Alberta Opens Regulated iGaming Market Without Poker
Twenty-two operators can now take bets, but peer-to-peer poker remains ring-fenced and shared liquidity is still unresolved.
Alberta launched its regulated iGaming market on July 13, becoming Canada’s second regulated competitive online gambling market after Ontario. Twenty-two operators are now allowed to take bets, the province keeps 20% of gambling revenue, and Nally estimated the new rules will bring in about $76 million in the first fiscal year. Peer-to-peer online poker was notably absent on day one.
The province’s iGaming factsheet says the rollout traces back to Bill 48, passed in spring 2025, which created the iGaming Alberta Act and amended the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act. The same package established the Alberta iGaming Corporation to oversee market operations and named AGLC as the regulator, while amendments to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation were published in January to spell out the rules for a private regulated market.
The factsheet also says the transition period allowed operators to advertise and sign up prospective customers, but not add funds to accounts or take bets. Alberta said its final timelines were still being developed before launch, and Gaming Intelligence reported that final AiGC policies and the operating agreement were to be made available to operators that had signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Pokerfuse said Alberta’s regulated poker market is ring-fenced, with any licensed operator initially limited to games between players physically located in Alberta and no shared liquidity with Ontario or international pools. It also noted that Ontario has more than 16 million people while Alberta has just over five million, and that poker’s dependence on player liquidity makes a stand-alone network a harder business proposition.
The regulator has not decided whether peer-to-peer games involving players outside Canada will be allowed. It said any future policy would depend on “a detailed evaluation of legal authority, regulatory oversight, operational controls and player-protection requirements.”
Instead of launching regulated poker rooms, many operators are still serving Albertans through their existing international dot-com platforms. PokerStars, 888poker, PartyPoker and many iPoker Network operators are registered with Alberta regulators and can use the transition framework, while GGPoker has not registered and cannot.
PokerNews said PokerStars will keep poker available in Alberta through its global site, even as its casino and sportsbook products are removed from the province. PartyPoker is also staying in Alberta for now, with residents able to keep playing on the international site until a dedicated Alberta platform launches. GGPoker, by contrast, did not apply for a licence and ceased operations in the province on July 13.
Player-protection measures were part of the launch from the start. Gaming Intelligence said system-wide self-exclusion, financial limits and time limits were available at launch, and licensed operators must provide activity statements, respond when they see signs of problem gambling and integrate with AGLC’s centralized self-exclusion system. CBC also reported that Alberta introduced centralized self-exclusion immediately and has stricter advertising rules than Ontario.
Nally said about 70% of online gambling in the province was happening in the black market and there were no player-safety controls. He said Alberta wanted “a legal, regulated framework that put player safety first.” The transition window runs until October 13, when operators must have Alberta-specific platforms live or leave the market.
