Single-game sports betting has been legal in Alberta since 2021, after the federal government passed Bill C-218. Regulated sportsbooks will take bets on more than 20 sports, including hockey, basketball, baseball, football, lacrosse, and winter sports. You can’t bet on elections, but sportsbooks can offer eSports betting. For full details on the upcoming regulated market, see our dedicated guide to Alberta Sports Betting.
Alberta Gambling Laws: Online Gambling Legal Guide June 2026
Alberta is poised to roll out a regulated online gambling market in 2026. The Alberta gambling laws have gained Royal Assent, and the first legal online casinos and sportsbooks will launch soon.
This guide explains everything you need to know about online gambling in Alberta, from the legal gambling age to the benefits of playing at regulated sites.
Editor’s note (June 2026): We’ve reverified Alberta’s gambling laws this week — including the AGLC framework under Bill 48 (iGaming Alberta Act), the upcoming July 13, 2026 launch of the regulated online market, Bill 31 (passed May 2026), and the operators preparing for licensure.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Alberta?
Online gambling is partially legal in Alberta. Currently, PlayAlberta is the only regulated gambling site in the province. You can play online slots, table games, and live dealer games at PlayAlberta. The site, which is run by the provincial government, also offers online sports betting and online lottery games.
But come July 13, online gambling will be fully legal in Alberta. In May 2025, the legislature passed Bill 48, which is known as the iGaming Alberta Act. This law paves the way for private operators to launch regulated sportsbooks and online casinos in Alberta. It will make Alberta the second Canadian province to open a competitive online gambling market, following in Ontario’s footsteps.
These privately operated sites will be tightly regulated, so they should be safer than using grey market sites based overseas. Alberta online gambling laws require operators to meet strict standards in terms of player protection, fairness, and responsible gambling.
Alberta iGaming Regulation — The AGLC Framework
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) will oversee online gambling in the province. Regulators at the AGLC will ensure that Canadian online casinos and sportsbooks treat players fairly, pay out on time, and take responsible gambling seriously.
A new crown corporation, the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), will manage commercial relationships between the province and private operators. This dual-structure model mirrors the approach that Ontario adopted when it launched a regulated online gambling market in April 2022. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates the industry, while iGaming Ontario manages operator relationships.
Interest is Strong
The world’s leading online gambling operators are keen to expand into Alberta. The AGLC has reported that more than 50 operators have expressed an interest in joining the province’s regulated market.
As of May 2026, re-registration is already open, and famous names like Caesars Palace Casino, DraftKings, theScore Bet, BetRivers, BetMGM, and Betway have already announced plans to launch in Alberta.
In May 2026, Alberta passed Bill 31, which gives the AGLC authority to share customer data and positions the province to potentially sell or privatize the PlayAlberta platform in the future, though no sale has been announced.
Deadline for Applications Grows Closer
These operators will need to submit their final applications for licenses by July 13, 2026. The AGLC hasn’t confirmed when the first sites will go live, but they’re widely expected to launch by mid-2026. The companies will need to pay a $50,000 application fee. They will also be charged a $150,000 annual registration fee in Alberta.
Operators will need to cease any unregulated activity in the province too. Right now, Albertans can sign up with grey market gambling sites. These sites are based overseas, but they often welcome players from across Canada. They don’t follow provincial or federal regulations, and they don’t pay taxes in Canada.
Regulators in Alberta are now starting to clamp down on grey market sites. If you hold an account with one of these sites, you may need to close that account and sign up for a new account if the operator joins Alberta’s regulated market. That’s not an issue with sites like DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM, as they don’t operate in the grey market, but it may be necessary at sites like Betway and Bet99.
Legal Gambling Age in Alberta
The legal gambling age in Alberta is 18. That applies to casino games, sports betting, poker, lottery games, bingo, and all other forms of wagering. Some Canadian provinces set the minimum age at 19, but Alberta opted for 18.
You’ll need to be 18 or older to sign up with regulated online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms. The Alberta gambling age will be strictly enforced, so you may need to upload proof of ID during the registration process.
What You Can Gamble on in Alberta
Most forms of gambling are legal in Alberta. You can place bets at land-based casinos, poker rooms, sportsbooks, and horse racing tracks across the province.
PlayAlberta has also been offering online gambling since October 2020. However, the site only offers a limited range of games and markets. Here’s what you’ll be able to gamble on when the first privately-owned sites launch:
Online casino games: Regulated sites can offer online slots, virtual table games, video poker, live dealer games, and variety games. You’ll be able to play simple 3-reel slots, modern 5-reel slots, jackpot slots, Megaways slots, and more. Table games will include blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.
