Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) has recently added Bet365 to its growing list of digital gaming operators, ready to go live in the province’s new online sports betting and iGaming industries this summer, giving local bettors another major option to compare through trusted sportsbook reviews.
Prepare to Launch
Alberta is the second province in Canada ready to roll out its privatized online sports and casino gambling platforms, following Ontario, which did so on April 4, 2022. Much like navigating the evolving betting laws by state across North America, keeping track of these provincial expansions is key, and this launch is scheduled for July 13th of this year, with European gaming powerhouse Bet365 being the latest to toss its hat into the digital ring.
According to the AGLC website, “Beginning July 13, operators will be able to conduct and manage their legally registered iGaming platform in Alberta. All applications and fees to AGLC must be submitted as of this date and contracts signed with the Alberta iGaming Corporation.”
Currently, only government-run PlayAlberta is operating in the province, but that will soon change, courtesy of the iGaming Alberta Act, which was passed in May of last year. It has taken over a year to design the regulations that will govern the private gaming platforms, and it is expected to bolster betting and, by default, tax revenue generated by the online gaming industry.
Customer dissatisfaction with PlayAlberta has necessitated the change to opening up the market and allowing private businesses to market their brands and increase activity. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, BetRivers, BallyBet, PointsBet-Canada, and theScore Bet are among the major players to register and pay for their licensing fees. They will be joined by bet365 and BetVictor, with more expected to enter the market before the deadline.
Taxing Issues
According to reports, 3% of the brands’ gross gaming revenues before tax will be deducted, and two-thirds of that money will be earmarked for First Nations funding, while the remaining will be allocated to social responsibility programs and essential gambling help and resources.
Added to that, the private firms will pay 20% to the province for a combined total of approximately 22.4% that will be taken off the top. In addition, an application fee of $50,000 is required, coupled with a $150,000 annual fee for each iGaming site launched in Ontario.
Reports indicate that bet365 will launch its online sportsbook and iGaming platform, similar to many of the other brands. Caesars has indicated it will operate its mobile sportsbook along with its Horseshoe and Caesars Palace online casinos. DraftKings will go live with its digital sports betting platform, along with its iGaming app, the Golden Nugget.
Hard Rock Gaming also intends to enter the Ontario market with its Hard Rock Bet app, but it may not be prepared to launch in July, with reports signaling that the brand may take more time to assess the market and launch later this year.
Alberta regulators have banned election betting and designed self-exclusion protocols that must be followed. Electronic surveillance is now mandatory at the province’s land-based casinos, which will connect to province-wide self-exclusion programs, allowing customers to ban themselves from both retail and online sportsbooks and casinos.
