Canada’s 5 Favourite Indoor Winter Pastimes: How Canadians Stay Entertained During the Long Winter

Image of a winter themed online slot game

As temperatures fall and daylight hours shrink, Canadians naturally shift their habits indoors: turning to screens, streaming platforms, digital hobbies, and online gaming to stay entertained through the country’s characteristically long winter. Public data shows a clear seasonal move toward at-home, screen-based recreation as outdoor physical activity drops significantly between December and March.

This report explores how Canadians embrace winter through digital entertainment.

A list of the top things to indoors in winter in Canada

Regional Snapshot: Winter Behaviour in Ontario

Ontario’s regulated iGaming market has normalized use of licensed platforms. Reports from iGaming Ontario show significant quarter-over-quarter increases in total wagers in Q1 (October–December 2025). This supports the trend that online entertainment intensifies in early winter as more people stay inside.

Why Winter Drives Digital Entertainment Growth

A majority of Canadians are less active in winter, as temperature plays a big factor, and leisure physical activity is dramatically higher in summer.
Use and screen-time data indicate that substantial leisure time is spent online, on connected devices, or watching streamed content.
Omnicom Media Group / CMUST 2024 reports show:
- Growth in Streaming platforms
- Decline in traditional cable TV
- An increase in mobile devices, with Canadians averaging over four hours daily. (2025 Canadian Media Trends)
Canadians also express a strong preference for staying indoors when possible.

These combined factors create ideal conditions for winter streaming, gaming, and iGaming growth, mirroring seasonal usage patterns seen by digital platforms across the country.

Emerging Indoor Winter Trends in Canada

Data from surveys, time-use studies, and consumer research highlight a range of indoor activities Canadians adopt when winter hits:

Cooking and Baking: Increased interest in home cooking and seasonal food preparation.
E-books and Audiobooks: Popular for their low cost and convenience during winter evenings.
Casual Online Gaming: Mobile gaming and social casino games see consistent winter engagement.
Home Fitness: Yoga, home workout, and online fitness classes rise as outdoor activity drops.
Virtual Socializing: Canadians continue to use digital platforms to socialize, especially during storm-heavy weeks.

These trends collectively indicate a shift toward staying home, warm, and entertained.

Winter-Themed Entertainment Campaigns in Canada

Several publicly available examples demonstrate how major Canadian entertainment brands intentionally target the winter season:

Crave Holiday Overview (Dec 24–Jan 6): A curated set of holiday premieres and seasonal releases aimed at home audiences.
Winter Premieres and Special Events: Popular Canadian shows such as Letterkenny have had December premieres promoted heavily for holiday viewing. Canada’s peak “couch season” sees multiple releases and marathons for the December–February period,

These strategies reinforce that winter is one of the highest-engagement periods for streaming and digital entertainment nationwide.

Tips for Making the Most of Indoor Winter Entertainment

Create a customized winter watchlist for the family.
Try new digital entertainment platforms, including classic and modern online casino games offered through regulated providers.
Explore at-home fitness programs to stay active despite the cold.
Host virtual game nights with friends.
Use bundled streaming or entertainment subscriptions to save on winter content.

Digital Entertainment as a Winter Companion

Long Canadian winters call for comfort. Digital entertainment from streaming services, casual games, and regulated online casinos sees increased engagement as Canadians shift indoors. Canadians leaning into cozy nights at home can enjoy trendy digital platforms like Jackpot City, reflecting a broader national trend: winter is when Canadians embrace digital entertainment the most.

Methodology & Sources

The data referenced in this report, “Canada’s 5 Favourite Indoor Winter Pastimes: How Canadians Stay Entertained During the Long Winter,” was compiled from publicly available Canadian sources using Perplexity. No proprietary surveys were conducted for this article.

Sources include: