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Alberta has banned active or retired athletes from featuring in gambling-related promotions as it tightens advertising rules for iGaming suppliers in the province ahead of its ongoing transition to a regulated iGaming market. The new Alberta online casino and sports betting markets are set to launch on July 13.
The provision is detailed in a recently published update by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission. It limits the use of athletes in gambling advertising to responsible gambling advocacy, among other advertising regulations aimed at protecting minors and high-risk individuals.
The policy comes in time for Alberta’s shift to a regulated iGaming market, a move that will allow private entities to offer legal iGaming services to residents.
Alberta Models Advertising Policies After Ontario
Alberta’s current advertising regulations closely mirror Ontario’s response to the advertising situation shortly after legalizing Ontario online casinos and sports betting in 2022.
Ontario was initially lax with its advertising policies, inviting sharp backlash. The province updated its registrar’s standards to limit the use of athletes and celebrities in gambling ads to responsible gambling campaigns only, which eventually inspired Alberta’s current regulations.
Similarly, Alberta’s current iGaming advertising regulations ban upselling gambling inducements, bonuses, or other credits to players, unless on a provider’s site or when they explicitly opt in, a provision that was also first implemented by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
Alberta May Relax Advertising Rules – Minister Nally
Recent statements from Alberta’s Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, have hinted that the advertising rules in the AGLC regulations are being reviewed and may be relaxed to allow celebrities and athletes to feature in gambling ads.
The recently released Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming (SRIG) by the AGLC suspiciously left the “Advertising and Promotions” section empty, signalling the potential for significant deviations from the provisions in the regulations.
The AGLC Cabinet may debate the revised regulations sometime in the fall, and the minister will likely try to influence the procedure to support less strict advertising regulations for Alberta’s iGaming suppliers. Following the regulations update, the AGLC will release an updated version of the SRIG to govern the activities of licensed iGaming operators in the province.
As it stands, iGaming operators accepting pre-registration in Alberta cannot feature athletes in their marketing efforts, in adherence to the current AGLC regulations. The ban will remain in effect through the province’s official iGaming launch and until the Cabinet votes to approve revised regulations in the fall.
