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Alberta’s open iGaming market is projected to be robust, bringing with it a pressing need for an equally comprehensive responsible gambling strategy.
Ahead of the July 13 launch of Alberta online casinos and sportsbooks, the provincial government has focused on establishing a network of channels, complete with safeguards, resources and tools, that are both effective and accessible to Albertans.
For crown corporations, such as the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, growing Alberta’s responsible gambling framework organically is a natural progression of their existing regulatory role.
“AGLC is focused on creating choices that Albertans can trust,” AGLC Senior Communications Officer Lynden McBeth told Bonus.com in an email. “Providing socially responsible options for patrons in gaming venues both in-person and online ensures that Albertans will have the tools and resources to make healthy decisions while gambling.
“With robust online player protections, a new centralized Self-Exclusion Program and GameSense Advisors in every land-based casino and racing entertainment centre, AGLC aims to make gambling a fun, sustainable activity for Albertans.”
With the AGLC playing a key role in shaping and overseeing Alberta’s responsible gambling strategy, attention now turns to what the framework actually involves.
AGLC’s Revamped Self-Exclusion Program Already Seeing Engagement
In anticipation of the market opening, the AGLC prioritized improving its existing self-exclusion program.
“As the open iGaming market draws near in the province, one of the foundational pieces of it was having a seamless option for players that needed to take an additional step in getting control of their gambling,” said McBeth. “The new program will integrate with all Alberta casinos and racing entertainment centres and all registered iGaming operators, allowing players to self-exclude from land-based venues, online platforms or both.”
The agency announced the “modernized” program’s arrival in a bulletin this past February. The revamped self-exclusion tool is a centralized channel, available 24/7, that allows players to voluntarily opt out of all iGaming activities for varying periods.
As part of the update, the AGLC directed all casinos operating in Alberta to update their terms and conditions accordingly.
The new-and-improved resource has been active through its first month-plus.
“From February 26, when the platform launched, through April 1, more than 300 people enrolled through selfexclusion.ca, with 165 excluding from both land-based venues and online platforms,” added McBeth.
GameSense Program at the Centre of AGLC’s RG Strategy
One of the channels Albertans can access the updated self-exclusion program through is GameSense, the AGLC’s responsible gambling program.
The detailed platform provides players of all experience levels with tools and resources to make informed gambling decisions. GameSense also serves as a unified hub for multiple jurisdictions around North America, including Ontario.
As McBeth mentioned earlier, GameSense Advisors are present in all land-based casinos (roughly 30) and horse racing venues (six) in Alberta.
In addition to its support tools, the program also offers educational tutorials and games for players to test their “knowledge of responsible gambling habits.”
Early Emphasis on Gambling Ads Key for the Province
As the second Canadian province to open its iGaming market, Alberta has the luxury of observing what did and didn’t work in Ontario.
With that, the province has been able to implement measures against certain areas of concern pre-launch, particularly gambling advertisements.
From the AGLC’s perspective, having these content restrictions in place before operators arrived – rather than after – was a crucial early-stage move for the province’s responsible gambling strategy.
“It was important to set a standard for all potential provincial operators,” said McBeth. “Having the advertising policies readily available will help operators adhere to the rules and regulations in place at the time of launch, better supporting all Albertans.”
How Does AGLC Measure the Effectiveness of Its RG Framework?
As the longtime regulator of PlayAlberta – the province’s only legal online gambling option since its launch in 2020 – the AGLC has a strong understanding of how effective its responsible programs are.
But with the market now expanding to private operators, that very framework will be tested on a much larger scale.
When that time comes, however, the AGLC will have a strong data sample to measure its efficacy against.
“There are a number of metrics that AGLC uses to grade the effectiveness of its responsible gambling initiatives,” explained McBeth. “Our annual survey of Albertans gauges brand recognition for GameSense and the percentage of Albertans who feel they play responsibly. In 2024-25, 95 percent of Albertans said that when they gamble, they gambled responsibly.”
The analysis doesn’t end there, he continued.
“Additionally, GameSense and Self-Exclusion are regularly in market and take the analytics from those campaigns to better support AGLC’s responsible gambling programs.”
With the AGLC’s findings constantly funnelling back into its responsible gambling programs, it is reasonable to expect further improvements as trends emerge in the open market.
Responsible Gambling Council Also Has a Say
Alberta’s responsible gambling strategy isn’t just limited to provincially designed initiatives.
Nonprofit organizations like the Responsible Gambling Council have been prominent proponents of problem gambling prevention in Canada and beyond for 40-plus years. The highly regarded advocacy, education, and support group also offers educational tools and tips for players of all gambling backgrounds.
The RGC’s presence will be felt throughout Alberta, specifically through its responsible gambling accreditation check, which the Alberta iGaming Corporation deemed mandatory for all operators entering the province’s regulated market.
Ontario embedded the RGC’s accreditation check into its entry requirements before launching in April 2022.
Given its track record, the RGC – and its philosophy – will, too, be a steady influence in shaping Alberta’s responsible gambling strategy.
“We unite people and organizations to minimize gambling’s human impact, driving knowledge, dialogue, and action forward to prevent gambling harm and offer support,” its mission statement reads.
