Alberta, Canada, launched PlayAlberta in August 2021, but that has been the exclusive domain of all iGaming and mobile sports betting in the province. However, a new day is dawning, and private companies are expected to launch in 2026, according to the province’s Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally.
Expanding the Operators
Alberta has decided to loosely follow Ontario’s blueprint for introducing private gaming companies into the mix for mobile sports betting and iGaming platforms. The Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, took the stage at the Canadian Gaming Summit this week and spelled out a bit as to what to expect from the province’s expanding gaming industry.
“There are lots of you today that want me to tell you about our advertising, about our tax rate, about things like that,” he said. “We haven’t answered those questions yet. So, in terms of next steps, we’re participating in consultations. (…) In terms of timeframes, I can’t give you a month, but I can tell you early next year, we’re going to be cutting the ribbon on iGaming in Alberta, and we’re very excited to be able to offer that. We’re going to have more to share with you in the near future,” Nally added.
Bill 48, sponsored by Nally, has passed the legislature and has become law, but several steps must be taken to launch the market. The bill allows an amendment to the Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act, which permits multiple third-party operators to participate in a regulated gaming market.
Nally has met with several third-party platform providers, and they have expressed a desire to participate in a regulated Alberta market. “We’ve met with them, and they’ve told us, ‘If you create a legal, regulated space, then we will join it.’ So, we know that there are responsible operators who want to be part of a safer, more responsible gambling ecosystem.”
Next Steps
There are several stakeholders whose voices will be heard, and Nally said those discussions are underway. Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) currently oversees PlayAlberta and will be tasked with regulating the expanded industry.
Seven directors will be appointed by Nally, and they will be the arbiters for the new entries. FanDuel and DraftKings are likely to be among the operators, but there is a good chance that theScore Bet, NorthStar, and PointsBet will also join the platform providers.
“I will be going back to my Cabinet colleagues in the fall, and we’re going to be talking about advertising standards and tax rates, and then we’re going to make these difficult decisions because there’s a lot of emotion on the table when it comes to how should athletes participate in gambling,” he said. “Because of our high disposable income in Alberta, we work hard and we play harder, and nowhere is that more evident than in our disposable income when it comes to gambling, recreational gambling. Albertans embrace gambling as a recreational activity,” he added.
Whether athletes will be allowed to endorse iGaming operators remains a bridge yet to be crossed, as they are banned from doing so in Ontario unless the advertisement is used to promote responsible gambling.
“The free market capitalist in me supports [letting athletes participate], but, of course, it’s not going to be my decision,” Nally said. “This is going to be a cabinet decision that we’re going to make. We’ll be making those decisions in the fall, and then we’re going to be getting back to you on what that’s going to look like.”
