What to Expect from Alberta’s New Legal Sports Betting Market

• The launch of private Alberta sports betting apps goes down on Monday, July 13, 2026
• Big name operators such as BetMGM, theScore Bet, DraftKings, and more are expected to join the market
• We spoke with Steve McAllister, Editor-in-Chief of Gaming News Canada to find out more about the upcoming launch

The launch of private Alberta sports betting apps is just around the corner on Monday, July 13, 2026, and while you can already pre-register with some of these new online sportsbooks already — there are still plenty of questions surrounding the launch and how it might look.

To get answers to some of those questions, we spoke with Steve McAllister, Editor-in-Chief of Gaming News Canada, who has been closely monitoring the launch and breaks down everything from parallels to the Ontario sports betting launch to the potential of prediction markets.

SBD: What can the people of Alberta expect in terms of the rollout of this new iGaming market? What kind of parallels will it have with Ontario, for example?

The builders of the incoming Alberta regulated market have used many elements of the Ontario market and that includes having a regulator (for Alberta, that’s AGLC) and and market/commercial operator (the newly formed Alberta iGaming Corporation). There have been some lessons learned from Ontario’s four-year-old-plus market around advertising, technology and data, and having a centralized self-exclusion program in place for market launch. (iGaming Ontario, the market/commercial operator, just launched its BetGuard self-exclusion product this spring).

SBD: What type of advertising restrictions are expected to be placed upon operators in Alberta? Will it be similar to what we have seen in Ontario?

As was the case when Ontario opened, operators can’t advertise or promote inducements, bonuses and credits except on their own digital platforms and by communicating directly to customers who have agreed to be contacted.

Minors can’t be targeted by advertising, and Alberta is following Ontario’s lead in banning the use of imagery, themes, cartoons, celebrities or influencers who likely appeal to children. In February 2024, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario updated its advertising standards to no longer allow active or retired athletes to appear in ads or marketing campaigns except for responsible gambling messaging. The AGLC has also adopted that rule. So, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who is an ambassador for BetMGM, will only be allowed to appear in commercials that promote gambling responsibly.

SBD: Have you seen or heard anything from the current Alberta pre-registration period in terms of activity and numbers? Do you think people are eager to pre-register for online sportsbooks like BetMGM, theScore Bet, DraftKings, and others?

It’s been quiet on that front although we know operators are pre-registering customers ahead of July 13. FanDuel, for example, did a five-city promotional campaign in June called “Thrillberta”. And we expect operators to be out in full force around the Calgary Stampede, which started July 3rd and runs through the 12th. Also, as of June 26 there were 47 operators registered in Alberta so there’s high interest in joining Canada’s second regulated, competitive online gambling industry.

SBD: In terms of overall iGaming market magnitude in Canada, how do you compare this upcoming Alberta launch to Ontario?

When Ontario opened on April 4, 2022, there were 12 operators ready to begin accepting wagers. You’d think that with Alberta adopting most of the Ontario model that there will be many more operators launching in Alberta on July 13. But we know from speaking with industry experts that launching in new markets always present unique challenges, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

SBD: With the rise of prediction market operators like Kalshi and Polymarket in the U.S., do you see those as playing a role in the Alberta iGaming market at some point in the near future?

If I was the provincial government and regulators in Alberta, I’d steer clear of prediction markets and focus on working with registered sportsbook and iGaming operators on a successful, controversy-free launch. The flood of advertising and marketing around the Ontario launch in 2022 was met with backlash, especially in reaction to the clumsy integration of sports betting into sports broadcasts. That should be a lesson learned for the folks in charge of the Alberta market.

SBD: Do you think prediction market operators being in the ecosystem could potentially hurt online sports betting in Alberta long-term?

We’re seeing in the coverage of prediction markets in the U.S. that online sportsbooks have been impacted. There’s a “wild west” feel to what’s happening south of the border and hopefully both federal and provincial governments are following the developments in the U.S. and find a different path with regards to prediction markets operating in Canada.

SBD: Do you have any projections on what you think early revenue numbers for the new Alberta iGaming market could look like?

The provincial government has projected $76 million in net revenue for Year 1. It’s worth noting that the first year of the Ontario market generated about $87 million. You really have to wait and see how many operators join the market. Also, unlike Ontario where the provincial lottery and gaming corporation (OLG) isn’t overseen by iGaming Ontario, that won’t be the case in Alberta where AGLC and its PlayAlberta iGaming business will have oversight from the Alberta iGaming Corporation.