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MGM-owned LeoVegas opts out of Alberta online casino industry
With as many as 70 online casinos expected to launch in Alberta, there are still several noteworthy operators – including some Ontario platforms – that are choosing not to go live in Alberta.
We are under two weeks away from legal online casinos officially launching in Alberta. While dozens of operators expect to go live in the province, some have reconsidered and have opted to pull the plug on their Alberta plans. That includes LeoVegas, a relatively well-known online casino owned by MGM Resorts International.
LeoVegas turns tide on Alberta online casino launch
LeoVegas has been live as a real money online casino Canada operator in Ontario since April 2022, complementing its mobile sportsbook in the province under parent company MGM Resorts, while also running the Royal Panda online casino platform.
The inference has long been that LeoVegas would expand into the Alberta online casino industry when the province welcomed casino apps on July 13. That plan, however, appears to have changed.
Daniel de Morais, communications manager for LeoVegas, told Canadian Gaming Business that the company continuously conducts strategic reviews of its business to remain competitive while ensuring that the overall strategy "supports a clear long-term direction." That said, he added, "we have decided to stop access to our services from Alberta to fully focus on growing our existing business in Ontario."
A notice on LeoVegas' Alberta-facing website falls in line with this statement, as the platform states that it has paused user pre-registration sign-ups in the province.
Could LeoVegas eventually launch in Alberta?
Perhaps LeoVegas could change its position down the road and eventually join the Alberta online casino market.
However, in a statement to Canadian Gaming Business, de Morais noted that the online casino industry "is a notoriously fast-moving one." As a result, he said, "it's always a challenge to speculate on what the future holds."
LeoVegas is not alone in its intent to avoid Alberta for the time being. Fanatics Casino, which is not live in Ontario either, does not plan to launch in Alberta when the market opens on July 13. Yet the gambling, sports apparel and merchandise company has kept Canada in its crosshairs.
Just over a year ago, Scot McClintic – chief operating officer at Fanatics Betting & Gaming – noted that Canada would ultimately be a part of Fanatics' expansion plans, emphasizing the "[we] definitely want to be in Canada" before adding that it's all "just a timing question."
Two Ontario online casinos intend to expand into Alberta, however, despite not being listed as a registered operator as of July 26. That includes Betano, which noted that it has completed the regulatory registration process in the province and expects to launch in Alberta in due time.
Another platform is TonyBet, which joined the Canadian Gaming Association earlier this year and announced its plans to double its Canadian footprint by going live in Alberta.
