Alberta legalizes online gambling Monday, joining Ontario in private operator market

Alberta will launch a regulated private online gambling market Monday, making it the second Canadian province to legalize commercial digital betting and casino games—following Ontario's move in 2022.

The shift is enabled by Alberta's new iGaming Act and is aimed at generating tax revenue and cutting into the unregulated "grey market," which the provincial government estimates accounts for roughly 70 percent of online gambling activity in the province currently.

Under the new system, Albertans will gain access to major gambling platforms and a province-wide self-exclusion tool that blocks users from all regulated sites. However, advertising will tighten, particularly around athlete endorsements: athletes can no longer promote specific bets or casino games, only responsible-gaming messaging.

Alberta will collect 20 percent of profits from private operators, with the province's First Nations guaranteed two percent of all revenue. The province expects significant financial impact—PlayAlberta, the public gaming site, generated $269 million in 2025, while Ontario's open market brought in $2.9 billion last year.

Expect a surge in gambling advertising as companies enter the market. Industry observers note the province has an opportunity to fund mental-health and addiction supports with the new revenue.