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Alberta has moved a step closer to a multi-operator online gambling market, rolling out a new set of rules that would let private sportsbooks and online casino brands operate legally in the province.
The government says the push is about channeling players away from unregulated sites that already dominate Alberta’s online play. Based on survey data cited by the province, unregulated operators are estimated to capture about 70% of Alberta’s total iGaming market.
For now, PlayAlberta remains the only legal regulated online gaming site in the province. The government says PlayAlberta generated $275 million in net sales over the past year, up $35 million from the year before, but still accounts for only about 23% to 32% of the total market.
AGLC publishes standards as registration ramps up
Alongside the policy rollout, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has started laying down the operational expectations for suppliers entering the market.
On Jan. 13, AGLC published its “Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming,” flagging that the document is now available for applicants and registrants as part of the province’s internet gaming registration process.
Alberta’s own iGaming strategy page says the registration process is already underway. Operators in the registration stream can advertise and collect signups, but they cannot take bets or accept deposits until the market formally opens.
Advertising limits, self-exclusion, and mandatory player tools
The province is pitching the new regime as a consumer-protection upgrade, with guardrails that are meant to be consistent across all licensed platforms.
In its Jan. 14 announcement, the Alberta government said licensed providers will need to avoid advertising that targets minors, and gambling ads will not be allowed to use professional athletes to promote betting. It also said the market will launch with a system-wide self-exclusion program, plus financial and time-based limit tools.
The government also says operators will be expected to provide players with activity statements and step in when there are signs of problematic gambling behaviour.
Ontario is the template, but Alberta is building its own model
Alberta has been open about using Ontario’s competitive iGaming market as a reference point. Ontario’s results give Alberta a clear example of what scale can look like once multiple operators are live.
In Ontario’s third year, iGaming Ontario reported $82.7 billion in wagers and $3.2 billion in gross gaming revenue from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025, with 49 operators running 84 gaming sites.
Alberta’s plan includes a revenue structure that keeps a slice for public priorities while leaving most of the net pool with operators. The province says it will allocate 80% of net iGaming revenue to operators and retain 20% for government, after funding tied to First Nations and social responsibility is accounted for.
Governance is also split across two bodies. Alberta’s strategy document says a new Alberta iGaming Corporation will oversee the market, while AGLC will act as the regulator.
What the next few months look like
The timeline is still not pinned to a public launch date, but the province is signaling that the runway is measured in months, not years.
The government’s message is that companies currently operating in the grey market will have a path to go legal, but only if they accept tighter oversight and build their products around player protection from day one.
If Alberta succeeds, it becomes the next major Canadian jurisdiction to run a competitive online gambling market. If it stalls, the province is left with the current reality it keeps pointing to: most online gambling already happens there, just outside the regulated fence.
Source: Edmonton Journal
