Statements by various members of the Albertan parliament have cemented the notion that Alberta will soon follow in Ontario’s footsteps and license offshore casinos. While these individuals have given no specific timelines, there have been several indicators that point to the process being further along than initially thought.

Join us as we examine what has been happening in Alberta related to licensed online gambling and decide whether regulation could be introduced in 2025 or if you think it will take a little longer.

 The Bill 16 Market Bulldozer

While the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) Commission has historically been the only entity to oversee gambling services in the province, this is no longer the case.

The Alberta legislature signed off on Bill 16, the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, in May 2024. This act amended the region’s Gambling Act and adjusted the AGLC's authority, opening the way for government-approved online casino partnerships.

Nicky Gocuan, press secretary to Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally, confirmed that under Bill 16, the government, not the AGLC, has the authority to review and expand gambling operations in Alberta.

 Gocuan further noted that they are in the process of meeting with “all 47 First Nations and with the six First Nation casino operators” to discuss how bringing licensed online casinos to the province could work.

 Ontario Set the Groundwork

Speaking at the Canadian Gaming Summit in June 2024, Dale Nally addressed the future of licensed online gambling in Alberta, saying:

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“Let me tell you a little bit about what our gaming site is going to look like. It’s going to be very similar to Ontario because we’re following their model. As far as I’m concerned, they build the roadmap. We’ll massage it a little bit, but it’s been inspired by the experience in Ontario. It’s going to be an open and free market.”

The "massaging" would most likely refer to working with the First Nations to ensure they are adequately included and rewarded by licensing online casinos and betting sites and properly integrating Albertan processing and responsible gambling programs.

Beyond that, the province has a framework for a robust, efficient, and highly successful Canadian-first-regulated gambling sector. With all of the modelling, financial considerations, licensing requirements and a proven case study being handed to them, it could take months rather than years to implement in Alberta.

Entrenching Play Alberta

Another indicator that Alberta plans to open its borders to licensed offshore gambling companies in the near future has been the launch of Play Alberta and the recent drive to establish it in the minds of Canadian gamblers as a trusted resource.

In most established online gambling jurisdictions, establishing the trust and authority of the state-sponsored gaming provider has been a precursor to opening its borders. While licensing and gross gaming revenue (GGR) taxes are a fantastic source of income, nothing beats holding the complete take rather than a percentage of it.

 Could Alberta 2025 Be a Reality?

According to Bruce Caughill, the Managing Director of Rush Street Interactive, parties within the Alberta government are pushing for casino licensing to become a reality as soon as possible. However, he realises the government has every advantage to make this happen, he did acknowledge that there is still a long way to go.

But with the success of Ontario as its guiding light, the province’s low corporate taxes and high disposable income, it is prime and ready to become a leading regulated gambling market – a powerful incentive to pull out all the stops in pursuit of regulation.