These were the most popular video games in Canada in 2021

Video games seem to be becoming more and more popular – even though it already appears as if everyone is a gamer. When it comes to Canada, statistics show that 64% of residents play games on a regular basis, while there are hundreds of thousands of individuals who also make money from this activity, and the average age of a Canadian gamer is 34. So, what were the most popular games in the year we’re soon leaving behind? Read on.

Fortnite

Fortnite took the world by storm when it was first released in 2017 and has continually found itself on end-year lists of the most played games. The case is the same when it comes to the most popular games in Canada in 2021. It is free to play and the battle royale style really appeals to the players as they keep coming back for more year after year. In addition to Fortnite Battle Royale, the developer Epic Games also released Fortnite Creative and Fortnite: Save the
World. The latter is a cooperative shooter tower defense survival game where players fight zombie-like creatures.

League of Legends

Even though it was originally released in 2009, League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game that has captivated players for over a decade. Developed and published by Riot Games, it features two teams of five players that battle it out one-on-one in order to defeat their opponents and defend their half of the map. The game is won by destroying the rivals’ Nexus – a large structure within their territory. With positive reviews and a free-to-play mode, it’s no
wonder why this game became a giant in the field.

Dota 2

Another MOBA game that has dominated the Canadian market in 2021 is Dota 2. Sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), this game has a similar premise to League of Legends. Two teams of five players occupy and defend a base that includes an “Ancient” – if a team manages to destroy the opponent’s structure, they win. Available for Windows, Linux, and OS X since 2013, Dota 2 is big on the esports scene and there are numerous professional leagues and tournaments all over the world.

Online casino games

As each province has the right to regulate its own laws when it comes to gambling, there are parts of Canada where online casinos are available as well. As these operators offer a wide array of options, it should not come as a surprise that games such as online slots, jackpot slots, table, and live casinos games were popular among Canadian players in 2021 What is more, a contributing factor to their popularity is certainly the option to play from home but also when on the go. Additionally, depositing money and withdrawing winnings is instant and made easy, which is a big plus during the pandemic.

Minecraft

Minecraft is yet another title that has dominated the field for over a decade. First made public in 2009 and officially released in 2011, this sandbox video game is the best-selling title of all time and is still popular going into 2022. Players are free to explore virtually infinite worlds and create their own by extracting raw materials, crafting tools and items, and building structures. There are a few modes, including survival, in which players must survive falls, drownings, starvation,
and attacks from various creatures and hostile mobs. Furthermore, Minecraft is certainly popular because it allows players to interact with each other.

Rocket League Sideswipe

Canadians played plenty of mobile games in 2021. For example, Rocket League Sideswipe is a mobile game spin-off of the 2015 Rocket League which is available for Windows, PS4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux, and Nintendo Switch. The original game was described as “soccer but with rocket-powered cars” and Sideswipe replicates the gameplay in a two-dimensional space. The players take part in one-on-one or two-on-two short matches that are played online. It is
available on iOS and Android.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Although Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a bit more popular in 2020 when the pandemic first kicked off and people were all stuck inside, the game is still going strong among fans in Canada. Players control a character that moves to a deserted island and develops it over time. Various customizations are available, and the game received critical acclaim upon release. It quickly became the second bestseller on the Nintendo Switch and the 15 th in the history of video
games, despite being available only on one platform.

As 2021 is behind us, we can start looking forward to games that are coming out in 2022. For instance, we will get Elden Ring, God Of War Ragnarök, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and Gran Turismo 7. Whether any of them will be as popular as the ones listed above remains to be seen.

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The bizarre story of Taro Tsujimoto

Published on March 28, 2025

Todayville Content Team

The National Hockey League (NHL) has seen its fair share of strange moments, but few compare to the bizarre and hilarious tale of Taro Tsujimoto, a player who never existed. His “selection” in the 1974 NHL Draft remains one of the most legendary pranks in hockey history. If you want to wager on actual players, making the 1xBet app download is definitely a great idea.

In the 1970s, the NHL Draft was a much less glamorous event than today. It was a tedious process conducted over the phone, with teams calling in their picks. The 3 biggest highlights of what happened during that year’s draft were:

the draft dragged on for hours;
there were multiple rounds and teams selecting unknown prospects from obscure leagues;
frustrated with the monotony, Buffalo Sabres general manager Punch Imlach decided to have a little fun.

As the 11th round approached, Imlach instructed his team’s representative to draft Taro Tsujimoto, a supposed forward from the Tokyo Katanas of the Japan Ice Hockey League. The name sounded authentic enough. The league officials, unfamiliar with Japanese hockey, accepted the pick without question. By downloading the 1xBet app you will also be able to wager on great NHL teams too.

A small problem

There was a small problem with all of this, as 2 things didn’t exist: Tsujimoto and the Tokyo Katanas. Imlach had completely fabricated the player as a joke, taking advantage of the NHL’s lack of verification. When it comes to NHL wagers, there is no better platform than the 1xBet Canada site.

