Private online casino and sports betting platforms can now operate in Alberta, ending PlayAlberta’s position as the province’s sole regulated online gambling site.
Alberta becomes Canada’s second province to admit commercial operators after Ontario opened its market in April 2022, with the government-run portal continuing to operate alongside private brands.
The framework separates regulatory and commercial functions. The Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC) registers operators and suppliers, certifies systems and enforces standards, while the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) signs commercial agreements, manages operator relationships and oversees anti-money laundering, complaints and financial reporting.
Operators must complete both processes before going live.
AGLC’s register, effective 10 July, lists 50 operator registrations, 58 critical gaming systems providers and 14 platform providers.
Operator entries include FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, bet365, Caesars Sportsbook, theScore Bet and BetRivers, with several groups registering multiple brands under the province’s site-based approval system.
Under Alberta’s revenue model, 2% of gross gaming revenue is allocated to First Nations and 1% to social responsibility initiatives before net iGaming revenue is split 80% to operators and 20% to the Alberta Government.
AiGC estimates that around 70% of current provincial activity takes place with unregulated operators and has set a two-year target of recapturing 75% of that market.
Player safeguards include deposit, loss and time limits, financial activity statements, mandatory breaks in play and integration with a central self-exclusion programme. Limits must be available over 24-hour, seven-day and monthly periods.
Marketing rules prohibit active or retired athletes except in responsible gambling campaigns and restrict inducement advertising to controlled channels.
Ontario provides the closest benchmark. Its market grew from 12 launch operators to 50 active operators in 2024-25, when CA$82.7bn ($58.4bn) in wagers generated CA$2.9bn in gaming revenue and 83.7% of surveyed players reported using regulated sites. Alberta’s launch represents a second test of the open-market model in Canada.
Pragmatic Play has entered Alberta as a registered supplier, with its slot titles including Fury of Anubis, Big Bass Blast and the Gates of Olympus series, alongside live casino products, certified for launch.
The supplier has previously distributed content in Ontario through operator partnerships, forming part of its wider North American expansion strategy.
In January, Alberta opened its licensing process under the dual AGLC and AiGC structure, requiring operators to complete registration and integrate a centralised self-exclusion system before launch.
*Story updated
Penn Entertainment has launched theScore Bet Sportsbook & Casino, theScore Casino and Hollywood Casino standalone apps in Alberta, confirming the news in a press release.
BetRivers and bet365 have also launched their respective online casino and sports betting platforms in the Canadian province.
Players can choose to self-exclude from regulated iGaming, land-based casinos and racing entertainment centres, or both
