Share 
Alberta has made it clear that online gambling operators entering the province’s regulated market will not have the same latitude that led Ontario to redefine its advertising policy.
This was communicated in a recent update from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, which specified that, like Ontario, athletes are not to be featured in any gambling advertising unless in advocacy for responsible gambling practices.
The provision also bans upselling gambling inducements, bonuses, or other credits to players in settings beyond a provider’s site or when they explicitly opt in.
While these regulations will limit the content of gambling advertising in Alberta, they will not curtail its overall visibility.
In preparation for what’s to come, think of it not as an impending onslaught, but as an extension of what’s already been happening in the province.
Same Deal, New Faces
When the Alberta online casino and sports betting market goes live on July 13, a slew of new, leading operators will be open for business. That means top operators will be advertising their products through various media.
Whether through commercials, social media banners, sponsorships, event activations, etc., more brands will become visible in Alberta.
This will result in a higher volume of gambling ads, and it may feel overwhelming at first. That was the case, at least, in Ontario, which currently houses 47 operators, according to iGaming Ontario.
It is important, however, to first contextualize what’s on the horizon against the current landscape. Why you might ask? Because gambling advertising was always there before Canada’s most populous province launched its market, and Alberta is no different.
PlayAlberta Has Its Fingerprints All Over Province’s Sports Scene
At this very moment, PlayAlberta – the province’s government-run and lone legal online wagering site – has sponsorships with almost all the major professional sports teams in the province. Among those being:
- The Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
- Calgary Flames (NHL)
- Edmonton Elks (CFL)
- Calgary Stampeders (CFL)
- Calgary Wranglers (Flames’ AHL affiliate)
- Calgary Roughnecks (National Lacrosse League)
Notably, the Oilers and Flames only don the PlayAlberta logo on their home threads. Both teams feature the PlayAlberta insignia on their right chest and the AGLC’s responsible gambling program, GameSense, on their helmets.
All remaining members of the group represent the PlayAlberta brand at home and on the road. Each franchise also features PlayAlberta signage throughout their respective home venues. The Elks offer the most prominent arrangement, however.
After striking a partnership with the crown corporation ahead of the 2025 Canadian Football League season, the team rebranded its home field at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, “Play Alberta Field.”
The operator’s logo is plainly visible directly under that of the Elks’ at midfield.
In other words, gambling ads are already prominently placed in Alberta – albeit in expected settings. It’s on who some are featured, though, that really stands out.
Athletes Will Still Don Operator Logos After Market Launch
It’s interesting that athletes cannot promote gambling in advertisements, but operators, through partnerships with professional teams, can use athletes to display their signage.
This remains the case in Ontario and will almost certainly continue in Alberta following the market opening. It is then that we will likely see other third-party operators, many of whom have already opened for pre-registration, replace PlayAlberta on jerseys, arena facades and in-game segments around the province.
Here, we have something of a regulatory paradox that underscores the minute differences in what defines the promotion of gambling content.
Using an earlier example, the presence of the GameSense logo on the Oilers and Flames helmets likely satisfies the responsible gambling criteria. What will be interesting is how teams, operators and the AGLC adapt as third-party operators pine for these lucrative partnerships.
Based on previous comments from Alberta’s Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, AGLC regulations around athletes and celebrities in gambling advertising may be revised come this fall.
Until then, Albertans can expect more of the same, just with different but still very visible logos.
How Much Will Ontario’s Pro Teams Influence Alberta’s?
Whether it’s the Toronto Blue Jays (theScore Bet), Raptors and Maple Leafs (Betty) or Ottawa Senators (ToonieBet), pro teams in Ontario enjoy their operator partnerships.
As current partners of PlayAlberta, no pro franchise in the province has given any indication of a switch. That said, it would not be surprising for some – if not all – to eventually follow the lead of their Ontario counterparts and pivot toward newly licensed third-party operators.
That, like many developments in Alberta’s soon-to-launch market, will only take shape with time.
For now, though, one certainty is that new operators are coming and they’ll be bringing their ads with them.
