At midnight on July 13, Alberta officially opened its regulated commercial iGaming market, becoming the second province in Canada, following Ontario, to allow private online sports betting and casino operations under provincial regulation.
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has registered a total of 50 operators, 58 essential gaming systems providers, and 14 platform providers. On the opening day, more than 15 operators were anticipated to launch alongside the government-operated Play Alberta platform, with additional operators expected to join after finalizing commercial agreements with the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC).
The list of registered operators includes well-known names such as FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, BetRivers, PointsBet, Betway, BET99, 888, TonyBet, theScore Bet, Hollywood Casino, Bally’s, Pure Casino Entertainment, and River Cree iGaming. However, Fanatics and Hard Rock Bet have yet to announce their plans for launching in Alberta.
Confirmed operators for the opening day included FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, bet365, and BetRivers, while Caesars, PointsBet Canada, and Betty Casino were also expected to commence operations.
The regulatory framework in Alberta mirrors that of Ontario, with the AGLC serving as the regulator and the AiGC overseeing the market. Operators are required to provide responsible gambling resources, self-assessment tools, and set time and deposit limits, in addition to obtaining RG Check accreditation.
Furthermore, Alberta has implemented a centralized self-exclusion system from the outset. Operators are obligated to promote this system and must void or refund bets if a player enrolls while having pending futures wagers.
A study conducted by Betty Gaming Canada through the Angus Reid Forum indicated that 61% of Albertans surveyed considered online gambling to be safe after being informed about the regulatory framework. Additionally, a YouGov study commissioned by TonyBet revealed that 74% of players surveyed in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec would refrain from using a platform that lacks a Canadian license.
Among the new market entrants, FanDuel announced a donation of C$80,000 (approximately $56,602) related to Alberta, while DraftKings committed C$150,000 (around $106,128.75) to Food Banks Alberta. DraftKings will provide its sportsbook, casino, and Golden Nugget Online Gaming brands, while Caesars plans to roll out three different brands.
According to JMP Securities analyst Jordan Bender, Alberta could potentially generate over $700 million (approximately $495.3 million) in annual revenue, with around $500 million (about $353.8 million) coming from online casinos and $200 million (approximately $141.5 million) from sports betting. In comparison, Ontario reported C$4.04 billion (around $2.86 billion) in regulated gaming revenue for 2025, reflecting a 34% increase from 2024.