Sportsbooks and Online Casinos Coming Next to Alberta

With nearly two months having passed since the province's new private iGaming market went live, Alberta now has 13 licensed betting sites and 23 online casinos available to players.

With the market still in its early stages, several more sportsbooks and casinos are expected to launch in Alberta before the end of the year. 

These operators have already completed registration with the AGLC and are now working toward commercial agreements with the AiGC, one of the final steps required before they can begin accepting players in Alberta. 

Before a betting site or online casino can launch in Alberta, it must complete registration through the AGLC and attain a commercial agreement through the AiGC. 

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is the province’s gambling regulator. Registration with the AGLC confirms that an operator has met Alberta’s regulatory requirements and is eligible to participate in the private iGaming market. 

The Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) handles the commercial side of the market. After registering with the AGLC, operators must also reach a commercial agreement with the AiGC before they can begin accepting players in Alberta.

AGLC registration means a sportsbook or casino has successfully cleared the regulatory process, while an AiGC agreement is what allows it to actually go live in the province.

Despite Alberta’s iGaming market continuing to grow, several betting sites popular with Canadian players remain absent from the province. 

BetRival, Rivalry, BetRegal and Stake have yet to announce plans to launch in Alberta, mirroring their continued absence from Ontario’s market.

LeoVegas is a more definitive example. Although it previously accepted Alberta players, LeoVegas closed accounts on July 9 after reviewing the province’s new market regulations. LeoVegas has since indicated that it does not currently plan to enter Alberta’s regulated market for the time being.

However, a betting site or casino not currently registered with the AGLC does not necessarily mean it will never enter Alberta. Registration will remain open, and operators could still decide to pursue approval at a later date.