Alberta’s new competitive online sports betting and iGaming market is on track to launch on July 13, with the province preparing to open one of Canada’s most closely watched regulated gambling markets.
Dan Keene, chief executive of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, told Covers that preparations for the launch were progressing well and that licensed operators with the required approvals would be able to go live from the early hours of launch day.
“It’s looking good,” Keene said.
Alberta’s new framework will allow private sports betting and online casino operators to compete alongside Play Alberta, the province’s existing online gambling platform operated by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis.
Keene said he expects around 15 to 25 operators to launch on the first day, provided they have completed the necessary regulatory and contractual requirements. As of Friday, around 50 apps and sites were registered with AGLC, although not all are expected to launch immediately.
The Alberta iGaming Corporation will act as the province’s conduct and manage entity under the new model, with operators required to sign agreements with the corporation as well as hold registration from AGLC. Operators will contribute just over 20 per cent of online gambling revenue to the province.
The model is broadly based on Ontario’s regulated iGaming framework, which launched in 2022 and made Ontario the first Canadian province to open online sports betting and casino to private operators.
Alberta has set a target of moving 70 per cent of online gambling activity to provincially regulated platforms within the market’s first year. Officials estimate that around 70 per cent of current online gambling in Alberta takes place with unregulated or offshore operators.
Keene said the 70 per cent target had been shaped by polling, consultancy work and Ontario’s experience, where channelisation reached around 85 per cent after the first year of its regulated market.
“I think we’re going to have a very strong market launch,” Keene said. “And I think we’re going to have big adoption by Albertans.”
The market opening will mark a major shift for Alberta, where Play Alberta has until now been the only provincially authorised online sports betting and iGaming platform. Grey market operators intending to join the regulated system have until October 13 to cease unregulated activity.
The launch also gives Canada a second major open online gambling market, creating a new point of entry for sportsbook, casino, platform, payments and compliance suppliers assessing regulated growth opportunities beyond Ontario.
