Hear ye, hear ye: Alberta's government is moving forward with plans for a competitive market for online sports betting and internet-based casino gambling in the Western Canadian province.
The province issued a so-called “order in council” on June 4 proclaiming that important sections of Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, came into force the same day.
Bill 48 contains the legal framework for Alberta’s planned iGaming market.
The market should launch late this year or in early 2026 and include multiple private-sector participants, such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
Key Points
- Alberta's government proclaimed key elements of Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, into force.
- The move brings Alberta closer to the launch of an Ontario-like, competitive online gambling market, where private-sector operators come under provincial regulation and offer online sports betting and internet casino games.
- The Alberta legislature approved Bill 48 in May but the provincial cabinet needed to proclaim it into effect.
Alberta's legislature passed Bill 48 in May and it was awaiting proclamations like the one issued last week.
Now, by proclaiming parts of the legislation into effect, Alberta's government took a key step toward launching an Ontario-like, competitive iGaming market.
While details such as advertising rules still need to be determined, the government also needs Bill 48 and its provisions in force.
Without the law, Alberta's status quo would stay intact, and government-owned Play Alberta would remain the province's sole authorized option for online gambling
The site currently competes for business against online sportsbooks and casinos that may be regulated abroad or outside the province, but not by the province itself.
Bill 48 would authorize private-sector competition, including from some operators that may already take bets in Alberta, and place it under provincial regulation.
“We’re not trying to grow the market or create new gamblers in Alberta,” said Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally, Bill 48’s sponsor, on May 7. “Our goal is to implement a regulated market for private companies to legally operate online gambling sites where safeguards are in place, consumers are protected, and market integrity and social responsibility are top of mind.”
Among other things, last Wednesday’s order in council proclaimed into force sections of Bill 48 that establish and govern the new “Alberta iGaming Corporation."
It's through the government-owned corporation that online gambling operators will gain access to the province's new regulated market.
For example, one of Bill 48's sections now in force states "[a] corporation to be known as the Alberta iGaming Corporation, or by such other name as may be prescribed by the regulations, is established."
Another section now in effect says the corporation will “develop, undertake, organize, conduct and manage online lottery schemes on behalf of the Government of Alberta.”
Back at it today and just wanted to duly note that the iGaming Alberta Act received Royal Assent last week, an important and yet totally ceremonial and automatic step for the legislation. pic.twitter.com/d0h66xDdoY
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) May 20, 2025
The term “lottery scheme” refers to a variety of gambling activities, including legal sports betting and table games.
In short, though, the new iGaming corporation will be the centrepiece of Alberta’s new competitive market for online gambling. The agency is the entity private-sector bookmakers could sign operating agreements or other contracts with outlining their responsibilities and authorizing them to take bets in the province.
This is what happened with Ontario sports betting, as the government established a similar iGaming corporation that's now contracted with around 50 operators.
The new Alberta sports betting market is being modeled after the one in Ontario, which became the first Canadian province in 2022 to permit multiple private-sector operators to take bets.
Alberta and Ontario are thus far the only provinces to pursue this sort of competitive model; most Canadian jurisdictions prefer to give government-owned entities legal iGaming monopolies.
“With [Bill 48], we will create a new provincial corporation called the Alberta iGaming corporation to conduct and manage iGaming operations in the private market,” Nally said last month. “We would also designate Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis as the iGaming market regulator and establish appropriate government oversight to support the integrity of this market.”
Indeed, another of Bill 48's provisions now in effect is that the provincial government may make regulations “expanding or clarifying the mandate of, or the powers, duties or functions to be exercised or performed by, the [Alberta iGaming Corporation].”
The corporation’s mandate also includes promoting "responsible gaming with respect to online lottery schemes."
Play Alberta hit the refresh button! Our new app and reimagined brand offer an exciting new look and feel to the product you know and love. We’re putting the “play” back in Play Alberta with a focus on entertainment, convenience, and security for all Alberta! Download today! pic.twitter.com/AxBkHMKueC
— Play Alberta (@PlayAlbertaCA) March 26, 2025
The parts of Bill 48 not yet in effect and will have to be proclaimed into force another day concern the AGLC's regulation of the new iGaming market.
This includes legislative provisions about the standards the regulator may set out for participants regarding responsible gambling and otherwise.
