Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner has raised concerns over new legislation that could allow AGLC to include customer data in any future sale of its Play Alberta online gambling business, including if it is transferred to private ownership.
The privacy watchdog says newly passed legislation allowing a Crown corporation to sell users’ personal information to a private company sets a “concerning precedent" for how the province handles sensitive data.
This comes as legislators have passed Bill 31, The Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2026.
Alberta’s Protection of Privacy Act (POPA), which came into effect 11 June 2025, prohibits public bodies from selling personal information for any purpose.
The red tape bill, which passed in the legislature last week, allows a narrow exemption from that rule, allowing AGLC to sell personal information if cabinet is confident there are reasonable measures in place to protect it.
Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod commented to the local media: “As far as we are aware, this would be the first instance in which personal information collected by a public body would be sold to a private sector organization under POPA.
"What are Albertans to believe if a clearly stated prohibition in POPA is nullified through another piece of legislation?”
Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said AGLC has no immediate plans to sell Play Alberta.
Should such a sale occur, AGLC would notify customers and allow them to opt out and delete their personal information before the sale, Nally said.
On 13 July, Alberta will open its regulated online gambling market to private companies.
As of late April, 49 operators have expressed interest to AGLC about running 56 gambling sites, Campbell said. At that point, 28 companies had submitted applications to operate 36 sites.
Alberta’s plans to open a regulated market were first announced at the 2024 Canadian Gaming Summit by Minister Dale Nally
