Alberta ponders government-run online gambling

“The AGLC has been looking at introducing online gaming for some time”, explained Robinson. Robinson noted that people in Alberta are already on online gaming sites from all over the world. It's hard to predict how much revenue online gaming would bring the province, but similar programs in B.C. and Manitoba have been successful, Robinson said.

Under the current system, the Alberta government takes in US$ 1.6 billion each year from government-run casinos, US$ 300 million of which is turned over to charities, he noted.

Robinson said the AGLC has a plan to prevent the addition of online gaming from contributing to Alberta's existing gambling addition problem. "We would put up a voluntary registration program so that if you wish to play, you would register, and that registration process would allow us to push out social responsibility messaging to clients," he added.
"In order to get the message across, much like in our video lottery terminal program where if you play, you have to play within your means."

There is no clear timeline for the government to introduce the online gaming site, Robinson concluded. It will be up to the Alberta Treasury Board and the ministry of finance to approve the proposal.