As of July 13, 2026, Alberta has officially opened its regulated online gambling market, joining Ontario as one of the few provinces to allow private operators in this space.
This move, occurring four years after Ontario's initial foray into regulated online gambling, may encourage the other eight provinces and three territories in Canada to consider similar legislation. This trend mirrors the situation in the United States, where states often look to their neighbors for inspiration in establishing their own regulated markets and generating tax income.
According to Steve Ruddock from Straight to the Point, Alberta is poised to become a "strong but important market." Nearly 50 operators have applied for licenses from Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), with many already operational on launch day. Notable brands such as BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel are among those entering the market, alongside lesser-known entities like Betty and PureCasino.
Despite Alberta's smaller population of around five million compared to Ontario's 16 million, H2 Gambling Capital's revised estimates suggest that Alberta could generate approximately C$850 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) during its inaugural fiscal year. For comparison, Ontario's regulated market achieved just over C$1.48 billion in its first year.
Analysts predict that Alberta's GGR will rise to C$1.7 billion in its second year of regulation, totaling nearly C$2.8 billion within two years. Of this revenue, over 20% is expected to be returned as tax revenue, with allocations for First Nations and support for problem gambling included.
H2 forecasts that Alberta’s regulated market will significantly reduce the share of gambling activity occurring on unregulated offshore sites, increasing from 32% to 87%. This aligns with an Ipsos study indicating that more than 90% of Ontario residents gambled on regulated platforms last year, marking a rise of over 7 percentage points from the previous year.
While Ontario will continue to be Canada’s largest market, H2 emphasizes that Alberta exhibits strong potential, especially on a per capita basis. This potential could disrupt existing provincial monopolies and should be a consideration for provincial governments and their operators.
Other provinces and territories have struggled with online gambling, with many still losing revenue to unregulated competition. For instance, British Columbia’s Finance Minister reported that the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has captured just over half of the province's online gambling market, estimating a 51% share.
In Quebec, Loto-Québec's President acknowledged that the lottery only captures about 50% of the online gambling market, with a lobby group claiming the province is losing over $300 million annually to offshore sites. Additionally, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation's report indicated that it captures only 34% of the online gambling market across the Atlantic provinces, highlighting the challenges faced by provincial lotteries.