The online gambling industry in Canada looks set to receive a new expansion. Alberta is poised to open up its online gambling market, allowing for a broader array of options for residents to play with. Coupled with Ontario, this will allow Canadians more legal online casino options than at the beginning of the decade.
Alberta will soon be opening its online gambling market and allowing private international operators to offer their services in the province. As of July 13th, the province’s online gambling options will become much richer and more varied for residents as the new market opens up. This change will make Alberta the second Canadian province to modernize its online casino regulations, after Ontario in 2022. While Alberta has allowed online gambling for many years, the options for players were limited to only the state-owned platform Play Alberta, which has often been criticised as offering limited options when compared to offshore international platforms.
The changing regulations will allow residents of Alberta and of Canada, in general, much greater access to a broader range of legal online casino options. The market is expected to be competitive, with operators likely to be offering players attractive 100$ no deposit bonuses in order to capture their attention. Let’s take a closer look at what the Canadian online casino market used to look like, what the upcoming regulatory changes coming for Alberta look like and some reasons that Alberta is making this change.
The Online Casino Market in Canada is Fragmented
Similar to their US neighbours to the south, Canada’s online gambling system is managed on a provincial basis. Each territory and province in the country has the jurisdiction to set its own regulations around gambling within its borders. This has meant that there has been no national standard when it comes to online casino gaming or sports betting in the country, and instead, there is a fragmented patchwork of different regulatory environments.
While most provinces have state-run platforms that provide residents with some access to online gambling, these platforms are often criticized as being outdated. Many Canadians instead have turned to visiting offshore online casino platforms, outside of the regulatory protections of the province in which they live.
This environment changed in 2022 when Ontario regulated an open and competitive online gambling market. Private operators were able to enter this market and offer their services to players, as long as they abided by and met the strict licensing and regulatory requirements that the Ontario provincial government set out. This market saw great success and competition, with operators frequently offering 5 CAD bonuses and other attractive bonuses to players in order to stand out from their peers.
The other Canadian provinces and territories have kept a close eye on Ontario’s system, and Alberta will soon follow in its footsteps.
The Alberta iGaming Expansion
Alberta is all set to open its own online gambling market, having passed the iGaming Alberta Act, or Bill 48, in 2025. This bill will do away with the old regulatory system in Alberta, where only Play Alberta is available for residents to play at legally, and instead allow private international operators to enter the market.
The aim of this change, much as it was for Ontario regulators, is to try to improve channelization levels in the province and to draw players away from offshore platforms and bring them to platforms that are under the regulatory protection of the state. This means that Alberta residents will be able to place sports bets and play casino games legally, once the new system is in place.
How the Alberta System Will Work
The Alberta regulatory system will function somewhat similarly to Ontario’s. Private operators who abide by regulatory strictures and acquire licenses will be able to ply their trade legally in the province. There are two main organizations that are in charge of the new Alberta system:
- The Alberta iGaming Corporation, which will be responsible for managing the commercial agreements the state has with operators.
- The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), which will be responsible for regulatory oversight and compliance.
The expectation is that while this system will look similar to the Ontario environment, Alberta lawmakers will be setting their own regulatory standards around what they think constitutes satisfactory responsible gambling practices. This means that operators that are compliant in one market might not automatically be set up to enter the other.
This Change Provides More Legal Options For Canadians
For Canadians, the updating of Alberta’s online casino regulations is likely to provide more legal online gambling options. It’s true, Canadians will need to be in either Alberta or Ontario to make use of these legal online gambling options, but they will still exist.
More options are great news for Canadians who enjoy online gambling, because more options for players means greater competition for operators. This is likely to mean that operators must provide bigger libraries of games, better promotions and better user experiences, all in the name of standing out from the competition.
Final Thoughts
The modernization of Alberta’s online casino market marks an important step for Canada’s growing legal online casino market. Canadians in, or who travel to, both Ontario and Alberta will have a much wider array of legal online gaming options. These options will provide better player safety and more attractive bonus offers, and all under the regulatory protection of the provincial governments.
Dawnicky Sumpter
Bankroll Management Advisor
Dawnicky Sumpter brings a wealth of experience in financial planning and gambling psychology to her role as Bankroll Management Advisor at Prime Gambling Way. With a focus on responsible gambling, Dawnicky provides bettors with the tools and strategies they need to manage their finances effectively while pursuing their passion. Her advice is rooted in practical techniques for balancing risk and reward, ensuring that users can enjoy gambling without compromising their financial stability. Through articles, workshops, and one-on-one consultations, Dawnicky is committed to helping gamblers build sustainable habits that support long-term success in the industry.
