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Officials target July 13 launch of Alberta online casinos
Regulators in the province posted an update on their website that they expect to launch online casinos in Alberta on July 13 – the same date grey market platforms were told to stop operating by.
Canada expects to have a second province with legal casino apps, as the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis website posted an update circling July 13 as the date that Alberta online casinos will launch. This not only falls in line with an update from the Alberta iGaming Corporation targeting spring or summer to go live but also is the exact date that regulators gave as a shut-down-by order to unlicensed operators.
Alberta online casinos cleared for launch in July
Essentially, the update from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) website cleared the road for real money online casino operators to go live on July 13, with the association emphasizing that platforms must first ensure they have submitted all applications and fees to the AGLC before launching.
Online casino operators learned of that go-live date in a letter from Alberta Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally.
In March, Alberta iGaming Corporation CEO Dan Keene told the Gaming News Canada podcast that officials were targeting a spring/summer launch, with "tremendous momentum that's happening." Nally himself had also set sights on a spring launch.
Interestingly, July 13 likely could have been predicted, as unregulated operators – which are estimated to account for 70% of all iGaming in Alberta – offering casino games online were given that date as a deadline to shut down.
Some of the top online casinos in the US set to go live in Alberta
When regulated iGaming does go live in Alberta, the group of new online casinos in the province will likely include some of the top platforms in North America.
During their respective fourth-quarter earnings calls, the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel and the BetMGM Casino app discussed opening up shop in Alberta. On top of that, Caesars Palace Online Casino also confirmed that it would launch in the province along with Caesars Casino & Sportsbook and Horseshoe Casino.
There's plenty of optimism for the growth and size of the Alberta online casino industry. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis reported net sales of almost $270 million – mostly driven by casino-style games offered by PlayAlberta, the province's lone licensed online casino.
That total, of course, is just a fraction of the total market, considering the unregulated casinos that operated in Alberta. As such, experts believe the Alberta online casino industry could generate around $900 million annually.
Written by Grant Lucas
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