An Alberta-based casino operator is throwing its hat into the ring as the province opens its regulated online gambling market. Pure Canadian Gaming, which operates seven casinos across Alberta, has applied for its own online gambling license, according to the Edmonton Journal.
The company has operated in the province for more than 25 years.
Key Takeaways
- The company presents itself as a homegrown rival, keeping gambling revenue, jobs, and investment within Canada.
- More than 50 platforms have applied, while Alberta expects roughly $76 million in first-year provincial revenue.
In a news release issued Friday, the company positioned itself as a homegrown Alberta online casino alternative to the wave of large multinational operators entering Alberta's new market, several of which have leaned heavily on advertising tied to celebrity endorsements. Pure Canadian Gaming argued that its entry would keep gambling revenue inside Canada rather than sending it overseas, while continuing to support jobs and investment within the province.
“We can’t outspend the multinationals on Super Bowl ads. But we can beat them on trust, and our commitment to Alberta,” president and CEO Brad Belhouse said in the release. “We were here before they arrived, and we’ll be here long after the market settles.”
More than 50 gaming platforms have applied to take part in Alberta's iGaming market, a list that includes major international names such as BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and bet365. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally projected that the market will generate around $76 million in tax revenue for the province during its first year of operation.
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Alberta works to shut out grey market betting
Nally has been clear that the $76-million figure is secondary to the province's main goal, which he has described as protecting Albertans who gamble online and steering them away from unregulated grey market sites. Alberta's regulated iGaming system officially went live on Monday, making it the second province in Canada to allow private online gambling operators, following Ontario's market opening in 2022.
Nearly 50 companies paid a combined $200,000 in registration and permit fees ahead of launch, though Nally said he expected closer to 20 to be ready for customers right away. The province’s gambling regulator, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), confirmed the systems were fully operational as of midnight on the launch day.
The framework stems from legislation passed last year under Premier Danielle Smith's government. Alberta's self-exclusion program, previously available only for physical casinos, now applies to online operators as well, and companies are required to let customers set their own limits on time and money spent.
Under the new system, the province is set to collect 20% of each operator's revenue, with 1% of gross gambling revenue directed toward problem gambling programs and 2% earmarked for First Nations. According to market estimations from H2 Gambling Capital, Alberta’s online gambling market is expected to generate $850 million in gross gaming revenue for the first year and $1.57 billion the following year.
