Share 
If you’re searching for Play Alberta, here’s the quick answer: it’s still live at playalberta.ca, still run by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), and still legal. What changed on July 13, 2026 is that it’s no longer your only legal option. Around 50 privately licensed operators — bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, and dozens more — now compete alongside it under the same provincial oversight.
That’s a genuinely new situation for Alberta players, and the two options work differently enough that “which one do I use” isn’t a trivial question. Here’s what actually changed, and what didn’t.
Last updated: July 29, 2026 — reflects the regulatory framework as of Alberta’s July 13 market launch.
Long-established, trusted brand in Canada
Huge selection of slots, including Mega Moolah progressives
Loyalty rewards from Day 1
24/7 customer support via chat and email
Long-established, trusted brand in Canada
Huge selection of slots, including Mega Moolah progressives
Loyalty rewards from Day 1
24/7 customer support via chat and email
Wide Game Selection including slots, table games, and live dealer
Trusted payment methods
24/7 Support
Wide Game Selection including slots, table games, and live dealer
Trusted payment methods
24/7 Support
No wagering ever
No min or max cashout
Money back on every bet win or lose (OJOplus)
Dynamic widget showing what you are earning while you play
No wagering ever
No min or max cashout
Money back on every bet win or lose (OJOplus)
Dynamic widget showing what you are earning while you play
- Quick and easy registration
- All payments options including Apple Pay & Interac
- VIP program with up to 20% cashback
- Quick and easy registration
- All payments options including Apple Pay & Interac
- VIP program with up to 20% cashback
Get a 150% Bonus up to $1,500
PLUS Get 100 Free Spins on Deposit
Choose from 5,000+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now
Get a 150% Bonus up to $1,500
PLUS Get 100 Free Spins on Deposit
Choose from 5,000+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now
Get up to $5,000 in Matched Deposits
PLUS 400 Free Spins
13,000+ Casino Games to Choose From
To Claim: Click Play Now
Get up to $5,000 in Matched Deposits
PLUS 400 Free Spins
13,000+ Casino Games to Choose From
To Claim: Click Play Now
PLUS 100% Deposit Match on First 3 Deposits up to $1,500
Play Your Favourite Slots at PokerStars Casino
Safe & Secure Gaming, 24/7 Customer Support
To Claim: Click Play Now
PLUS 100% Deposit Match on First 3 Deposits up to $1,500
Play Your Favourite Slots at PokerStars Casino
Safe & Secure Gaming, 24/7 Customer Support
To Claim: Click Play Now
PLUS 200 Free Spins on Deposit
Live Games
VIP Program
PLUS 200 Free Spins on Deposit
Live Games
VIP Program
Selection of the worlds favourite games
Round the clock VIP treatment for each customer
SlotsMagic guarantees fair gaming provided it at all times
Personal and financial information remains 100% secure and confidential
Selection of the worlds favourite games
Round the clock VIP treatment for each customer
SlotsMagic guarantees fair gaming provided it at all times
Personal and financial information remains 100% secure and confidential
Customer support available via Live chat & Email – 24/7
4000+ Games available
Established in 2005
Customer support available via Live chat & Email – 24/7
4000+ Games available
Established in 2005
Best in the business VIP Program
24x7 Support
Instant deposit and withdrawal options in both Crypto and FIAT (for Canada)
Best in the business VIP Program
24x7 Support
Instant deposit and withdrawal options in both Crypto and FIAT (for Canada)
- Quick and easy registration
- All payments options including Apple Pay & Interac
- VIP program with up to 20% cashback
- Quick and easy registration
- All payments options including Apple Pay & Interac
- VIP program with up to 20% cashback
- Massive game library
- Cryptocurrency banking supported
- VIP program with Special rewards
- Massive game library
- Cryptocurrency banking supported
- VIP program with Special rewards
- Welcome Package
- VIP program
- Live Casino
- Welcome Package
- VIP program
- Live Casino
- Quick and easy registration
- All payments options including Apple Pay & Interac
- VIP program with up to 20% cashback
- Quick and easy registration
- All payments options including Apple Pay & Interac
- VIP program with up to 20% cashback
- Welcome Package
- VIP program
- Live Casino
- Welcome Package
- VIP program
- Live Casino
- Welcome Package
- VIP program
- Live Casino
- Welcome Package
- VIP program
- Live Casino
300% first deposit bonus for crypto users
Four-part welcome bonus for traditional currency
Over 10,000 online slots and a wide variety of table games available
300% first deposit bonus for crypto users
Four-part welcome bonus for traditional currency
Over 10,000 online slots and a wide variety of table games available
Get up to $5,000 in Matched Deposits
PLUS 150 Free Spins + 3 Bonus Rounds
Enjoy Live Dealer Games, Video Poker, and MORE
To Claim: Click Play Now
Get up to $5,000 in Matched Deposits
PLUS 150 Free Spins + 3 Bonus Rounds
Enjoy Live Dealer Games, Video Poker, and MORE
To Claim: Click Play Now
What Play Alberta Is (and Isn’t) Anymore
Play Alberta launched in October 2020 as the province’s first and only regulated online gambling site, built and operated directly by the AGLC as a Crown corporation platform — not a private company. Every dollar of profit flows into Alberta’s General Revenue Fund rather than to shareholders, which is a genuinely different financial model from any private operator on this list.
