Share 
Alberta will soon open up its online gambling market to private operators, with the official launch date set for July 13, 2026.
Interestingly, the open-market model is inspired by Ontario’s incredibly successful online gambling market, currently valued at about $98 billion in annual wagers and $4 billion in gross gaming revenue.
Like Ontario, Alberta also shows great potential. So, how big could its online market be?
Current Size
Alberta’s regulated online gambling market is currently valued at $275 million in net gaming revenue. This is the amount generated solely through the government-run platform Play Alberta, the province’s only regulated online betting site.
However, the overall online gambling market – both the regulated and unregulated sectors – is much bigger. Notably, while Play Alberta is the only regulated gambling site, residents still have access to many offshore gambling platforms.
Indeed, the majority of Alberta residents prefer offshore sites, with the unregulated market accounting for 55% to 70% of all online gambling activity.
As such, the province could be losing between $330 million and $640 million annually. This means that the overall Alberta online gambling market could be worth between $600 million and $900 million.
Projections
Researchers and analysts project that the Alberta regulated online gambling market could be worth between $700 million and $1 billion within the first few years of operation.
While there may be a huge difference between the current and projected values, it is worth noting that the regulated market will recapture most of the activity and revenue currently lost to offshore gambling.
Many of the online platforms currently operating in the grey offshore market will shift to the regulated market once it goes live. The iGaming Alberta Act gives all offshore platforms an ultimatum to stop all unregulated activities and apply for licenses if they are interested in joining the market.
Notably, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) commission reports that 49 operators with a combined total of 56 online gambling sites have signaled interest in the regulated market. More operators and platforms are also expected to enter the market over time.
It is also worth noting that the new law imposes a 20% tax on operators’ gross gaming profits. As such, the province could get between $140 million and $200 million in tax revenues.
Core Drivers
Notably, it will take some time for Alberta to reach its projected size of $700 million to $1 billion. The biggest factors expected to drive this growth of Alberta’s online gambling market include the following:
A Significant Grey Market Share
Many of the international gambling sites currently operating in Alberta’s grey market will shift to the regulated market once it goes live. Moreover, the authorities will adopt other measures to limit access to offshore gambling sites.
To this end, the activity and revenues currently lost to the unregulated market will shift to the new regulated market.
A Young, Affluent Population
Alberta has the fourth-largest population in Canada. It also boasts the youngest adult population that would be more likely to engage in online gambling activities. Moreover, the per-capita GDP here is high, meaning that there is disposable income for entertainment activities like gambling.
Notably, Alberta also boasts a robust digital economy with high levels of mobile adoption, a prime environment for online gambling.
A Proven Model
Ontario’s online gambling market model is inspired by Ontario’s, which has outperformed initial revenue projections to become incredibly successful. Ontario’s legal framework creates a competitive environment for operators while also providing players with safeguards, enabling the market to grow sustainably.
Alberta hopes to replicate that, and it has been laying down the legal framework over the past year.
