BetRivers recently opened a pre-registration page for Alberta players, allowing customers to sign up ahead of the province's expected move to a regulated iGaming market.
The early-access launch positions the Rush Street Interactive-operated brand to enter Alberta once licensing is available, while also extending BetRivers' broader push to expand its Canadian footprint.
Key Takeaways
- BetRivers launched an Alberta pre-registration page ahead of the province's planned iGaming rollout.
- The launch coincides with BetRivers' sponsorship of CBC/Radio-Canada's Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic coverage.
- BetRivers serves as the sole sports betting and online gaming partner for CBC/Radio-Canada.
Coinciding with its pre-registration launch, BetRivers is also partnering with CBC/Radio-Canada for the Olympic Winter Games currently underway in Italy, becoming the sponsor of CBC's Olympic Games coverage. This is the third Olympic Games partnership between BetRivers and CBC.
Under the deal, BetRivers serves as the sole sports betting and online gaming partner, hosting CBC’s "The Game" in which Canadians can test their Olympic knowledge in a free-to-play trivia game. Players can also win prizes sponsored by BetRivers. The ongoing partnership with CBC forms part of BetRivers' broader marketing strategy tied to major national events.
"Canada continues to be a priority growth market for BetRivers, and Alberta represents an exciting next step," said Richard Schwartz, CEO at Rush Street Interactive. "With an office and large employee base in Toronto and a growing presence across the country, we've been building and investing in Canada for years.
"We've seen strong momentum in Ontario since launching in 2022, and through our continued partnership with CBC and our Olympic activations, we're showing that we're all-in on Canada for the long term."
BetRivers' entry into Alberta also follows a similar move by sportsbook operator PointsBet earlier in the month, which can be seen as the catalyst prompting other operators to also announce their own pre-registrations in the province.
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Alberta regulatory framework sets market conditions
BetRivers' Alberta pre-registration launch follows confirmation of the province's regulatory framework for a competitive iGaming market. Provincial officials finalized the model last month, following discussions that began in 2024 on opening online gambling to private operators.
The government cited the size of Alberta's unregulated online gambling activity as a key driver behind the policy shift. Officials estimate that unregulated platforms account for roughly 70% of online gambling in the province.
Currently, PlayAlberta, operated by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), is the only legal iGaming option in the province.
Legislation passed last year established the Alberta iGaming Corporation to manage commercial operations, while the AGLC will act as the market regulator. Operators and suppliers will be required to complete a three-stage registration process with the AGLC and then enter an operating agreement with the new corporation.
The model is based on Ontario's market, which opened to commercial operators in 2022 and now boasts over 45 licensed brands. Alberta will retain 20% of iGaming revenue, which will be used to support First Nations and social responsibility initiatives such as gambling research and treatment programs.
Further Alberta sports betting measures include a centralized system of self-exclusion and advertising restrictions, which include prohibiting advertising to minors and at-risk individuals, as well as prohibiting the use of current and former athletes in gambling advertising.
