Going live?

It is official. Alberta will be Canada’s second province to establish a fully regulated, legal gambling market. The expectation was that it would go live in early 2025, but then there were rumours that it could open by Christmas 2024. Whenever it does throw open its virtual doors, it will be one of North America’s larger markets and top international operators are indicating that they intend to be in on the action and apply for licenses. 

Obviously, they will need to carry out all the relevant due diligence procedures, but this promises to be a win-win opportunity for gamblers and online gambling platforms alike. The province is also expected to profit from it handsomely too, and advocates are always keen to point out that a well-regulated market drives out rogue operators and helps to protect citizens from potential gambling harms. The Albertan government has seen Ontario’s success and is looking to it for guidance when drafting its own legislation.

Using the Ontarian model

Earlier in the year, the provincial government confirmed it had broad plans to open up its market in line with Ontario’s, which has seen online gambling inject an estimated CA$ 2.7 billion into its economy. An independent administrator will be appointed, and it is reported that there will be First Nation involvement in the development of the online market too.

Alberta’s Minister for Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, claimed,

“It’s going to be very similar to Ontario. We’re following their model as they built the roadmap. We’ll massage it a little bit, but it’s been inspired by the experience in Ontario. It’s going to be an open and free market.”

At the moment, Alberta only has one officially regulated online gambling site  – Play Alberta, which offers sports betting, casino-style games, and limited live dealer games. While the service is relatively limited compared to what is available in Ontario, there are still great games. The best ones in Alberta allow gamblers to pay in various ways, including using fiat and cryptocurrencies. Operated by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Authority, and it will be interesting to see how the province balances the path between operators and regulator. 

In May, the Red Tape Reduct

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Author: Crypto Daily