Alberta iGaming Market Hits 50 Live Sites as Grace Period Expires

Alberta’ 90-day grace period for unregulated online gambling operators to transition to the legal market expired yesterday (Oct. 13), with 29 operators launching regulated platforms and accepting wagers. Alberta iGaming Corporation CEO Dan Keene during a panel discussion at this past summer’s SBC Summit Canada in Toronto. (Image: SBC) In total, 50 approved iGaming sites are currently live in Alberta. An Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) spokesperson said that number could change by the end of the day. Alberta’s Regulated Market Expands “Alberta’s regulated iGaming market exists to protect Albertans,” said Dan Keene, AiGC CEO. “We look forward to working with operators who have chosen accountability by transitioning away from the illegal grey market.” Those commercial websites are separate from Play Alberta, which the province runs. The market launched July 13, with Alberta granting operators who demonstrated a path to compliance that was unattainable before July 13 a 90-day grace period, on a case-by-case basis. Operators Face Compliance Deadline Sites that have not transitioned to Alberta’s regulated market or are still awaiting approvals in order to transition are required to go dark. iGaming companies that want to do business in Alberta must get approval from both Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) and AiGC. Some operators, like Super Group, operate multiple gambling brands in the province. Operators like Apollo Entertainment have seven casino brands. And operators like PointsBet, for example, have registered with AGLC but haven’t completed their commercial agreements with AiGC, so their site isn’t live yet. Online Poker Market Takes Shape PokerStars is one of the companies leaving the market, at least for now, according to Gaming News Canada. Poker Industry Pro reported yesterday that 888 will be the first site to offer regulated online poker in the province when its platform goes live. Casino.org reported earlier today that NSUS’ GGPoker.ca, while licensed and operating in Ontario, has no interest in launching online poker in Alberta at this point. Alberta Weighs Enforcement Options The Alberta government has said it intends to pursue operators that continue to operate in the unregulated space, although precise enforcement measures have not been disclosed. Ontario has shown one approach to combat unregulated online gambling by targeting companies that supply games to unauthorized websites. As we reported here in May, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) imposed CA$40,000 fines on each of two registered gaming suppliers after an investigation found that their product was available on unregulated gambling sites accessible to Ontario players. The post Alberta iGaming Market Hits 50 Live Sites as Grace Period Expires appeared first on Casino.org.