Appetite for the Alberta market was undeniable at the SBC Summit in Canada last month, and this has been reflected in the full spectrum of operators that have applied for a licence in the province.
According to Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, the provincial regulator, a total of 35 operator sites have embarked on the process for a licence in the market.
The list includes:
- Albertix Gaming Limited (Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet)
- Bally’s (two brands: Bally Bet and Monopoly Casino & Sportsbook)
- bet365
- Bet99
- BetMGM
- BetNova
- Betty
- BetVictor
- Boyd Gaming-owned Pala Interactive’s Stardust Casino
- Caesars (three brands: Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, Caesars Palace Online Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino
- Casino Time
- DAZN Bet
- Delta Casino
- DraftKings
- (two brands: DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino and Golden Nugget Online Gaming)
- Entain (two brands: Sports Interaction and PartyCasino)
- FanDuel
- Lucky Days
- Luxury Casino
- PENN Entertainment’s theScore Bet
- AGLC-operated Play Alberta
- Pure Casino Entertainment
- River Cree iGaming
- Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers
- PointsBet Canada
- Sports Interaction
- Super Group (six brands: Betway, Grizzly’s Quest, Jackpot City, Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, and Spin Casino)
- Vegas Club Casino
Alberta will be the second Canadian province to introduce a regulated gambling framework, following in the footsteps of Ontario, which launched in April 2022.
With the province due to go live on 13 July, interest in the market is certainly increasing. Operators now face an up-hill battle to not only amass market share, but also ensure that they are compliant with the new regulations that will come into play.
From an operator point of view, it could be argued that the 13 July launch date means that many sportsbooks and casinos will miss out on the opportunity to engage with players throughout the FIFA 2026 World Cup, which ends just six days after the market go-live date.
It’s not just suppliers that have expressed an interest in entering Alberta, either. There has been a growing list of suppliers that have registered with the AGLC for a licence, which – if approved – will give them the green light to offer their products to licensed operators across the province.
The list of suppliers includes:
- Bede Gaming
- Blueprint Gaming
- EveryMatrix
- Gaming Innovation Group (GiG)
- Greentube
- IGT
- Oddin.gg
- Play’n GO
- Relax Gaming
- Wazdan
The potential opportunities for growth presented by Alberta was a major topic of discussion throughout SBC Summit Canada, as operators and suppliers alike explored the new revenue streams that might now be available.
During the event, Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, shared that the province has been able to draw some inspiration from its Ontario neighbour -having taken different ingredients from other, more mature markets that have worked to build their own framework.
He stated: “We looked at what they’re doing to the UK, and we like those protections that were in place. 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.”
The framework focuses 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.”
