With the upcoming launch of a regulated online gaming market in Alberta, almost three dozen operators have expressed interest in launching in the Canadian province.
Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally confirmed the market will launch on July 13. So far, 32 operators have expressed interest in obtaining a license to operate in the province.
Of those, 20 have already paid a $150,000 deposit toward a license, according to the Edmonton Journal. Nally said the companies interested so far have a good track record in the responsible gaming arena.
“I would say that those 20 companies are committed to player safety, and that’s good news,” Nally said.
World Cup Sports Betting Boost
According to reports, DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, and theScore are among the brands that signaled an interest in an Alberta license. New rules in the province prohibit operators from targeting minors with its marketing. Additionally, the province barred professional athletes from appearing in advertisements.
The goal is to bring players into a regulated market rather than using unregulated international platforms, according to Nally. Like Ontario, which launched regulated online gaming in 2022, the province would then benefit from tax revenue from the industry.
Alberta would become the second province to regulate online gaming with a competitive market. A potential July launch coincides with the 2026 World Cup, held in North America. That has the potential to boost initial sports betting handle and may be a reason sportsbooks want to enter the market at launch.
The American Gaming Association recently reported that 20.5 million American adults will wager a combined $1.8 billion on the World Cup.
In Ontario, leading payments platform Paysafe found that 46% of Ontario adults will to wager on the soccer action, with 9% of those making their first wager.
Alberta could see solid numbers, but perhaps at a lower rate considering the age of the market.
Regulated Online Poker Also Coming To Alberta
Along with online casino gaming and sports betting, online poker is also coming to Alberta. The market could potentially share liquidity with Ontario.
That province won a ruling in the Ontario Court of Appeal in November that would allow operators to pool players with those in other provinces and countries. That was appealed to the Canadian Supreme Court in March by the Canadian Lottery Coalition, which represents several provincial lottery operators.
Alberta’s attorney general has now been approved to intervene in the case and offer the province’s views on the issue in court and in written testimony.
The result of the case could have a major impact on the Canadian online poker landscape. With a population of just 5 million, Alberta would need to share liquidity to create a robust online poker market.
