Alberta has taken a major step towards legalising commercial online casinos and sports betting, as Minister Dale Nally’s Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, now just needs Royal Assent to become official.
The United Conservative Party’s Bill 48 was passed by the provincial legislature’s Committee of the Whole and subsequently by the full Assembly at third reading on Wednesday evening without any amendments.
Once the Act receives Royal Assent, Alberta will follow in the same footsteps Ontario took three years ago and become Canada’s second commercial regulated online gambling market, with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) becoming the market’s regulator.
In addition, management of the market and the contract of commercial iGaming operators will be conducted by a newly formed government agency, the Alberta iGaming Corporation.
On LinkedIn, the Canadian Gaming Association passed on its congratulations to Alberta, while the CGA’s President and CEO, Paul Burns, noted there was “much works still to do but a great milestone in the process.”
Before Alberta’s iGaming market can formally launch, several additional specifics need to be ironed out, including the number of operators that would be regulated, tax rate, licence fees, consumer protection, social responsibility policies and other regulatory frameworks.
Such specifics surrounding player protection and responsible gambling were raised during discussions by the New Democratic Party as Bill 48 progressed through Alberta’s Assembly.
In response, Nally has stated that further details on regulations and policies will be shared later this year, arguing that responsible gambling should be a regulatory issue so that changes can be made quickly when the market requires it.
However, it is worth noting that a centralised self-exclusion platform for players across the commercial regulated platforms will be included from launch, which is currently predicted to take place in the first quarter of 2026, with several operators preparing for that date.
