Canada may be crazy about sports such as ice hockey, but the nation also loves gaming. There are around 19.89 million video gamers in the country, according to data from the website of consumer and market data company Statista, and each week, adult video gamers spend around 7.9 hours a week gaming.

Digital games are especially popular and revenue from them is expected to reach $4.4 billion in 2027. Below is a look at different sectors in Canada’s gaming industry and their popularity. 

Online casino gaming

Online casino gaming is a gaming industry sector that Canada has only just begun to embrace in the last few years. Ontario has led the charge by creating its own regulated market in April 2022, and the move has been a success. In fact, in the April to June quarter of 2023, Canadians placed $11.6 billion of wagers on casino-related gaming, which includes live and computer-based table games. This is out of the $14 billion for the quarter and considerably more than they spent on sports betting.  

The top-rated real money casinos in Canada don’t just come by the generous ratings they receive. Their platforms are secure and user-friendly, they have a wide selection of games and run attractive offers and promotions. They implement comprehensive marketing strategies to let people know about their services, and they also build trust by providing responsive customer service. 

Video gaming

Besides the stats above, the Canadian love of video gaming is reflected further in projections for Canadian spending on gaming hardware. Demand for gaming consoles especially is steadily increasing. In 2025, the Canadian gaming console market is expected to generate $591.8 million in revenue. By 2029, the volume of the game console market is forecast to reach 1.31 million pieces.

Action, such as platform games or fighting games, is the preferred genre. Research conducted among 1,702 respondents in Canada, in 2024, found 35% of them plumped for action. The next most popular genre yielded a two-way tie between adventure and casual games, with 33% of respondents choosing these. 

PC gaming

Games console companies don’t have it all their own way in Canada, however. Approximately 36% of online game players play games either on a laptop or on a desktop PC. Nearly six in ten PC gamers in Canada are men. In 2024, women accounted for 41% of laptop or desktop PC gaming audiences in Canada. 

The projections for the PC market show just how popular PC gaming is with Canadians. Statistics from research portal Horizon suggest that by 2030, the gaming PC market in Canada will reach $2,440.6 million. 

Mobile gaming

Mobile gaming is huge in Canada and playing on smartphones is the most popular way by far, according to Statista data for the third quarter of 2023. Eighty-two-point seven percent responded in research that they play games on any device, but smartphones came out on top. Nearly 57% responded that they played games on their smartphones. PCs were the next most popular device. 

In 2025, experts are predicting that the mobile games market in Canada will produce as much as $1.96 billion in revenue. By 2029, the number of mobile game users could amount to 14.6 million. As well as the fact that mobile games are highly accessible, another reason for their popularity is the focus of the Canadian mobile games market on immersive storytelling and local themes. This is to increase player engagement and retention. 

Online browser gaming

Canadians are enjoying their online gaming and the market is expected to amount to 7.8 million users by 2029. The Canadian online gaming market is embracing immersive technologies. This is because consumers are demanding more interactive, more engaging experiences.

The future of gaming in Canada

It’s an exciting time for gaming in Canada, and fans can look forward to more developments as time goes by. Esports is one niche starting to become immensely popular in Canada. Tournaments such as Dreamhack Montreal and Northern Arena are already proving big draws. 

The gaming industry can also expect to see mobile gaming grow even bigger. Now that this mode of gaming has established its foothold in the Canadian gaming industry, it’s likely to gain an even stronger foothold, thanks to 5G and advances in mobile technology. The popularity of online casino gaming will drive some of this growth, as online casinos have tailored their services to mobile devices. 

It’s natural for the gaming industry to respond to consumers’ demands. As a result, gamers can expect greater integration of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into games. Games makers are already using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate real-time responses to actions and events in games, which immerses players deeper into games. 

Canadians love gaming in its many forms and are happy to spend money on it. The more game companies meet players’ demands for more immersive experiences, the more engagement they’ll generate and the more loyalty they’ll reap from gamers.