It doesn’t get any better than Alberta, was the message of Hon. Dale Nally, the man tasked with leading the charge towards Canada’s second regulated gaming province.
Speaking at SBC Summit Canada, Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, promised that the province will be the ‘right fit for operators’ ahead of the market launch on 13 July.
He told attendees: “We have reduced red tape, we’ve got a business-friendly environment, and we’ve got low corporate taxes. It doesn’t get any better than that. So if you like your experience in Ontario, you are going to love your experience in Alberta.”
A new chapter for Alberta
Many operators preparing for launch will already be familiar with aspects of the market, as Alberta has borrowed much of its structure from what has been successful in Ontario – a jurisdiction that pulled in revenue of over CA$4bn (£2.1bn) last year.
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will act as the market’s regulator, mirroring Ontario’s regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Meanwhile, the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) has been formed to serve as a separate conduct-and-management agency in a similar role played by iGaming Ontario.
The AiGC recently confirmed that interim Chief Executive Officer Dan Keene will step up to the role on a permanent basis, bringing his previous experience working as the Director of Gaming Business at the AGLC and at the Century Casino and Molson Canada.
Nally emphasised that the process of legislating gambling wasn’t a case of trying to re-invent the wheel, in his words, and instead policymakers actively looked to other markets for what had been working.
“We looked at what they’re doing to the UK, and we like those protections that were in place,” he said.
“I will also give a shout-out to the Ontario team. I think they’ve done a fabulous job in rolling out this responsible gambling marketplace that’s a little safer, a little more responsible, and they’ve done a good job, and so we have taken a lot of what we’re going to do in Alberta from the Ontario experience.”
Player protection will be front and centre
Although Nally admitted that if he had his way, he would press a button and put a stop to online gambling, he said that the push for regulation was driven by the understanding that Albertans were already engaging in iGaming, and, therefore, it should be brought under the auspices of government control.
Key regulations of the new market centre on social responsibility and player protection, with strict requirements in place over the scope of advertising allowed. Players in Alberta will also have access to a province-wide self-exclusion register, as well as financial and time-based limit tools.
“We need gambling to be as safe and responsible as possible, and that’s only going to happen in a regulated environment,” he explained.
“We want to make it as easy as possible to self-exclude, so that they won’t be able to participate in gambling activities. We know that when people hit rock bottom, they’re willing to quit and they want to quit, but then we know that the next day and the day after can be challenging. Having system-wide self-exclusion makes it easier for people who struggle with problematic gathering behaviour to get help.”
Striking a balance
Alberta is recognised as one of the most pro-business regions in North America, driven by a younger demographic attracted to the province by its widespread oil and gas industry.
These factors mean that Alberta is an attractive proposition to prospective operators, and Nally emphasised that this same business-first approach has been taken in the development of the market.
Given his role as the Minister for reducing red tape, he reassured stakeholders that Alberta ‘didn’t get carried away’ with the requirements placed on the sector.
He said: “We had to find that balance because too often when you go down these paths with government, they get all gunned up and want to regulate everything. That’s not the approach that we’re taking.
“We want it to be a light touch on regulation, we want it to be easy to enter our marketplace. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be the wild west, it won’t be, but we think it’s going to be an easy place for operators to enter, and it’s going to be done in a responsible fashion.”
According to Nally, 37 operators have paid the required registration fees so far, however, as many as 70 operators could enter the market upon its launch.
The likes of PointsBet, Caesars Entertainment, BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel have all confirmed plans to enter the market and further build their presence in North America.
The market is projected to reach revenue of CA$1.35bn (£730m). However, Nally told those in attendance that the success of the market will not be solely based on the number on its bottom line.
He said: “Our measure of success is going to be our market’s feedback. Did players have a fun experience? Was it a safer experience? Was it a responsible experience? And if all those player safety and responsibility measures that we have laid out have been implemented, that will be the measure of success in our marketplace. The money, that will just be a bonus.
