New Rule Under Alberta Regulatory Regime Bans Betting on Politics
Posted on: March 19, 2026, 09:54h.
Last updated on: March 19, 2026, 09:54h.
- No betting on politics when Alberta’s new regulated igaming goes live
- AGCO has allowed political betting on licensed igaming platforms going back to when the market launched in April 2022
- Tonybet joins Canadian Gaming Association
While Alberta’s new regulated igaming market will emulate Ontario’s in many ways, the western Canadian province will not allow novelty betting on politics, a clear point of differentiation between the two jurisdictions.
Prediction Markets
Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis, which is handing operator licensing and regulatory oversight under the province’s new igaming structure, issued a bulletin detailing an amendment to the Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming, in Subsection 4.6.5:
*4.6.5 p) has been added to prohibit betting on political events (e.g., elections, by-elections, leadership contests).
The new Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) will conduct and manage the market (80/20 split of net gaming revenue, with a 3% deduction from gross gaming revenue for First Nations and social responsibility initiatives).
Betting Markets in Ontario
If one goes onto BetMGM in Ontario this morning, for example, there’s a smorgasbord of political market offerings under a “politics” heading. There’s betting on the 2026 Danish General Election, coming up on March 24, seven markets under British politics, and odds set on 2026 U.S. Midterms, Senate elections, U.S. Gubernatorial elections, and the 2028 Presidential election.
Back in March 2025, Casino.org was writing a lot about betting on Canada’s national election at the time, quoting shifting odds on licensed sportsbooks in Ontario like FanDuel. We also quoted fluctuations in prediction market wagering, on platforms like Polymarket, outside of Canada, which accurately reflected a massive swing in voter interest towards Mark Carney, who would eventually lead his Liberal Party to a minority election win over the Pierre Poilievre-led Conservatives.
Prediction markets are banned in Canada. People outside Ontario can use VPNs to get around any restrictions and access platforms like Polymarket, however.
Tonybet Joins Canadian Gaming Association
Tonybet, the international igaming operator licensed in Ontario, announced it has become a member of the Canadian Gaming Association, the national trade association representing the country’s gaming sector.
Joining the Canadian Gaming Association reflects our belief that the long-term success of regulated gaming in Canada depends on operators and regulators working together. Canada has been one of our strongest growth stories – registrations nearly doubled in 2025, thanks to localized operations, integrated compliance, and prioritising player protection,” said Dmitry Arabuli, CEO of Tonybet.
“The CGA advances the same principles across the industry, and we are committed to supporting this through sharing our expertise, promoting responsible gaming, and advocating for consistent high standards for all operators.”
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