Alberta closes igaming transition with 29 approved operators

The three-month window Alberta gave online gambling operators to join its regulated market closed on 13 October. From that date, sites without a licence are required to stop taking bets from players in the province. The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has pledged to watch for compliance and to act against unapproved operators that keep serving Albertans, a group that includes businesses still waiting for authorisation.

When the deadline arrived, the AGLC and the Alberta igaming Corporation (AiGC) had cleared 29 operators and 50 brands. A public list of approved sites is maintained on the AiGC's website.

The market's start comes after years of legislative effort to build a competitive industry under local supervision. In shaping its rules, Alberta drew heavily on the system Ontario put in place in 2022, and that example gave confidence a comparable model could work in the province.

Dan Keene, chief executive of the AiGC, said: "Alberta’s regulated igaming market exists to protect Albertans. We look forward to working with operators who have chosen accountability by transitioning away from the illegal grey market."

Since its 13 July launch in Alberta, BetMGM has posted results it describes as encouraging. Per-player figures in the province, according to the operator, have come in above those from its Ontario debut. Chief financial officer Gary Deutsch put Alberta's share of the company's third-quarter new players at roughly 20 per cent, adding that the market beat both internal forecasts and daily targets.