iGaming Alberta Act

Summary#

• This bill creates a new Crown corporation to run and grow legal online gambling in Alberta. It also gives the provincial gaming regulator clear rules to oversee online gambling sites and the companies that support them.

• The goal is to move play to legal sites, set common standards, and promote responsible gaming.

• Key changes:

  • Creates the Alberta iGaming Corporation to develop, run, and manage online gambling for the province.
  • Keeps the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (the Commission) as the regulator for online gambling and gives it new powers.
  • Requires private operators and suppliers to register before they can run an online gambling site or provide services, and they must work under contract with the province.
  • Bans minors from online gambling; sets up rules for who can access sites; and allows fines, inspections, and enforcement.
  • Lets the government set rules for advertising, consumer protection, and social responsibility by regulation.
  • Allows the sharing of certain information, including personal information, with the regulator and other provinces for oversight.
  • Sends surplus profits from the new corporation to the province’s General Revenue Fund.
  • Takes effect on a future date set by the government.

What it means for you#

• Players and families

  • You will have legal online options run by, or under contract with, the province. Sites must follow standards for fairness, safety, and responsible play.
  • Minors are not allowed to use online gambling sites.
  • The regulator can set rules to protect players (for example, limits, safeguards, and who can be on a site). If you are banned from a site under these rules, you may lose the right to claim prizes or winnings.
  • Your information can be collected to run and police the system. Some data can be shared with the regulator and other provinces for oversight, and some will be treated as confidential.

• Businesses (operators, game studios, payments, hosting, marketing)

  • You must register as an “iGaming supplier” to operate a site or to provide goods or services for a site (such as software, hosting, payments, testing, or consulting).
  • You can only operate under contract with the province (through the new corporation or the Commission). Running an independent site in Alberta is not allowed.
  • You must follow standards set by the regulator, keep required records, and may have to file audited financial statements.
  • Inspectors can visit offices and server locations, review and copy records, and test systems. You must assist them.
  • Advertising will be controlled by regulation. Advertising that breaks the rules can lead to offences and fines.

• Public and government

  • The new corporation is a Crown agent, with a board appointed by the Minister. The Minister can issue directives and set limits (for example, on borrowing).
  • Surplus profits go to the province’s General Revenue Fund.
  • The Auditor General audits the new corporation.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Creates a single, legal online market that is safer than unregulated sites and keeps play within Alberta’s rules.
• Strengthens player protection: bans minors, allows access controls, sets standards for fairness, security, and responsible gaming.
• Brings in provincial revenue by channeling profits from legal online gambling to the General Revenue Fund.
• Clarifies roles: the new corporation can run online gambling; the Commission regulates it, registers suppliers, and enforces standards.
• Enables cooperation with other provinces to share systems and improve oversight.
• Provides strong inspection powers and penalties to deter illegal operators and misleading advertising.

Opponents' View#

• Sets up a new Crown corporation alongside the existing regulator, which could add overhead or overlap in roles.
• Leaves many major details to future regulations (advertising limits, consumer protections, who can access sites), making the real impacts unclear until later.
• Expands online gambling, which critics worry could increase problem gambling and related social harms.
• Allows broad collection and sharing of personal information across agencies and provinces, raising privacy concerns.
• Gives the Minister significant control over policies, borrowing, and directives, which some may see as too much political influence over operations.