Alberta is putting the pieces in location to establish its own Ontario-like system for online sports wagering and internet gambling establishment gambling.
The Western Canadian province would be the first to follow Ontario's example, and it might do so by next year, according to some in the gaming industry. Bruce Caughill, managing director for Canada at BetRivers, had this to say throughout a panel at last week's SBC Summit The United States and Canada conference in New Jersey.
It's been fascinating to see it unfold, because there is a desire in the Alberta government to make this happen yesterday, however I believe they're starting to understand that to make things happen even quickly spends some time.
Laying a legal foundation
Caughill noted legislation was tabled last month in Alberta that could enable the provincial federal government to create a separate entity to "perform and handle" online gaming. That entity would be in addition to the provincially owned Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission, or AGLC.
AGLC is currently the only authorized iGaming operator in Alberta through its Play Alberta platform. If Alberta were to adopt an Ontario-like system, however, AGLC could be just among many regulated operators in the province, which has a population size similar to that of Kentucky and Oregon. Ontario developed an additional "conduct and handle" company of its own, iGaming Ontario, before introducing its competitive market for online betting.
Bill 16, the legislation consisting of the new powers to "perform and manage," the legal term for controlling gaming in Canada, was passed by a committee of the whole in the Alberta legislature on Tuesday.
Caughill said he expects provincial lawmakers to approve it "shortly," which would put 2025 in play for a launch of a competitive iGaming market in the province.
Secondly, there seems to be every sign that they're merely going to white label the program. That's sort of the hope that you can shift right into that design if you're currently in Ontario.
Confidence from the courts
Ontario's iGaming market introduced in April 2022 and now consists of almost 50 operators, consisting of the provincial lottery, in addition to more than 1.3 million active gamer accounts. The regulatory structure was likewise reinforced today by an Ontario court dismissing a legal difficulty of the province's online gaming plan.
1
Alberta Making Progress Towards Ontario Like Online Sports Betting, IGaming Market
partheniaslagl edited this page 6 hours ago