Alberta Gambling Regulation Updates As Pre-Registration Opens

Feb 16th, 2026 7:37 AM EST

Alberta is on the verge of a major online gambling shift.

Right now, the province operates under a government-run monopoly model and offshore operators that have licenses in other overseas jurisdictions. Soon, it could look a lot more like Ontario - where private betting sites Canada and Canadian online casino operators compete in a regulated, open market

The exact launch date of the new iGaming framework is still to be determined, but when it goes live, it will increase the number of provincially regulated operators in the province from one, Play Alberta, to hopefully many.

Ontario is currently the only province in Canada that runs this sort of system for online gambling. Alberta, however, plans to follow suit, and hopefully by next football season. And sports betting operators in Canada do not have to concern themselves with prediction markets, as they have been illegal in Canada since 2017.

Play Alberta Remains Only Game In Town For Now

Play Alberta is the only regulated, legal online gambling website and app in Alberta, operated by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC). Canada casino and betting apps customers can also access a number of overseas sites that have licenses in other jurisdictions such as the Malta Gaming Authority.

Available to adults 18+ within the province, Play Alberta offers casino games (slots, table games), live sports betting and lottery, with revenue supporting provincial programs.

Key details about Play Alberta include:

Offerings: The platform provides a wide range of casino games, instant win games, lottery tickets (Lotto Max, 6/49) and sports betting on major leagues like the NHL, NFL and NBA.
Legality & Safety: As a government-owned site, it is fully regulated, secure, and ensures fair play.
Responsible Gambling: It features tools like GameSense, self-exclusion programs and deposit/time limits to promote safe gambling.
Accessibility: Users can access the platform via PlayAlberta.ca or the Play Alberta app on mobile and desktop devices.

Regulations and welcome offers may differ depending on your province and signing up to a new online casino may be georestricted. If you're not sure if an offer is available to you, you can explore our recommendations for the best online casino offers available by province.

Data Protection Top Concern Of Regulators

The regulator of Alberta’s forthcoming competitive market for online gambling has already made some adjustments to the rules of the future road, namely around protecting the data of bettors.

Key Takeaways

Alberta’s gaming regulator has amended its upcoming iGaming rules to adjust cybersecurity requirements for online sportsbook and casino operators ahead of launch.
Top online casinos and betting sites will need to check certain boxes before going live and will then need even stronger approvals going forward.
The changes are meant to protect player data while giving operators flexibility as Alberta prepares to open a competitive online gambling market.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) Commission recently issued a bulletin stating there were "important amendments" made to the standards for online gambling in the province.

Those are the rules that private-sector operators of online sportsbooks and casino sites will have to follow if they want to participate in the Western Canadian province's yet-to-launch iGaming market. The first batch of standards were only released last month, and they are already being updated.

We also have the first idea of which operators will be available to Albertans. BetRivers and PointsBet have both opened pre-registration, while it has been widely reported that BetMGM will be joining those two. The Canadian online casinos list found in Ontario is likely to provide a few more clues as to which other operators may join the fray.

Regulators Push Cybersecurity

The AGLC noted two provisions in particular were tweaked, both of which deal with the "security assurance standard requirement."

One of the amendments clarifies that before operators can launch in the new regulated market, they'll need a "current SOC 2 Type 1 attestation" that has been issued by an independent auditor.

The requirement is a bit technical, as it pertains to the “System and Organization Controls,” or SOC, of an operator.

System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) is a cybersecurity compliance standard specifying ways for organizations to ensure their client data is stored and processed in a secure manner,” the Business Development Bank of Canada explains.

In other words, the AGLC wants operators to have specific proof that they can safeguard customer data in a certain way. The Alberta sports betting regulator also wants that proof up front, before an operator can launch in the province’s new iGaming market.

Average Bettor Can Ignore Most Of The Details

For the average sports bettor, none of the above may mean that much. And that’s probably just fine. What it means for operators, though, is that they have homework to do, and that the assignment is intended to protect the data of users.

In keeping with the Government of Alberta’s red tape reduction initiatives, these policies provide industry stakeholders with flexibility and efficiency in running their operations,” the AGLC's bulletin said.

It’s likely there will be further tweaks to Alberta’s iGaming standards before the market launches. For one thing, its advertising section needs to be officially updated to reflect the province’s rules.

Play Alberta Best Option Before Expansion

Play Alberta focuses on secure gambling, safe transactions and a reliable service, anywhere in the province. More importantly, the tax revenue collected stays in Alberta. Revenue from Play Alberta is directed towards the province’s General Revenue Fund, supporting programs and services that Albertans rely on every day.

Play Alberta is the exclusive sports betting partner of the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders. Beyond football and hockey, it boasts growing partnerships with the Calgary Surge and Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and the Calgary Stampede and Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR).

There are also a number of reputable betting and casino sites you can sign up with to enjoy free bets and free spins in the province while it sorts out its regulation rules at Bookies.com.

About the Author

Bill Speros

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Bill Speros is an award-winning journalist and editor whose career includes stops at USA Today Sports Network / Golfweek, Cox Media, ESPN, Orlando Sentinel and Denver Post.