Sports betting
Poker
Online poker is legal in Alberta. The first online poker room, 888 Poker, launched on Day 1 when Ontario’s regulated market opened in April 2022. BetMGM Poker went live two days later, and sites like PartyPoker and PokerStars followed later that year. We could see a similar situation in Alberta.
Lottery
Online lottery products will still be available through PlayAlberta. You can buy tickets for draw games and play instant win games on the site. Private gambling sites can offer lotto-style games like keno, but PlayAlberta will still be the only place to buy lottery tickets.
Horse racing
You can visit HPIbet if you want to place pari-mutuel bets on horse races online in Alberta. The new regulated sites aren’t expected to take bets on horse racing, but they could potentially do so if they partnered with a licensed pari-mutuel operator.
Benefits of Playing on a Regulated Site
For many years, Albertans have been playing at grey market sites. These sites often provide larger bonuses and more games than PlayAlberta, so they’ve been popular in the province.
However, they carry significant risks, as they don’t fall under the jurisdiction of Canadian authorities. You have no legal recourse if you’re scammed, and they often lack strong regulatory oversight.
These are the main benefits you’ll unlock by avoiding grey market sites and playing at regulated sites instead:
Data Privacy
Regulated operators will need to comply with Canadian data protection laws and the AGLC’s strict privacy standards. You can’t rely on unregulated sites to protect your data, so it’s best to sign up with a regulated site if you’re concerned about data privacy and security.
Game Fairness
All games at regulated sites must be independently tested and certified for fairness before an operator can launch in Alberta. This ensures that the outcomes are genuinely random and that the house edge is accurately represented.
Player Protection Tools
Licensed sites must offer a strong range of responsible gambling features from the point of registration. You can set deposit limits, loss limits, and time limits on your account. These tools can help you gamble responsibly. Alberta’s framework also includes a centralised self-exclusion system, which will allow players to exclude themselves from all regulated gambling sites and physical gambling venues through a single digital portal. Unregulated sites aren’t covered by this portal.
Dispute Resolution
If something goes wrong or you feel you’ve been mistreated, you can complain to the AGLC. The regulator will then investigate and work with the operator on a solution. That isn’t an option at grey market sites, which operate outside the jurisdiction of Canadian authorities. Your options are pretty limited if you have a dispute with one of those sites.
Revenue Stays in Alberta
The province will charge gambling sites a 20% tax on their net revenue. This money will be used to bolster public services in Alberta. The Alberta gambling laws state that 2% will go to First Nations and 1% will be assigned to social responsibility initiatives, including problem gambling research and treatment programs. By contrast, Alberta doesn’t earn any tax income from grey market sites.
Alberta iGaming Launch — What to Expect
The Alberta iGaming launch is officially set for July 13, 2026. All operators must submit their applications for online gambling licenses, meet the province’s registration requirements, and pay all licensing fees in order to open for business on launch day. In the meantime, any grey market operators that are currently active in Alberta must cease unregulated activity by that date and then start anew as a regulated entity.
Pre-registration is already open. Several major operators are gearing up to expand into the province. For example, Caesars Entertainment has opened pre-registration for three platforms: Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, Caesars Palace Online Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino. Meanwhile, DraftKings, theScore Bet, BetRivers, PointsBet, BetMGM, Betway, and Bet99 have either applied for licenses or announced plans to enter Alberta.
The AGLC has confirmed that these sites can run “Coming Soon” advertising after they begin the application process. They can pre-register customers too, but they won’t be able to accept wagers until the official launch date.
Alberta Gambling Laws FAQs
Yes, online gambling is legal in Alberta. Right now, PlayAlberta is the only regulated online casino and sportsbook in the province. A regulated market for privately owned sites is expected to launch in mid-2026, allowing licensed operators to offer online casino games and sports betting in Alberta.
You must be 18 years old or older to gamble in Alberta. That legal gambling age covers casino games, sports betting, poker, lottery, and bingo. You’ll need to verify your age and identity when you sign up with a regulated online casino or sportsbook in Alberta.
Yes, sports betting is legal in Alberta. Single-game sports wagering was introduced in 2021 after the federal government passed Bill C-218 in 2021. PlayAlberta currently offers an online sportsbook, and regulated private-sector sportsbooks are set to launch as part of Alberta’s new iGaming framework in 2026.
Alberta iGaming launch will happen on July 13, 2026.
