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The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) has updated its Casino Terms & Conditions and Operating Guidelines (CTCOG) ahead of Alberta’s regulated iGaming market launch on July 13.
The amendments establish new rules governing how casino facility licensees can interact with registered iGaming operators. While several changes limit the use of promotions and loyalty programs alongside online gambling offers, others create opportunities for casinos and operators to work together on tournament qualification and prize pools.
Alberta Casinos Cannot Promote iGaming Inducements
Casinos are now prohibited from advertising inducements or offering them on behalf of iGaming operators. Licensed operators will still be able to market their own products, but casinos themselves cannot be used as a channel for those inducements.
AGLC added a new definition to the CTCOG that describes inducements as promotional offers or incentives.
The regulator also expanded its advertising rules, clarifying that advertising includes marketing and promotional activities conducted through channels such as email, social media, television, radio, websites, and signage.
AGLC Clarifies What Qualifies as a Promotion
Under the revised language, contests, draws, giveaways, and prizes designed to attract or retain players continue to qualify as promotions.
AGLC also specified that elements of gameplay contained within a game’s official rules are not considered promotional activity unless they are combined with an inducement or another offer.
The amendment creates a distinction between features that are part of a game’s normal operation and activities intended to attract or retain players.
Winner’s Edge Must Remain Separate
AGLC also restricted how its Winner’s Edge loyalty program can be used.
Under the revised rules, casinos cannot offer Winner’s Edge in conjunction with sportsbook operations, sportsbook promotions, iGaming offers, or iGaming promotions provided by a registered operator.
The amendment effectively prevents casinos from combining Alberta’s existing loyalty program with sportsbook and online casino marketing campaigns.
Table Game Tournament Partnerships Get The Green Light
While the promotional changes create additional separation between casinos and iGaming operators, the tournament amendments move in the opposite direction.
Under the revised rules, casinos may now work with registered iGaming operators to qualify players for table game tournament participation and supplement tournament prize pools.
The exception applies to operators acting on behalf of, or under contract with, Alberta’s regulated gaming framework.
In practical terms, that could allow registered operators to run online qualification events that award entries into casino-hosted table game tournaments.
The change represents one of the first explicit links between Alberta’s land-based casino sector and its upcoming regulated iGaming market.
Slot Tournaments Remain Subject To Different Rules
The same flexibility does not extend to slot tournaments.
Although AGLC amended its slot tournament provisions, casinos remain prohibited from using or affiliating with online gaming sites to qualify participants for slot tournaments or supplement slot tournament prize pools.
As a result, the new exception appears limited to table game tournaments rather than tournament activity more broadly.
Charity Revenue Remains Protected
AGLC also included safeguards designed to protect Alberta’s charitable gaming model.
Tournament promotions cannot negatively affect the normal revenue generated for licensed charities. Casinos remain responsible for honouring tournament prize pools and reimbursing any free entries, promotional entries, valid third-party entries, or supplemental prize money associated with an event.
The requirements ensure charitable revenue is protected when operators contribute promotional entries or supplemental prize money.
What the Changes Reveal About Alberta’s Approach
The amendments provide an early look at how Alberta online casinos and brick-and-mortar casinos are expected to work alongside one another. Rather than treating casinos and iGaming operators as entirely separate businesses, AGLC has identified specific areas where collaboration is permitted while tightening restrictions around promotions and player incentives.
The contrast is most visible in the tournament rules. Registered iGaming operators can now help qualify players for table game tournaments and supplement prize pools, creating direct connections between online platforms and land-based casino events.
At the same time, inducements and loyalty programs remain subject to stricter boundaries than tournament-related partnerships.
The result is a framework that allows cooperation in some areas without opening the door to broader promotional partnerships. Casinos can work with registered iGaming operators on certain table game tournament activities, but inducements and loyalty programs remain subject to tighter restrictions as Alberta prepares for launch.
