Alberta iGaming launch ahead of NFL season on the table, market draws strong operator interest

Alberta's upcoming sports betting market could open before the next NFL season, according to Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally, who also confirmed that the Canadian province has already attracted plenty of interest from online operators.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) opened its registration window for online sportsbook and casino operators last week, part of Alberta’s shift toward a regulated market that will allow multiple private-sector brands to operate.

Nally told Covers that the number of firms that have already expressed interest in an iGaming license is in the double digits. “The signal to us is that we got it right, the fact that we had so much interest on day one,” Nally said.

However, companies seeking entry into Alberta’s regulated iGaming market will need more than the AGLC registration, since operators must also sign contracts with the Alberta iGaming Corporation under a dual-track process.

Fees and estimated launch date

Interested operators must pay a one-time application fee of $50,000 and an annual registration fee of $150,000. After licensing with the AGLC, operators must sign contracts with the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC).

An AGLC spokesperson told Covers that “to maintain the integrity of applicants and uphold the dual-track process with the Alberta iGaming Corporation, AGLC will not disclose which operators have expressed interest in establishing an iGaming platform in the province.”

The province has not announced the official launch date for the new Alberta iGaming market. While the rollout has been widely expected at some point this year, additional work remains before the system goes live.

However, Nally's comments suggest that operators could go live in the new regulatory framework before the start of the next NFL season. “You won’t be asking me in the summer when the market’s going to be open,” the minister said. “It’ll be before then.”

From Play Alberta to a multi-operator model

Alberta is currently a single-operator province, with only the AGLC’s Play Alberta platform authorized to take bets. The planned framework would make Alberta the second province in Canada to allow multiple private-sector iGaming operators, after Ontario launched its regulated market in 2022.

Other provinces generally grant government-owned lottery corporations legal monopolies for iGaming. Alberta’s upcoming approach draws heavily from Ontario’s model.

Ontario has around 50 operators offering online sports betting, slots, table games, poker, and bingo. Brands active in Ontario include bet365, theScore Bet, and PointsBet, along with U.S.-based operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel.

Alberta has not capped the number of licenses, leaving it to operators to decide whether to participate. Nally noted Alberta’s population is about a fourth of Ontario’s, and said the number of interested parties so far is “a healthy number.”

Grey-market transition and enforcement

Many Albertans use online sportsbooks that may be regulated outside Alberta or abroad, but not by the province — often described as “grey” or “black” market operators. Alberta’s reform is designed, in part, to bring existing activity into provincial regulation.

The AGLC has released standards for the market, including provisions addressing “unregulated” activity. The AGLC will function as both the operator of Play Alberta and the regulator of other operators, and will be tasked with helping to ensure registered companies cease unauthorized activity.

Nally said Alberta will provide a “runway” for grey- or black-market operators to transition into the regulated market, while expecting companies to show a “legitimate” effort to make the switch.

“We’re going to welcome them, we’re going to work with them, but we need to see that they are sincere about coming into our regulated space,” Nally said. “A date will come when we’ve said we’ve given you enough time to come on board, and if you haven’t come on board by then, then we’re going to start using whatever tools at our disposal and roadblocks for the black market.”

Revenue split, RG funding and First Nations allocation

Operators will pay a percentage of gaming revenue to Alberta. Ontario’s share is 20%, and Alberta’s will be close to that.

Before revenue is split, Alberta will set aside 1% for responsible and problem gambling programs and 2% for First Nations.

After the 3% deduction, revenue is expected to follow an 80/20 split like Ontario, with operators retaining 80% and the province taking 20%.

Alberta plans to have a centralized self-exclusion tool available at launch, allowing bettors to ban themselves from all online gambling sites and brick-and-mortar gaming options in the province. Ontario is still working toward a similar system.