Alberta prepares regulated online gambling market rollout

Alberta is moving toward the launch of a new online gambling framework that will open the market to commercial operators under provincial rules. The initiative follows several years of discussion and reflects the province’s interest in regulating activity that currently occurs through offshore gambling websites.

Government representatives stated that the rules will apply across online sports wagering and casino-style gambling. At present, the government-operated PlayAlberta platform accounts for only a portion of overall gambling activity. Surveys cited by officials suggest offshore companies take the majority of online bets within the province, with recent government estimates placing their share at approximately 70 percent of the market. In 2025, PlayAlberta reported $275 million in net sales and continued to grow, but the figures remain well below what officials believe is the actual level of participation among residents.

Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally indicated that commercial rules may take effect in late spring. “These are the rules that the operators are going to have to adhere to if they want to play in the space we’re offering,” he said. Nally added that the province aims to ensure that gambling is conducted responsibly and cited early interest from private operators considering entry into the regulated environment.

Under the new system, players must be at least 18 years old and located within Alberta’s borders. Operators will be required to verify both age and location and to adopt responsible gambling tools that apply across online platforms. According to Nally, “there’s going to be time limits and player betting limits. Also, we are going to have system-wide self-exclusion. So in Alberta, when you hit that button, you will not just be self-excluded from all online sites, but from land-based casinos and racing entertainment centres.”

Regulatory rules also mandate that gambling companies provide customers with records of their gaming activity and take action if behavior indicates potential harm. Restrictions on advertising will prohibit campaigns that target minors or use current or former professional athletes.

The province created the Alberta iGaming Corporation to manage the commercial side of the rollout. The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission will continue to regulate the market and operate PlayAlberta. Companies seeking entry will need to register with the regulator and sign operational agreements with the new corporation. Alberta will receive 20 percent of gaming revenue, two percent will go to First Nations and one percent to social responsibility programs, including research and treatment services.

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Draft standards presented in an iGaming bulletin outlined restrictions that differentiate Alberta’s approach from the transition process used in Ontario. The standards specify that “registered Operators and registered Goods or Services Suppliers must cease all unregulated gaming activities in Alberta’s iGaming market if, to carry out those activities in Alberta’s regulated online lottery scheme, those activities would otherwise require registration under the iGaming Alberta Act or Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act.”

Additional language states that “registered Operators and registered Goods or Services Suppliers must not enter into any agreements or arrangements with any unregistered person who is providing any goods or services that would otherwise require registration in Alberta.” While Ontario permitted gray-market operators a transition period, Alberta is applying the immediate stop requirement from the outset.

Following publication of the draft rules, the registration process began and signaled that the market’s opening is nearing. Earlier projections anticipated a launch by the end of 2024. Nally now expects market participation within several months.

Alberta has drawn attention from companies that point to demographic and economic factors that include a large young adult population, high per-capita spending capacity, and strong historical interest in gambling. Analysts previously estimated that Alberta’s online gambling market could surpass $700 million annually. Government officials emphasized that the rules will emphasize consumer safeguards while enabling private-sector involvement. As Nally noted, according to CTV News, “It is our responsibility to step in, regulate the market and hold private providers to the highest standards to protect Albertans, particularly our youth.”

Source:

Alberta Prepares Regulated Online Gambling Launch, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, January 15, 2026