Alberta opens online gambling market despite warnings from addiction experts

Alberta has opened its online gambling market, making sports betting and casino games legal through dozens of private commercial operators. The move follows Ontario's 2022 market launch, but addiction experts warn the province isn't doing enough to prevent harm.

Operators like FanDuel and DraftKings are already running prominent advertising campaigns across the province. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally has emphasized responsible gaming guidelines, noting that operators cannot use celebrities to promote gambling itself—only responsible gaming. The province introduced universal self-exclusion from launch, allowing people to bar themselves from online and in-person gambling for up to three years. "We want to put player safety and player responsibility first," Nally said. "For all of those individuals that are struggling, treatment will be free of charge and it will be paid for by the operators."

However, registered psychologist Joel Mader in Calgary, who works with clients experiencing gambling addictions, said more oversight is needed. The problem affects people across all demographics, he noted. "This is a problem that affects women as well. I have worked with grandmothers, grandfathers, parents, and emerging adults. Their reasons for gambling may vary, but the cycle tends to be the same." That cycle often involves escalating losses, isolation, desperation for a winning bet, debt, lies to family, and in severe cases, insolvency, marital breakdown, or suicide.

Mader criticized the reliance on operators to police themselves. "There's a lot of cases where I've worked with, where someone's self-excluded themselves from a casino only to go back the next day and be able to bet and not be identified," he said. "There's not a lot of gambling-specific treatment services available."

Gaming companies have stated their commitment to responsible use, citing deposit limits, wager limits, time limits, and timeout features within their apps. But without stronger enforcement and more treatment resources, experts worry vulnerable Albertans will bear the cost of Alberta's market liberalization.