Don’t expect to start seeing billboards in Calgary or Edmonton promising free bets or deposit matches after July 13.
- Alberta’s online gambling rules, effective with the July 13 iGaming launch, ban public advertising of bonuses and free bets except on operators’ sites or through opt-in marketing.
- The regulations forbid ads targeting minors, that promote excessive gambling, or that feature athletes, celebrities, influencers, or cartoons that could appeal to young people.
- Alberta’s framework closely mirrors Ontario’s and includes specific rules for promotions, such as draws, prizes, and giveaways.
A June 18 update to the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission's (AGLC) standards and requirements for iGaming formalized advertising rules for the province's competitive market for online gambling, which is set to go live in three weeks.
Those regulations for Alberta sports betting operators (which had been telegraphed in advance months ago) confirm that any advertising of "gambling inducements, bonuses and credits" is prohibited, unless it's on a company's app or site or via direct marketing after a bettor has opted in to receive such communications.
Other requirements include a ban on marketing that targets minors, is false and misleading, or that is "deemed to promote excessive play."
Alberta will also adopt restrictions on the use of athletes and celebrities. Operators cannot use cartoons, influencers, or celebrities "who would likely be expected to appeal to minors," and active or retired athletes may only appear in marketing when promoting responsible gambling practices.
Restrict and repeat
All of the above is similar to the restrictions that were either initially or eventually adopted in Ontario, which launched Canada’s first competitive iGaming market in 2022. Alberta is implementing a similar regulatory framework, Canada’s second, allowing multiple private-sector sportsbook and casino operators to offer their products under provincial oversight.
The launch day for Alberta’s competitive iGaming market is July 13. Getting the advertising rules officially into the standards for that market is a procedural-yet-important step. While there had been some wishful thinking about Alberta being a bit more hands-off with its ad rules than Ontario, the recently updated standards confirm the rules will be pretty similar.
Alberta and the AGLC have even gone a step further with some of their specifics.
The AGLC's standards now include a separate section for promotions, which are described as "any activity designed to attract players or to maintain player levels other than through advertising." This could be, the standards say, contests, draws, prizes, or giveaways.
Alberta is preparing to launch a competitive, regulated market for online sports betting and iCasino. The market, and multiple operators within it, are expected to go live this year, and perhaps soon.
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) January 26, 2026
A "cheat sheet" of what we know so far:https://t.co/qZ4DoSQrii @Covers
Restrictions on promotions include prohibitions on illegal activities, promotions that require a separate gaming licence, and offers that increase a player's odds or chances of winning. The AGLC is also allowed to step in at any time and tell an operator to adjust or end a promotion in the name of "upholding social responsibility or the integrity of gaming," among other reasons.
Furthermore, registered iGaming operators are tasked with ensuring none of their advertising partners undertake similar activities for unlicensed sites.
The AGLC's standards will apply to all licensed iGaming operators in Alberta, and a failure to comply could lead to fines or loss of registration.
As of June 19, there were 46 total iGaming operators registered with the AGLC, the province's regulator. That registration, along with a signed contract with the government-owned Alberta iGaming Corp., will allow operators to launch in the province's regulated market July 13.