That government ownership hasn’t changed. What’s changed is Play Alberta’s position in the market: for four years it held a legal monopoly, and by some measures it captured under a third of Alberta’s total online gambling activity, with the rest going to unregulated offshore sites the province couldn’t tax or oversee at all. It still runs games, sports betting, and online lottery today, and it isn’t going anywhere.
What Actually Changed on July 13
The shift traces back to Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, which received royal assent in May 2025. It created a second Crown corporation, the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), to run the commercial side of the market — signing contracts with private operators, handling revenue sharing, and managing complaints — while the AGLC stays focused on regulation, licensing, and compliance. It’s the same two-body “conduct and manage” structure Ontario uses with AGCO and iGaming Ontario.
Private operators pay real money to enter: a $50,000 one-time application fee plus a $150,000 annual registration fee, on top of a 20% tax on gross gaming revenue that goes back to the province. In exchange, they get access to a market where an estimated 64.6% of Albertans aged 15+ report gambling activity in a given year. For the full breakdown of what launched and when, see our complete list of licensed Alberta operators.
Play Alberta vs. Private Operators: The Real Differences
| Play Alberta | Private Operators (bet365, BetMGM, etc.) | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | AGLC (government) | Independently owned companies |
| Regulator | AGLC | AGLC (licensing) + AiGC (commercial) |
| Online lottery | Yes — exclusive | Not permitted |
| Where profit goes | Alberta’s General Revenue Fund | Private company, minus 20% GGR tax |
| Number of games | Smaller, curated library | Ranges from hundreds to 1,000+ per site |
| Live dealer games | Limited | Varies widely; some operators run 100+ tables |
| Market tenure | Live since 2020 | New to Alberta as of July 13, 2026 |
The single biggest functional difference: online lottery products are exclusive to Play Alberta. Private operators aren’t permitted to offer them under the new framework, so if lottery is part of your routine, you’re not switching away from Play Alberta entirely no matter which casino you add to the mix.
Should You Switch to a Private Operator?
If you’ve only used Play Alberta, the private operators generally offer a deeper game library and, in several cases, faster withdrawals — we’ve tested six hands-on in our best Alberta online casinos guide. Live dealer variety especially is an area Play Alberta has never matched.
That doesn’t make it obsolete. It’s run in the province for six years with established responsible-gambling tools, and it’s still the only legal option for online lottery. If that’s part of your routine, or you’d rather your play stay on the platform whose profits go entirely to Alberta’s public accounts, there’s no reason to move.
Advertising rules now apply the same way across both sides of the market: no athlete endorsements, mandatory responsible-gambling messaging, no marketing to minors. A centralized self-exclusion program also covers every licensed operator — exclude yourself from one, and it applies across all of them. Full rules: Alberta gambling laws.
The Bottom Line
Play Alberta didn’t lose anything on July 13 — it lost its monopoly. It’s still the only legal home for online lottery, backed by six years of operating history and a public-revenue model no private operator can match. But if you want more games, deeper live dealer catalogs, or faster banking, the new private operators are built to compete on exactly those points, and several already outperform Play Alberta on speed and selection.
We’ll keep this comparison updated as more operators launch. For the full field of regulated options, visit our Alberta online casinos hub.
Gambling problem? Call or text 211 or visit ab.211.ca. Must be 18+ and physically present in Alberta to play for real money.
