New year, new markets. The experts at Slotegrator have picked the top 5 markets that operators looking for new operators should focus on.
There’s nothing more exciting than expanding to a new market. Slotegrator’s top 5 for this year include established heavy hitters Brazil and Canada, both of which are experiencing some exciting changes that are sure to catch operators’ attention, as well as Turkey and the underserved markets of Kazakhstan and Morocco.
Brazil
What’s bigger than Brazil? The correct answer, in 2025, is “nothing.”
The country’s widely anticipated regulated market launched on 1 January. So far, 14 companies are fully licensed to offer online betting. There are another 52 companies holding provisional licenses who will be able to do the same once they correct a few issues.
The Latin Giant has attracted plenty of attention since sports betting was legalized in 2018. Attempts to introduce full regulations lingered in parliament for the next five years until finally gaining steam and being passed last year.
Latin America’s newest regulated market has a lot going for it. Connectivity, a crucial question for online casino and sportsbook operators, is no issue for Brazil’s population of over 200 million, as over 84% of the populace has internet access, and there are an estimated 99 mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people.
Moving on from the technical side, there’s the fact that Brazilian football fans are famously passionate, and more than willing to put their money where their heart is. That means we can expect the regulated market to generate some jaw-dropping revenues, and the same will probably be true in the black market, which will likely persist to some degree.
“There’s no ignoring the fact that Brazil is a massive opportunity,” says Slotegrator Head of Marketing Svetlana Kirichenko. “A huge population with a love of betting, especially sports betting, and a recently regulated market — it’s the perfect recipe for iGaming success.”
Canada
What’s new about Canada in 2025? In short, Alberta is following Ontario’s lead.
Traditionally, Canadian players have had two main options — government monopolies or offshore gray-market sites. It’s long been tacitly condoned for players to visit offshore sites. However, that led to millions of Canadian dollars being piped across the border to foreign operators.
A big change came in 2022. In April of that year, the province of Ontario launched private online sports betting and casino gaming, and the market has been growing strongly ever since; players in Ontario wagered CA $18.7 billion in Q2 2024, the most since the launch of the private market.
Likely inspired by Ontario’s success, Alberta has announced plans to follow suit. At the Canadian Gaming Summit 2024, Albertan Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally announced that the province was already working on launching a “free and open market” which would be based on the Ontario model.
Given Canadians’ propensity to gamble (it’s been estimated that 6 in 10 Canadians participate in some form of gambling) and the country’s high level of economic development, Alberta should draw plenty of attention in 2025; while it’s not certain exactly when the free market will be launched, brands will be getting ready to dive in the second it does.
William Sarto, PR & Marketing Specialist at CasinoRIX, notes: “The year 2024 was very dynamic, and the iGaming industry demonstrated significant growth. From our side, I would also like to highlight the stable growth and development of the Canadian market. The province of Ontario has shown consistent growth quarter by quarter, with new brands obtaining local licenses almost every month. Among these were Tooniebet, TatinPlay, CasinoTime, and others. Additionally, more and more service companies are entering Ontario, including slot providers, platforms, and others, signaling substantial potential in the coming years.”
“Everyone is eagerly anticipating the launch of the Alberta market, which is expected to open in the first quarter of 2025. We are in talks with many partners, and many of them are already preparing to apply for licenses as soon as the opportunity arises. I recommend paying attention to companies already operating in Ontario, as most of them are likely to expand into Alberta as well. As mentioned earlier, this region will fully adopt Ontario’s operational model, so the rules are already fairly clear,” says Sarto.
Kazakhstan
Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan often fly under the radar, and it’s time to get the recognition they deserve. Kazakhstan is full of untapped potential — the country’s gambling market was estimated to be worth $2.85 billion in 2023.
While advertising was restricted by laws passed last year, there are still highly viable options for promotion. Traffic is comparatively cheap, and collaborations with promoters are very affordable. Online casino and sportsbook operators looking for opportunities with little competition — the foreign brands that target Kazakh players don’t necessarily prioritize them. Sites that accept payments in tenge and localize their content in Kazakh will have a definite leg up.
“We’re seeing some real interest in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries,” says Slotegrator Sales Manager Andrii Lypovyi. “In the past, they haven’t gotten the attention they deserve, but we can see that changing now. They’re well worth the effort.”
Turkey
The lira has stabilized in recent years, meaning that the Turkish market can generate more revenue in stronger currencies like the euro. The market’s high rate of traffic has good odds of converting into high revenues for operators.
Industry experts indicate that around 8 million Turks between the age of 18 and 50, a little less than 10% of the population, are bettors. Online gambling revenues in the country are expected to cross the $1.5 billion mark within the next five years, making sooner rather than later a good time to dive in.
Morocco
While many forms of gambling are regulated in Morocco, online casino gaming is not on the list. However, a lack of regulations doesn’t mean there’s a lack of appetite. According to Statista, the country’s online gambling market should generate revenues of $48 million in the coming year, with that number rising to $50.52 million by 2029. The (regulated) sports betting market is just as strong, expected to achieve a market volume of $47.98 million in 2025.
But the current size of the market only serves to underscore its potential. User penetration is only expected to reach 11.9% this year, and the total number of users should only hit 5.5 million by 2029, meaning there’s still plenty of potential bettors for operators willing to do the legwork to reach them.
Slotegrator Sales Manager Ataur Abeer states that “it’s always surprised me how many businesses skip over countries like Morocco and Tunisia. There’s a real demand from the players there.”
Expand with Slotegrator
There’s more to expansion than picking a spot and diving in. Businesses need careful analysis to determine which market is right for their business, resources, and goals — some will do well to join the rush for Brazil, whereas others would find their time and money better spent in Central Asia.
Slotegrator provides business consultations to help you pick the right strategy for your business. The company also offers jurisdictional advisory services for smooth license acquisition and a full range of software solutions for running an online casino gaming or sportsbook business, including platform software, game and payment system integration, and more. Additionally, the company’s Telegram Casino solution uses bots to offer a full online casino through the popular messaging application of the same name, opening up access to a whole new niche of players.
Contact the company’s sales managers for a consultation on how and where to expand your iGaming business.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Since 2012, Slotegrator has been one of the iGaming industry’s leading software and business solution providers for online casino and sportsbook operators.
The company’s main focus is software development and support for online casino platforms, as well as the integration of game content and payment systems.
The company works with licensed game developers and offers a vast portfolio of casino content: slots, live casino games, poker, virtual sports, table games, lotteries, casual games, and data feeds for betting.
Slotegrator also provides consulting services in gambling license acquisition and business incorporation.
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