and want to know they’ll get the best possible experience in the longer term.” Alongside identifying the best casino bonuses for each different type of player, the team of experts at Casino.org also look at the other features of each given site, to provide comprehensive and in-depth recommendations.

What are the features of Canada’s best online casinos?

Whilst it’s never been easier to access expert guidance and advice about iGaming, it’s always helpful to know what to look out for. Thanks to the high standard of modern technology, the increasing importance of cyber safety and the variety of platforms available, it’s vital that players pay attention to the small print and check the wagering requirements of each bonus offer. 

We asked Martin Backhouse to explain some of the most important features of the best online casinos in Canada today – including what to look out for when comparing all the different bonus offers available. According to Backhouse, “It’s all about looking at the site. Are they offering a high standard of customer support? What about financial security? Whilst these things might sound a little boring, they’re really crucial. Don’t just sign up for the first bonus you find.” Through its trusted voice, Casino.org aims to help with these decisions, “Being a player myself, I understand what our audience are looking for. We pride ourselves on bringing that real-life experience to the table, and I think it really shines through in our commitment to putting players first,” says Backhouse.

Ultimately, within this complex and competitive online gaming landscape, it’s clear that reading online reviews and guidance is one of the best ways for Canadian players to make more informed choices today. Consulting industry experts can help people to understand what makes a site worth signing up to, and can help them to narrow down the increasingly overwhelming number of options on the market. Instead of trawling through all the different online casino sites and bonus offers, it certainly makes sense to read through the expert guidance first, as this can give players in Canada the best possible start to their iGaming experience!