Alberta’s iGaming market could launch in Q1 2026, Canadian Gaming Association president and chief executive Paul Burns said at the NEXT.io Summit in New York. A government spokesperson said Alberta is still considering its approach and cannot provide a timetable; legislation has not been tabled.
Operators and suppliers cannot plan Alberta market entry against a confirmed timetable while the government has not set one.
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Alberta officials are targeting a spring or summer rollout for the province’s regulated online casino market, according to a report. Interim Alberta iGaming Corporation chief executive Dan Keen said the framework will channel existing play into a regulated market; operators will need RG Check accreditation, and Alberta has introduced advertising restrictions.
Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz said the company hopes to launch BetRivers in Alberta around the end of Q2 or early Q3. He said the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission had published regulations and opened licensing registration, and that RSI had applied for a provincial licence.
iGaming Ontario plans to launch a central self-exclusion system for Ontario online gambling players in 2026, CEO Joseph Hillier said. Hillier said the agency expects a public launch around the middle of the year; the system is intended to include licensed operators and Ontario Lottery and Gaming, while individual operator programmes will remain required.
Canadian Gaming Association president and chief executive Paul Burns said iGaming Ontario’s decision not to publish a problem gambling study risks undermining trust. The study examined gambling harm before Ontario’s market launch in April 2022; iGaming Ontario reportedly questioned its methodology, while the agency said it continues to strengthen responsible gambling measures.
Flutter Entertainment, NSUS and the CGA reportedly filed documents this week with the Supreme Court in support of Ontario’s international iGaming plan. The available report provides no further details about the filings or the court process.