Play Alberta, the province's only regulated online casino and sportsbook, has signed two NHL players as official ambassadors. Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl have joined as partners.
Key Takeaways
- Play Alberta partnered with NHL stars Leon Draisaitl and Dustin Wolf to promote responsible gambling.
- The agreement will feature the players in educational materials and fan engagement events.
- The partnership builds on existing deals Play Alberta holds with the Oilers and Flames organizations.
This marks the first time the platform has enlisted active professional athletes from Alberta's two NHL franchises. The deal will focus on promoting responsible gambling and community engagement initiatives across the province.
Under the agreement, both athletes will help support responsible gaming programs, including Play Alberta's collaboration with GameSense. The players will appear in educational campaigns emphasizing social responsibility and self-exclusion options.
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) vice president of gaming Dan Keene said the initiative aims to strengthen connections between Alberta's sports culture and responsible gaming practices.
Play Alberta will also have special fan meet-and-greets with Wolf and Draisaitl during the 2025-26 NHL season. The platform, which surpassed 434,000 player accounts and recorded $275 million in net sales during the 2024-25 fiscal year, sees the agreement as a way to grow both the visibility of the brand and the awareness of player safety.
Play Alberta expands sports partnerships with CFL's Edmonton Elks
Play Alberta's engagement with professional sports continues to grow beyond hockey. In May, the operator revealed a multi-year deal with the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Elks, making Play Alberta the team's official sportsbook partner.
The partnership aims to increase fan engagement through interactive promotions, giveaway prizes, and fan activities. Under the agreement, Commonwealth Stadium was also renamed Play Alberta Field on all home days.
The alliance with the Elks is part of Play Alberta's responsible play plan, aligning with AGLC's GameSense education tools and Self-Exclusion initiatives.
Players can access their online accounts to set adjustable limits on deposits, losses, and betting activity, promoting safer play and greater transparency.
Alberta prepares for iGaming launch
Even as Play Alberta is the exclusive authorized provider of online gambling across the province, changes are imminent. Dale Nally, minister responsible for gaming policy and author of the iGaming Alberta Act, indicated at the Canadian Gaming Summit that Alberta's regulated iGaming market could open in early 2026.
Nally's update revises an earlier target of October 2025 but aligns with operator expectations. The framework will allow private gaming companies to apply for licenses under an Ontario-style model. The new Alberta iGaming Corporation will be the market's regulator and conduct-and-manage body.
Consultations with land-based casinos and First Nations communities are ongoing, with the province emphasizing collaboration on key issues such as tax rates, advertising standards, and responsible gaming protocols. A provincewide self-exclusion system covering both online and land-based gambling has already been written into legislation.
Nally said further market specifics, including tax policy, will be finalized later this year following cabinet discussions.
