Vancouver-based geolocation and data compliance company GeoComply has released data from the first week of Alberta's regulated online casino market, reporting that its operator partners processed over 3.2 million geolocation checks following its launch on July 13.
Key Takeaways
- More than 3.2 million geolocation checks were recorded by GeoComply in Alberta’s first week of regulated iGaming.
- GeoComply reported that 53,000 checks were recorded during the FIFA World Cup final on July 19.
- The majority of checks were recorded in Edmonton and Calgary.
Within the first 72 hours of the launch, the majority of the activity recorded came from both the Edmonton and Calgary regions. GeoComply added that the busiest period was around the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on July 19, for which over 53,000 geolocation checks were recorded.
GeoComply also reported that the operators it worked with achieved a 99.5% pass rate during the opening week of activity, including peak periods during the World Cup. In total, over 100,000 Albertans registered through online gambling platforms in the first week.
GeoComply said that the launch also marked the first live deployment of its browser-based Adaptive Verification system, which it says uses a risk-based approach to geolocation verification by applying additional location checks when higher-risk activity is detected.
“As a Canadian company, this one’s close to home,” said Anna Sainsbury, Chair and Co-founder, GeoComply. “Albertans were eager to expand their choices of safe, regulated ways to play, and the final matches of the World Cup gave us an immediate look at the market in action. More than 100,000 Albertans across the province signed up through GeoComply-enabled platforms and engaged with licensed operators right out of the gate. We’re proud that our Canadian team gets to help operators do it right in Alberta.”
GeoComply cautioned, however, that the figures represented an early snapshot based on activity from operator partners and did not necessarily represent the Alberta market as a whole.
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Alberta market launches with 22 gambling operators
Alberta’s regulated launch on July 13 made it the second Canadian province, after Ontario, to create a regulated, competitive online gambling market.
A total of 22 operators went live on launch day after registering with the province regulator, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and entering commercial agreements with the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), which oversees the market on behalf of the provincial government.
Estimates from the provincial government indicated that around 70% of previous online gambling occurred through unregulated operators, and the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, said the new framework was designed to move players away from unregulated offshore sites.
The framework includes a 20% tax on gross gaming revenue. The government projected that the tax would generate around CA$76 million in the first year, with 2% of that revenue allocated to First Nations and 1% to safer gambling initiatives.
In total, 50 betting operators have registered with AGLC, though only 22 were approved for launch on the first day. The full list includes several well-known U.S. brands, such as FanDuel, Caesars, and BetRivers, as well as suppliers and support companies.