For weeks, the league listed Tsujimoto as an official draft pick, and even some newspapers reported on Buffalo’s mysterious new Japanese prospect. Eventually, the Sabres admitted the hoax, and the NHL was forced to retroactively erase the selection from its records.

Despite being a fictional player, Taro Tsujimoto took on a life of his own. Buffalo Sabres fans embraced the prank, and over the years, his name has become a cult legend in hockey culture. Some fans even wore jerseys with “Tsujimoto” on the back. The joke persisted so much that when EA Sports released NHL video games, players could occasionally find Tsujimoto in the game’s draft pool as a hidden Easter egg.

More than just a prank, the story of Taro Tsujimoto highlights 2 things: the quirks of old-school sports management and the creativity of one of hockey’s most colorful executives. Today, with the draft process being highly scrutinized and broadcast live, such a prank would be impossible. But Tsujimoto’s legacy lives on as one of hockey’s greatest inside jokes. What is not a joke are the great rewards that a platform like the Canadian 1xBet site can give you.

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60% of Canadians gamble each month – why the industry is going from strength to strength

Published on March 26, 2025

Todayville Content Team

When it comes to regulating gambling, Canada has a somewhat relaxed approach. The Canadian Gaming Association oversees the industry, but it’s up to individual provinces to enact and enforce any laws relating to online casino gaming, sports betting, traditional casino gaming, and other forms of gambling.

Canada’s online casino gaming laws are not totally clear, but individual provinces are starting to put this right. Ontario was the first and did so when it launched its own regulated igaming market in April 2022. Now some other provinces have followed suit, creating a safer igaming environment for players in those provinces. Below is a look at gambling in Canada compared to other parts of the world, at gaming laws in Alberta compared to other provinces, and at the future of the Canadian, US, and UK gambling industries.

Canada: a forever love of gambling

Gambling in some form or other has always been popular in Canada. Way back in the 1990s, research found six in ten Canadians (60%) gambled every month. Additionally, four in ten (43%) spent between 1 and 20 Canadian dollars on gambling. Fast forward to today and the Canadian gambling market is worth 14.2 billion US dollars as of January 2024, according to data on the website of consumer and market data company Statista.

It seems Canada enjoys wagering just as much as two other countries that love a gamble: the US and the UK. Data on the Statista website shows that 49% of US adults took part in gambling activities in 2023. Fifty-six percent said their attitude towards gambling had relaxed, compared to the 50% of 2019.

The UK returned similar stats for the same year. Forty-eight percent of adults reported engaging in gambling activity. Online casinos generated the most gross gambling yield in 2023, but it was the nation’s National Lottery that people played the most.

Alberta: following Ontario’s lead

The regulatory developments in Ontario have triggered movement in Alberta. In May 2024, Bill 16, the Red Tape Reduction Amendment Act, made it through the process and later received Royal Assent to become law. The act removes the monopoly of gaming by a single government entity and will allow private operators, licensed by Alberta’s provincial regulator, to provide online gaming services in Alberta, meaning players will have a choice of more than one Alberta online casino to play at.

The regulation transforms Alberta into one of the more liberal provinces when it comes to online gambling, others being Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia.

Several provinces, such as Novia Scotia and Northwest Territories, have no provincially regulated online gaming sites. Some also restrict betting on horse racing and/or other types of sports betting, obliging citizens to use international betting sites for freedom from caps and betting on as many events as they wish.

What lies ahead for the Canadian, US, and UK gambling industries?

Canada’s appetite for gambling is clear, and the industry’s online sector is beginning to thrive. Ontario has enjoyed vast success by creating its own regulated market, one which, in just its first year, saw Canadians place billions in wagers and the industry itself generate more than a billion in total gaming revenue.

Canada can expect to see other provinces follow Ontario’s lead and allow private operators to provide services in the province under license. The purpose of the regulation is player protection. Any province that develops a regulated market will focus on this, so there will also be regulations around the advertising of gambling services.

The US

Gambling online is the future for the US, too, although states are slow to legalize it. As of September 2024, 38 states had legalized sports betting, following the US Supreme Court’s ruling that states could regulate sports gambling directly.

Despite allowing sports betting, some states only permit in-person betting, and only a few states allow online casino gaming. Operators believe online casino gaming is the future of gambling.

The UK

In the UK, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will get bigger and bigger. Companies have realized AI can enhance players’ experience and are embracing it more and more. For instance, sports betting websites can use it to crunch data and provide iGamers with stats and other data to make better betting decisions. They’re also understanding they can use AI to prioritize content players are likely to be interested in and to personalize their offerings and services to players’ preferences.

Canada enjoys gambling as much as America and the UK. Although laws around igaming are more of a grey area in Canada, some provinces are clearing the issue up by creating regulated markets and experiencing great success. As time goes by, more are sure to follow.