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The pathway to visibility in a regulated online gambling market can take operators in different strategic directions, but few offer the same scale and influence as partnerships with a region’s professional sports franchises.
That was the case across the United States and Ontario, and it will certainly be no different in Alberta.
In all likelihood, the battle to secure partnerships with Alberta’s handful of pro teams is already underway. From the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames to the National Lacross League’s (NLL) Calgary Roughnecks, deals will soon be made.
So, instead of wondering if operators will seek partnerships with Alberta’s pro squads, the real focus shifts to who they will partner with, when, where, and how.
Alberta’s Sponsorship Race Picks Up Where Ontario’s Left Off
When Ontario launched its regulated iGaming market in April 2022, it quickly became a case study for many topics, including the race for professional sports sponsorships.
One operator after another moved nimbly to expand their marketing footprints by striking deals with the most recognizable brands in the province’s sporting ecosystem.
A premium was placed on Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment properties, namely the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, and Toronto Argonauts, as well as the Toronto Blue Jays.
Rather quickly, a pattern emerged:
- Certain operators placed a premium on brand visibility.
- Partnerships with professional teams presented a jackpot-like path to visibility, one that was simply not attainable for most brands.
- Once secured, sponsorships became a core acquisition tool for bigger brands.
- After the “bonus frenzy” cooled down, a permanent media presence through sports stood out.
In Alberta, that blueprint likely begins with its two most prominent franchises.
Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers are Alberta’s Crown Jewels
Without a shadow of a doubt, the NHL is the most popular league in Alberta. At the centre of that unwavering fandom are the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
Valued at an estimated $4.4 billion and $2.5 billion Canadian Dollars, respectively, the Oilers and Flames represent the most significant sponsorship opportunities for Alberta online sportsbooks.
Both teams donned the PlayAlberta logo on their home uniforms during the 2025-26 NHL season, but if history is any indicator of what’s to come, then the province’s government-operated online gambling site will almost certainly be replaced by another operator for the 2026-27 campaign.
As the two anchor franchises in Alberta’s pro sports environment, the Oilers and Flames carry a distinct competitive angle for operators to lean into: the “Battle of Alberta.”
Alone, each team presents tremendous value for betting brands, but activating both sides of the rivalry could be a significant catalyst for season-long engagement.
That aspect, however, will become clearer after puck drop.
CFL’s Stampeders, Elks Also Present Significant Sponsorship Opportunities
The Canadian Football League (CFL) represents another key partnership avenue for online operators.
Alberta houses two of the league’s nine franchises in the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks.
The Stampeders are owned by Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), who also oversee the Flames, Wranglers (AHL), and Roughnecks (NLL). Each team under the CSEC umbrella has maintained long-standing partnerships with PlayAlberta.
The Elks, while independently owned, also hold a PlayAlberta partnership. In fact, the team plays on Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
Like the Oilers and Flames, the Stampeders and Elks are also facing a probable change in betting partners once the Alberta online casino market opens July 13.
For reference, Ontario’s three CFL squads – the Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa Redblacks, and Hamilton Tiger Cats – each have partnerships with third-party operators. The Argos are with Betty, while the Redblacks and Tiger Cats are aligned with ToonieBet.
Lessons from Ontario: Expect Noticeable Changes Early
Several lessons from Ontario have already been alluded to, but few are more striking than the speed at which change occurs in the sponsorship arms race.
Both operators and franchises wasted little time coming to terms after the Ontario market opened:
- April 7, 2022 (three days after launch): The Toronto Blue Jays and theScore Bet announced a 10-year partnership.
- April 8, 2022: MLSE joined forces with FanDuel and PokerStars.
- March 24, 2022: Ottawa Redblacks sign multi-year agreement with PointsBet (now with ToonieBet).
- June 16, 2022: The Hamilton Tiger Cats welcomed BetRegal as its official sportsbook and betting partner (BetRegal never obtained iGaming Ontario license and the partnership quietly dissolved).
Other teams like the NLL’s Toronto Rock (Jackpot City, 2024) and Ottawa Blackbears (PowerPlay, 2024), the NHL’s Ottawa Senators (ToonieBet, 2025), Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Toronto FC (Betty, 2026), and the Argonauts (Betty, 2026) secured partnerships later on.
This rapid effect will be especially visible to sports fans and bettors in Alberta, and in more ways than one.
Operators Not Only Interested in Partnerships with Teams
Oilers fans already know better than any that the sponsorship game doesn’t end with professional teams.
As they’ve witnessed with their captain Connor McDavid, a BetMGM ambassador of four-plus years, athletes are also highly sought-after commodities in the partnership game. While Alberta’s strict advertising policies will limit an athlete’s promotional materials, they will still be able to rep different iGaming operators.
Just ask Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., who joined Betway as the brand’s Responsible Gambling Ambassador, the company announced in a June 10 Instagram post.
But Guerrero, Jr. and McDavid will only be small parts of a whole, as sports media networks, stadiums, and teams also emerge as key battlegrounds for visibility.
With 47 approved operators already lining up to enter, the push for sponsorships is one of several storylines worth monitoring in what’s shaping up to be an ultra competitive Alberta iGaming market.
