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According to Dale Nally, the government minister overseeing the launch of Alberta’s regulated online gambling market, the province had little choice but to embrace the growth of iGaming.
For six years, Alberta’s government-run gaming platform, PlayAlberta, has generated more than CA$250 million in annual revenue.
Offshore sites already dominate Alberta’s online gambling
Despite PlayAlberta’s success, Alberta’s Ministry of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, led by Nally, found that the platform accounted for less than one-third of the money Albertans spent on online gambling. The remainder flowed to offshore operators.
Regulating both online casinos in Alberta and Alberta online sportsbooks allows the province to collect a 20% share of operator revenue while establishing consumer protections designed to reduce gambling-related harm, prevent underage gambling, and provide safeguards for disputes involving bets, game malfunctions, or payment issues.
“We are not bringing online gambling to Alberta,” Nally said. “It is already here. It is alive and well. And my message to people is that if you’re not gambling today, please don’t start. But if you are placing the occasional bet online and you do like to gamble, we want to put player safety and player responsibility first.”
Alberta urges players to choose regulated operators
The province cannot prevent offshore, unregulated operators from accepting players in Alberta.
Instead, Nally urged Albertans to choose regulated operators, which can be identified by the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AIGC) logo.
Licensed sites must also provide access to Alberta’s centralized self-exclusion program at selfexclusion.ca and display information about the province’s 211 helpline for people experiencing gambling-related problems. “We know that we can’t shut down the internet, but the best way to deal with the black market is to have a healthy, regulated market,” Nally said.
“And so our message is: Look for the AIGC logo. If you see that logo, you know that you’re playing with an operator that plays by the rules. That means if you win, you’re going to get paid. It means if you want to quit, you’re going to be allowed to quit without receiving further messages encouraging you to take bonuses.”
Minister points to Polymarket’s exit from Alberta
Although Alberta cannot force offshore operators to leave the province, Nally said he was encouraged that Polymarket voluntarily geoblocked users in Alberta last week. According to Nally, the provincial government was not involved in that decision.
While Alberta cannot force offshore operators to leave the province, the launch marks another significant step in the evolution of online gambling in Canada, as more provinces look to channel players toward regulated platforms.
For Albertans who continue using unregulated gambling sites, Nally offered a simple warning:
“Buyer beware.”
