You’ve come a long way, Alberta.
On Monday, the Western Canadian province launched its competitive market for online sports betting and internet casino gambling, becoming the second jurisdiction in Canada to roll out that kind of regulatory framework after Ontario did so in 2022.
Now Albertans have multiple options for provincially regulated online gambling. Previously, they had just one, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission’s (AGLC) Play Alberta.
It’s a big day for Alberta. Today, we launch a regulated iGaming market.
— AiGC (@AiGC_ABiGaming) July 13, 2026
https://t.co/JcyWwRZOST #ab #abgov #ableg #abpoli #abigaming #igaming pic.twitter.com/jFdI7qkTPF
Monday's launch will make Alberta another key jurisdiction for the online gambling industry. Billions will be bet, and billions in revenue are expected to be generated from that wagering.
However, the road to July 13 and the new Alberta sports betting market was long. It wasn’t all that straight, either, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Here, then, is the history of how Alberta sparked Canada’s second legalized sports betting boom.
The big bang theory
May 14, 2018 - A majority of judges on the U.S. Supreme Court strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the law that had confined legalized sports betting to a few states, most notably Nevada. This leads to the spread of legalized sports betting in the U.S. and partnerships between professional sports leagues and sportsbook operators.
April 11, 2019 - The Ontario government releases its annual budget. The document says the province "intends to establish a competitive market for online legal gambling that will reflect consumer choice while protecting consumers who play on these websites." In other words, a Canadian province is interested in injecting some private-sector competition into its regulated iGaming sector.
Sept. 23, 2020 - Bill C-218, the proposed Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, is reinstated in the federal House of Commons from a previous session. Conservative MP Kevin Waugh’s private member’s legislation proposes to decriminalize single-game sports betting in Canada, which has forbidden that type of wagering for decades. It’s not the first time such a measure has been proposed in Parliament, but this time, the opposition from professional sports leagues post-PASPA isn’t there.
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Ontario enters the chat
Sept. 30, 2020 - The AGLC’s online gambling platform, Play Alberta, launches. It initially offers only casino games but is the only provincially regulated site in Alberta.
June 22, 2021 - C-218 passes third reading in the Senate. It receives Royal Assent a week later, and Justice Minister David Lametti eventually announces its provisions will take effect Aug. 27. Canada's provinces are now free to "conduct and manage" sports betting that includes single-game wagering.
Just moments ago, #C218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act passed third reading in the Senate. Now, the only step left is for it to receive Royal Assent from the Administrator of Canada.
— Kevin Waugh (@KevinWaugh_CPC) June 22, 2021
The prohibition on single-event sports betting in Canada is just about over! pic.twitter.com/2Xf9zDsG02
July 6, 2021 - The Ontario government announces a new subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, called iGaming Ontario (iGO). The agency will “conduct and manage the new online gaming offerings in the province," a press release says. The province claims the move will help address rampant online gambling happening beyond its reach.
"Ontarians spend close to $1 billion a year on online gambling with an estimated 70 per cent taking place on unregulated, grey market websites, with limited, if any, consumer protection and responsible gaming measures," the release adds. "Many players who access these sites are not even aware they are not regulated. That is why the government is creating a competitive market for regulated online gaming in Ontario, which will provide consumers with more choice in iGaming products while ensuring a safe online environment that minimizes the risks for players."
Sept. 1, 2021 - In the wake of C-218 coming into effect, Play Alberta adds sports betting to its platform.
Dec. 10, 2021 - The AGLC announces it is looking for two private-sector vendors "that wish to enter the province’s sports betting market."
AGLC officials explain this could include additional options for provincewide online sports betting. While there’s interest in the proposal, no winning vendors are ever announced.
AGLC is soliciting proposals for retail sports betting. The successful proponents will work with AGLC to establish the provincial betting market through new and existing channels. https://t.co/U50MKW0Cjr pic.twitter.com/mOQRwpoQJ0
— AGLC (@AGLC) December 10, 2021
April 4, 2022 - Ontario’s competitive iGaming market goes live. About a dozen operators of online sports betting and internet casino gambling sites are poised to participate. As of July 13, 2026, Ontario has more than 40 authorized operators and 80 online gambling sites. But the launch in April 2022 is a huge shift for online gambling in Canada, as most other provinces maintain legal iGaming monopolies via government-owned lottery and gaming corporations.
Tried, tested, and true
Nov. 29, 2022 - The Quebec-based Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke says it will challenge the legality of Ontario’s iGaming scheme in court. This has the potential to undo Ontario's online gambling market.
