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Coolbet Casino exits Alberta amid regulated iGaming market launch
Rather than staying in Alberta's newly regulated iGaming market and applying for a licence, Coolbet Casino has exited the province. Its experience in Ontario may have been the deciding factor.
Coolbet Casino has stopped serving Alberta now that the province's regulated commercial iGaming market has launched. Its website cites Alberta's new regulations as the reasoning for the change.Â
Coolbet encouraged Albertans to withdraw their remaining balances leading up to the province's July 13, 2026, launch. It also stopped accepting new player sign-ups and deposits before the announcement.
Coolbet decides not to roll the dice with an Alberta licence
The Estonia-based Coolbet launched in mid-2016 and immediately began operating in various grey markets across the world, including Alberta and the rest of Canada.
Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) gave grey-market online casinos in Canada an opportunity to come into compliance and gain licensing. Coolbet chose not to go through this process and instead exit the province completely.
The company's experience in Ontario likely influenced its decision to not become a licensed Alberta online casino. It received a licence in Ontario and immediately went live on the province's April 4, 2022, launch date.Â
One year after becoming a regulated operator, Coolbet announced that it was leaving Ontario, citing intense competition and a lack of profits. It has since been joined by other online casinos that found the Heartland Province overly competitive, such as Casumo, Conquistador, Rivalry, and Unibet.
Still active in plenty of other markets
Although Coolbet Casino won't be available in Alberta any longer, it will keep serving grey markets throughout Canada.Â
All provinces besides Alberta and Ontario feature a government monopoly on iGaming. Since they don't offer licences to private operators, many online casinos like Coolbet serve them anyway. That said, Canadians outside Alberta and Ontario will still have access to this casino site.
Aside from the grey markets it serves, Coolbet has licences in Malta and Sweden. Therefore, it still operates in some regulated jurisdictions despite pulling out of Ontario three years ago.
Alberta has dozens of other licensed operators
Wild Rose Country saw dozens of online casinos go live on its July 13, 2026, launch. This includes prominent brands like BetMGM, Caesars Palace Online, DraftKings, FanDuel, and theScore. Coolbet and other gaming sites exiting the province rather than applying for a licence shouldn't affect the market's success much.
Some of these grey-market operators could theoretically come back at some point in the future. The AGLC's first requirement for consideration was that these sites leave Alberta before the July 13 launch date. Any compliant online casino would potentially have an opportunity to apply for a licence later.
Responsible gambling
Bettors must be 18 years or older and otherwise eligible to register and place wagers in Alberta. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek assistance from trained professionals such as the Addiction Hotline at 1-866-322-2322.
Please play responsibly. 18+. Alberta only. Gambling Problem? Call GameSense at 1-833-447-7523 or visit https://gamesenseab.ca/.
