22 Operators Live On Day One Of Legal Alberta Online Casinos

By Steven Sandor | Jul 13, 2026, 3:08pm

EDMONTON, Alberta – The regulated gaming industry featuring licensed sportsbooks and online casinos in Alberta is a go, though less than two dozen operators are live on launch day.

The market launched Monday with 22 iGaming operators including a mix of Alberta online casinos and sportsbooks, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally said at the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton.

Friday’s update from Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis showed 35 operators had received pre-approvals to operate. More than 50 gaming sites received pre-approval, as some operators have multiple sites in their portfolios.

Alberta is the second Canadian province, after Ontario, to launch a regulated iGaming marketplace.

Contents

Tax revenue potential for Alberta online casinos

The province will get a 20% take of all the revenue generated by the iGaming sites with 2% of that going to First Nations.

Nally was challenged on why the provincial government settled for that number. He said the government will receive about C$76 million in revenue this year, but it’s a lot better than zero, which is what happens when Albertans use offshore, unregulated sites. He said legitimizing the industry is the goal.

“Well, the challenge we have is these sites are already operating in the province and not paying any tax revenue,” said Nally. “All of the money is leaving for offshore destinations. So if you make the tax rate too high, they just won’t participate in this market. So we had to find that sweet spot. I’ll give you an example. New York State charges a 50% tax rate, and I believe they had five operators go live, and that’s a much more significant market than Alberta.

“We’re going live with 22 operators, so we know that we’re pretty close to getting the tax rate running because, at the end of the day, this is not about the revenue. This is about the channelization. How much of that black market can we channelize into the legal, regulated market? Because the more you get even responsibly, the more protected our markets will be.”

Consumer protection is top priority

All regulated operators must display the Alberta iGaming Corporation logo on their sites, advertising and social media. They must link to the province’s centralized self-exclusion program and make prominent mention of it on their sites.

The centralized program can be accessed at selfexclusion.ca. Also, they must display the province’s 211 help line information, for those who feel they may have gambling issues.

“Online gambling should be fun,” said Dan Keene, the CEO of Alberta iGaming Corporation, which will oversee the industry in the province. “It’s a form of entertainment, and not seen as an opportunity to make money.”

Steven Sandor

With more than 30 years of experience as a writer and editor, Steven has built a career covering sports and culture across multiple platforms. His 11th book, Leveling the Ice: Confronting Racism in Hockey, was published by Beacon Press in 2025. He has covered the NHL for decades and also worked within the Edmonton Oilers organization, bringing both journalistic and firsthand industry insight to his work. In addition, he has worked as a soccer commentator for Sportsnet, OneSoccer, TSN, and CBC. A lifelong sports fan, hockey has always been a major passion, but his connection to sports extends well beyond the rink. Baseball and soccer were central parts of his family life, and his father played high-level soccer in Hungary before escaping to Canada with his wife during the 1956 uprising. That deep family connection to sport continues to shape his perspective and storytelling today. Outside of hockey and soccer, he is an avid Formula 1 fan with a particular appreciation for the technical side of the sport, from aerodynamics and tire strategy to the finer details of race engineering.