July 23, 2023 - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issues a mandate letter to Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally that calls on the latter to "finish developing and implementing Alberta's online gaming strategy with a focus on responsible gaming and provincial and Indigenous revenue generation."
Aug. 10, 2023 - The AGLC announces a "new and improved sportsbook" on Play Alberta.
Feb. 29, 2024 - The Alberta government releases a budget that, among many other things, pledges $1 million to "support a review of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act and supporting Regulation, with the objectives of reducing the regulatory burden on business and finding ways to increase contributions to Alberta charities and community facilities."
May 14, 2024 - An Ontario Superior Court judge dismisses the Mohawk-led legal challenge of Ontario's iGaming market. The MCK does not appeal. Ontario's iGaming market survives a legal challenge, which means other provinces could follow the province's example with some confidence that the online gambling scheme complies with Canadian law. Later, Nally says that "a lot of what (Ontario) did was a roadmap for us."
Some fairly big news here for online sports betting and iGaming in Ontario, as it looks like a Superior Court judge has dismissed a legal challenge of the province's online gambling model: pic.twitter.com/tJzsuOCbAT
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) May 13, 2024
May 16, 2024 - Alberta’s Bill 16, the Red Tape Statutes Amendment Act, receives Royal Assent. The legislation clarifies that both the provincial government and the AGLC are allowed to “conduct and manage” gambling in the province. This tees Alberta up to pursue an Ontario-like iGaming market.
Ontario inspo
June 2024 - Nally confirms Alberta is moving toward an "open and free" market for online gambling, similar to that of Ontario. He tells Covers that the province wants to "move sooner as opposed to later."
Oct. 2024 - As speculation swirls about when Alberta could open its regulated iGaming market, the provincial government, after getting an earful from the industry and others, slams on the brakes.
"Industry stakeholders have told us that we need to continue our conversations so they can provide more input on the model," Nally’s spokesperson says.
While in Las Vegas for the G2E conference, Nally tells Covers that the government wants to have "enabling legislation" in place before it signs any contracts with new iGaming operators. That legislation is supposed to come in the spring, following further consultations.
March 26, 2025 - Bill 48, the proposed iGaming Alberta Act, is introduced by Nally in the province's legislature. The legislation would create the "Alberta iGaming Corporation," a government agency that will "develop, undertake, organize, conduct and manage online lottery schemes on behalf of the Government of Alberta." This, again, is similar to what was done in Ontario, which created iGO.
May 7, 2025 - Bill 48 is passed by the provincial legislature. It receives Royal Assent on May 15.
Alberta iGaming: Endgame
Jan. 13, 2026 - The AGLC opens registration for would-be Alberta sports betting and iCasino operators. Registration is one of two key steps for prospective participants. The other is signing a contract with the new Alberta iGaming Corp. (AiGC). Moreover, the first draft of rules for Alberta’s coming iGaming market are released as well.
Partial list of already registered Alberta iGaming operators as of May 8 (means they are in line to launch in the province's regulated iGaming market on July 13):
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) May 11, 2026
BET99
Caesars
Bally's
BetMGM
Betway
DraftKings
Sports Interaction
FanDuel
PointsBet
BetRivers
theScore pic.twitter.com/xN7BbL6mvi
Feb. 3, 2026 - PointsBet announces it has begun preregistration in Alberta, meaning it is signing up customers in the province who won't be able to bet until the iGaming market launches. PointsBet is the first, but it won’t be the last, to begin preregistration.
March 17, 2026 - The AGLC announces that election betting will not be allowed in the province's regulated iGaming market. This is different from the Ontario model, wherein election wagering is allowed.
March 30, 2026 - Nally confirms in a letter that the province's competitive iGaming market will open July 13.
May 7, 2026 - Bill 31, the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act of 2026, is passed in the provincial legislature. Among other things, the omnibus bill allows the AGLC to sell and disclose personal information if the provincial government approves that sale and disclosure. The reason for this is in case of a sale of Play Alberta, which is apparently a possibility.
July 10, 2026 - Around 50 apps and sites are licensed and poised to launch in Alberta's regulated iGaming market.
July 13, 2026 - Alberta’s competitive market for online sports betting and iCasino goes live at midnight. The AiGC approves 22 sites to go live on Day 1. Alberta is now the second province in Canada to launch this type of regulatory framework.
"From the very beginning, our focus has been clear: protect Albertans, especially young people, and ensure that those who choose to gamble online can do so in a responsible environment," Nally says at a press conference.
