Alberta Unveils New iGaming Legislation

Posted on: March 26, 2025, 07:04h. 

Last updated on: March 28, 2025, 09:00h.

Mark Keast Read More
Expertise: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC.
  • Alberta tables iGaming Alberta Act
  • Once becoming law, Alberta would launch an Ontario-style competitive, private market
  • Major operators DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet Canada and others looking to jump in

As reported in Casino.org ten days ago, the government of Alberta today officially tabled igaming legislation, called the iGaming Alberta Act, which will bring an Ontario-style open and competitive igaming market to Alberta.

Alberta Government Introduces iGaming Act

The proposed legislation will create a new Crown corporation, the Alberta iGaming Corporation, to oversee the operation of a private, regulated market, and put the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) in charge of regulation.

The objective, the government said in a statement, is to bring more players into a legal system, with consumer protections like self-exclusion tools, while generating tax revenue for the province. Unregulated igaming is currently dominating the Alberta market – around a 55% market share, according to some estimates. A senior industry source told Casino.org that he estimates that market share to be more around 75%.

The tax rate on revenue is going to be a big issue and wasn’t addressed in today’s government statement. In Ontario the tax rate is 20%.

Play Alberta, operated by the AGLC, is currently the only platform in the province where Albertans can go and wager legally.

New Era for Albertans

Our goal is not to create new gamblers, but to make existing online gambling safer,” said Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. “As the gaming industry continues to evolve globally and in Alberta, it is important that we modernize Alberta’s approach to gaming to protect the health and safety of Albertans, particularly our youth. The legislation we are introducing, if approved, would take the first steps towards this.”

The Conservative Alberta government announced they were heading down this path last summer during the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto, when Nally made remarks to a room full of industry types and media people.

Major iGaming Operators Expected to Jump In

We commend Premier Smith, Minister Nally and their teams on all their efforts to bring an open and competitive regulated online gaming marketplace to Alberta,” said Adam Kates, Vice President of Compliance, theScore. “We are fully supportive of a model that has proven to generate new revenue, protect consumers and shift wagering activity to the regulated market, and we’re confident that these benefits will be realized in Alberta.

“We look forward to supporting the process ahead and ultimately having an opportunity to introduce theScore Bet to Albertans.”

Operators like PointsBet Canada, NorthStar, PENN, Betty, and Betway have already expressed interest in joining the market.

The legislation now goes through a process of Second Reading in the Legislative Assembly, a Committee Stage, a Third Reading where the revised bill returns to the Assembly for final debate and vote, then Royal Assent where the bill becomes an Act.