Play Alberta Partners with NHL Stars to Promote Responsible Gambling
Play Alberta, the only licensed Alberta sports betting and Alberta online casino operator, has partnered with NHL stars Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers and Dustin Wolf of the Calgary Flames as official playing ambassadors.
The partnership marks the first time the platform has enlisted active athletes from Alberta's two major NHL franchises to support responsible gaming and community engagement initiatives.
Under the new agreement, Draisaitl and Wolf will participate in Play Alberta's responsible gambling campaigns, including initiatives tied to GameSense, a program designed to educate players on safe gaming habits. The athletes will appear in digital and live events promoting self-exclusion tools, time and spending limits, and awareness of gambling-related risks.
“The addition of two new elite athlete ambassadors will help connect Alberta sports fans to Alberta-based teams with some of the most exciting, show-stopping performers this province currently has in it. Leon and Dustin are competitive, world-class professionals who give Play Alberta deeper opportunities to remind legal-aged Albertans of the responsible gambling features and tentpole matchups on the sports calendar,” said Dan Keene, Vice President of Gaming at the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC).
The deal also includes fan engagement opportunities during the 2025–26 NHL season, with meet-and-greet events featuring both players. Play Alberta said the partnership enhances both its visibility and commitment to player protection. At the same time, Draisaitl, last season's winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy, described the initiative as an opportunity to connect with fans while promoting healthy gaming practices.
Study Shows Alberta Gamblers Continue to Favor Unregulated Sites
An Ipsos report commissioned by the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) and released in May shows that nearly 90% of Alberta's online gamblers continue to use unregulated betting websites despite Play Alberta being the province's only legal platform. Residents don't yet have access to the best sportsbooks in Canada.
The study, conducted between Feb. 24 and March 24, surveyed more than 2,600 players across Alberta and British Columbia who had gambled online within the past three months. Respondents were screened to ensure they had wagered real money on at least one valid gambling site or app.
Ipsos found that 77.3% of Alberta respondents exclusively used unregulated sites, while just 10.4% bet solely through Play Alberta. About 12.3% used both regulated and unregulated options. The resulting channelization rate was 22.7%.
Conversely, the study also found that British Columbia's PlayNow platform fared better, with 39.6% of the respondents betting on the duly authorized site and 23.9% only using it. This further suggests improved regulatory links and brand loyalty among B.C. bettors compared to Alberta.
The findings came as Alberta prepares to open its online gambling market to private operators in 2026, modeled after the Ontario sports betting and Ontario online casino regulated launch in 2022. Many unregulated sites are expected to seek licenses under the forthcoming framework, which will be overseen by the AGLC and a new Alberta iGaming Corporation.
