Alberta opens gambling market to dozens of operators starting mid-July
BetMGM, FanDuel, PointsBet among 35 companies licensed to operate as province seeks revenue.
Alberta's gaming landscape shifts dramatically on July 13 when the province launches a regulated online gambling market after years of watching Albertans use unregulated offshore platforms.
Thirty-five companies have applied to operate in the province, including major names like BetMGM, FanDuel, PointsBet, and Score Media and Gaming. The Alberta iGaming Corporation and Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis are currently vetting applicants. "They have to go through an exhaustive onboarding program with us, but that's part of making sure that we get it right, right from the onset," said Dan Keene, CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation.
The split is straightforward: 80 per cent of gambling revenue goes to operators, 20 per cent to the province. Indigenous communities receive 2 per cent, with 1 per cent allocated to social responsibility programs.
Alberta is following Ontario's 2022 launch, which generated $2.9 billion in gaming revenue in 2024-25—a 30 per cent jump from the previous year. But there's a cautionary note: research from the Alberta Gambling Research Institute found Ontario's problem gambling rates increased significantly after its market opened, particularly among youth. Ontario youth now spend nearly three days per month gambling and have the highest problem gambling scores in Canada.
Alberta's self-exclusion program, which allows problem gamblers to block access to registered sports books and gaming apps, may help mitigate those risks. The province also differs from Ontario in its sports fan base—Western Canada has more CFL interest—which could shape the types of gambling options available here.