Understanding Alberta's iGaming Legislation: Essential Information for Gamers and Interested Parties
Alberta is set to enter the digital iGaming space with the passage of Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, which aims to create a safer and more transparent online casino environment in the province. The Act, which passed its final reading in May 2025 and awaits Royal Assent, will authorize and regulate online casinos and sports betting beyond the current government-run PlayAlberta platform.
The iGaming market in Alberta is expected to launch between late 2025 and early 2026, with recent legislative progress indicating a controlled rollout by Q2 2026 if all approvals proceed smoothly.
Key features and regulations outlined in the iGaming Alberta Act include:
- The establishment of a provincial gaming authority, the iGaming Alberta Corporation, to manage licensing, regulation, and day-to-day operations of the province's private online gambling sector.
- The Act enables private operators like PokerStars, GGPoker, and PartyPoker to legally offer online poker and other games, moving players away from unregulated offshore sites towards a safer, regulated environment with consumer protections.
- Provisions for possible shared liquidity pools for online poker, potentially allowing players across provinces or internationally to play together, expanding the market beyond Alberta alone.
- The Act builds on Alberta's stance of creating an ‘enabling’ regulatory framework to foster competition while ensuring regulatory control and responsible gambling measures.
- The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) will continue to serve as the regulatory body responsible for overseeing the market and enforcing compliance.
The timeline saw discussions and plans intensify throughout 2024 and into 2025, with initial expectations for a market opening in 2025 delayed slightly to refine regulations and stakeholder consultations, moving the anticipated launch to late 2025 or early 2026. The government is balancing expansion with responsible gambling concerns amid some funding cuts for gambling addiction programs.
In summary, the iGaming Alberta Act sets a structured, licensed, and potentially collaborative online gambling market in Alberta, aiming for a launch near Q1 or Q2 2026, introducing private operators under regulated oversight and improving player protections compared to the previous government monopoly model.
PlayAlberta, currently the only legal online gambling platform under the AGLC, is estimated to hold about 45% of the market. The Act separates regulatory duties (AGLC) from operational duties (iGaming Alberta Corporation) to avoid conflicts of interest, similar to Ontario's AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO). The model of iGaming regulation in Alberta is similar to that of Ontario, the only Canadian province that has fully opened its iGaming market.
Experts recommend operators start by getting specialist advice for the licensing process, setting up an anti-money laundering (AML) framework, and drafting incident response plans, third-party risk assessments, and SOC-compliant reporting. Operators should also focus on implementing integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, leading-edge cybersecurity tools, and ongoing assurance and accounting support. Alberta may follow Ontario's example and tax iGaming and sports betting at 20%, but these details will be finalized before the market opens to private operators.
The AGLC has praised the brand's upgrade, stating that it optimizes the playing experience for Albertans. The timing of PlayAlberta's new look in March 2025 coincides with the passing of Bill 48 in May 2025. Although proposed changes to embed responsible gambling measures to Bill 48 were rejected, legislators have expressed their intention to address player protection measures through sports betting regulations.
Online gambling operators like PokerStars, GGPoker, and PartyPoker are anticipated to begin legally offering services in Alberta, as the iGaming market is set to launch between late 2025 and early 2026. To ensure responsible gambling, regulators are working on implementing measures such as the establishment of a provincial gaming authority, consumer protections, and potential shared liquidity pools.
