It won’t cure all that currently ails Alberta financially, but its government is now forecasting tens of millions of dollars in fresh tax revenue from the platoon of private-sector sports betting and iCasino operators that intend to launch in the Western Canadian province.
- Alberta is launching a competitive iGaming market expected to generate tens of millions in new tax revenue.
- The new Alberta iGaming Corporation will help regulate private operators and keep 20% of revenue after deductions for RG and First Nations.
- Major operators like DraftKings and FanDuel are expected to join the market, ending the monopoly of the government-owned Play Alberta.
The Alberta government tabled its latest budget on Thursday, which projects a $9.4-billion deficit for the coming fiscal year. However, the provincial government also released a fiscal plan that includes estimates for online gambling-related tax revenue it expects to earn from the launch of its competitive iGaming market.
According to the government, its new Alberta iGaming Corp. (AiGC) will generate revenue of $75 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The agency’s revenue contribution to the province will then rise to $109 million in 2028-29, the government says, “reflecting the launch of new digital channels and the modernization of online gambling systems.”
As other gaming execs have suggested recently, PENN CEO Jay Snowden likewise said this morning that they see a "mid-year" online sports betting/iCasino launch in Alberta as a possibility. However, Snowden added that this hasn't been "firmed up" yet. pic.twitter.com/xXRYJgkeDP
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) February 26, 2026
Alberta’s projections could be conservative, as they were in Ontario when that province launched the first competitive iGaming market in Canada in 2022. The exact size of the Alberta iGaming market is fuzzy, but it could be significant.
The AiGC will be the entity with which private-sector iGaming operators sign contracts authorizing them to offer Alberta sports betting and iCasino. The corporation will also be responsible for handling the money made, keeping 20% of operator revenue after deducting another 3% for responsible gambling programs and the province’s First Nations.
“The new Alberta iGaming Corporation is responsible for regulating and managing provincially authorized online gambling platforms,” the government’s fiscal plan explains. “The creation of AiGC strengthens digital gaming oversight and improves consumer protections while allowing the province to better capture revenue from the expanding online gambling market.”
Thursday’s budget documents are further confirmation that Alberta plans to roll out its new, regulated iGaming market this year.
When the new Alberta iGaming market goes live, which is expected to happen in the second quarter, it will bring the number of provincially authorized operators in the province from one, Play Alberta, to several at least.
Multiple online sports betting and iCasino operators have budgeted to launch in Alberta this year, including DraftKings and FanDuel, which already offer daily fantasy sports contests in the province.
More iGaming money, fewer problems?
There are other iGaming operators already doing business in Alberta as well, albeit without the blessing of the provincial government. Those companies will have the opportunity to transition into the province’s regulated iGaming market.
The provincial government's fiscal plan also includes net income of $2.4 billion a year from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) from 2025-26 to 2028-29.
AGLC’s business includes its Play Alberta online gambling platform, which, until the new iGaming market goes live, remains the only provincially authorized one.
“This stability reflects consistent performance in gaming and lottery operations, steady revenue from liquor sales, and continued maturation of the cannabis retail market,” the fiscal plan says.
