Alberta is on the verge of a significant shift in how online gambling works in the province. For the first time, private operators will be permitted to offer licensed online casino and sports betting services to Albertans, with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission having opened the application process for companies seeking to enter the new regulated market. A launch is expected before the end of 2026, and the change has been a long time coming.
Until now, PlayAlberta has been the only legal option for residents who want to gamble online within a regulated environment. Operated under the direction of the AGLC, it has functioned as a monopoly, leaving players with a single government-run platform or the vast and largely unregulated offshore market. According to Gambling.com, a trusted independent guide to online casino sites in Canada, the unregulated market has captured the majority of player activity in the province. Approximately 30% of Alberta players use PlayAlberta, meaning more than two-thirds of those gambling online are doing so on sites that operate outside of provincial oversight, where player protections and responsible gambling measures are often minimal or non-existent.
That is the problem the new framework is designed to solve. Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, was direct about the rationale: with unregulated iGaming widely available in the province, the government’s position is that stepping in to regulate and set standards is preferable to leaving players exposed. The focus on protecting younger Albertans features prominently in the regulations attached to the new licensing regime. Operators who successfully obtain a licence will be prohibited from targeting minors in their advertising, and professional athletes will not be permitted to appear in any marketing material for licensed platforms.
Beyond advertising restrictions, the player protection measures required of licensed operators are substantial. Self-exclusion tools, deposit limits and time limits will all need to be available to users, and operators will be expected to intervene when signs of problem gambling emerge. The Canadian Gaming Association has welcomed the move, with president and CEO Paul Burns commending the Alberta government for implementing measures to protect residents through the expansion of a regulated market.
The financial mechanics of the new system are also worth understanding. Companies wishing to apply for a licence will need to pay a $50,000 application fee and a $150,000 annual registration fee to the newly formed Alberta iGaming Corporation, as well as engaging with the AGLC on compliance matters. On the taxation side, the expectation is that Alberta will mirror the Ontario model, where operators pay 3% of gross gaming revenue and retain 80% of net sales. That structure gave Ontario a significant and growing revenue stream once its regulated market launched, and Alberta stands to benefit similarly. Currently, the provincial government is unable to recoup revenue from roughly 70% of iGaming activity taking place within its borders.
The Ontario comparison is instructive for another reason too. When that province opened its regulated market, it attracted a wide range of established international and Canadian operators, giving players genuine choice and competitive offerings within a framework that guaranteed certain standards of fairness and safety. Alberta is likely to see a similar wave of applications from operators already active in Ontario and elsewhere, and the arrival of recognisable, regulated platforms should give players a compelling reason to move away from the offshore sites that currently dominate.
For Calgarians and Albertans who currently gamble online, the practical implication is straightforward: by the end of 2026, there should be a broader range of legal, regulated options available, each required to meet a consistent set of standards around player protection, responsible gambling and advertising conduct. Whether that is enough to draw the majority of players away from the unregulated market remains to be seen, but the framework being put in place gives the province a genuine foundation to work from.