Alberta Regulated Gambling Market Given July 13 Launch Date

Alberta has set a date for its highly anticipated regulated gambling market, which is expected to launch on July 13, following confirmation in a letter from regulators to stakeholders.

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: April 2, 2026 10:53 AM EDT • 2 minute read

Pictured: The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal scored by forward Connor McDavid as we look at Alberta giving a firm date to launch its legal market. Photo by Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

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Alberta will launch its regulated online gambling market on July 13, enabling licensed sportsbooks and online casinos to begin operations in the province. The launch date was confirmed in a March 30 letter from Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, to industry stakeholders.

According to Canadian Gaming Business, the letter, co-signed by the Chair of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), Larry Spagnolo, and the interim Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), Dan Keene, set out the province’s preparations for the launch.

Alberta will become the second Canadian province to introduce a regulated commercial online gambling market, following Ontario’s launch in April 2022. In other provinces, government-run lottery platforms are still the only authorized online gambling providers. The legal options for Alberta sports betting and Alberta online casinos will grow considerably with the launch.

According to Nally and other officials, around 70% of online gambling in Alberta prior to the regulated market launch was through illegal sites instead of the best sports betting sites.

The AGLC will serve as Alberta’s gambling regulator and continue operating Play Alberta, the province’s existing online platform. Instead, the AiGC is expected to act as a separate conduct-and-manage agency, much like iGaming Ontario.

Alberta will take on an 80/20 revenue-sharing model. With operators set to pay a 20% tax on gross gaming revenue. From that, 2% will be allocated to First Nations funding and 1% to social responsibility initiatives.

To participate in the market, operators will have to sign with both the AGLC and the AiGC and integrate with a centralized self-exclusion system in time for the launch date. Companies currently offering unregulated services must cease those operations by July 13 or risk becoming ineligible for licensing, although AGLC may grant a three-month grace period in some cases.

The market framework was established by Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, in 2025. Registration for operators and suppliers opened in January 2026, and as of mid-March, more than 55 operator sites had expressed interest in entering the market.

Caesars opens pre-registration

One of the likely applicants for an Alberta license, Caesars Entertainment, has announced it has opened pre-registration for Alberta residents ahead of the launch date. Eligible individuals aged 21 and older can sign up to receive updates and prepare for access to the company’s online platforms once operations begin.

The company plans to introduce three platforms in Alberta: Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook and Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino. Pre-registration allows users to receive launch notifications and information about platform availability.

According to the company, its online offerings will include sports betting, slot games, table games, and live dealer options. Users can download the applications in advance, with Alberta becoming available as a selectable jurisdiction once the regulated market opens.

Other operators to express interest in entering the region include PointsBet Canada and BetRivers, which have both since opened their own pre-registration ahead of the regulatory market launch.

Written by:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.