Alberta Online Betting Now Live Throughout Province

Online sports betting in Canada has long been available in each province. But up until now, there was one set of rules for Canada and a different set for Ontario. That’s changing, now that Alberta online betting has gone live.

The western Canadian province has officially launched third-party online sports betting and iGaming on July 13. That makes Alberta the second province to allow third-party betting platforms to operate, giving bettors far more choice. On launch day, 18 different sites went live in Alberta, including major players such as FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM.

Alberta online betting has no limits in place for providers. Any online sportsbook or iGaming provider can operate in Alberta, as long as it registers with the provincial authorities.

How Has Alberta Online Betting Changed?

Up until July 13, online betting in Alberta functioned similarly to other Canadian provinces. Most provinces have one specific provider for the lottery as well as sports betting. Alberta used PlayNow, which also operates in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

But in 2025, Bill 48 passed the Alberta Legislature, allowing the province to open itself to third-party providers. The bill created the Alberta iGaming Corporation, which set a date of July 13, 2026 to allow third-party options to launch.

In practice, that allows any legal sportsbook who agrees to the AGC’s rules to offer legal sports betting and iGaming in Alberta. Currently, laws require a one-time application fee of $50,000 and an annual registration fee of $150,000. Additionally, Alberta online betting providers must pay 20% of revenue in taxes. That’s similar to Ontario, the only other province to allow third-party sports betting.

How Are Alberta Online Betting Consumers Affected?

The biggest differences are choice and competition. Sports betting lines can often vary between books, sometimes drastically. That gives an edge to the bettor, as better odds mean better payouts and a larger bankroll.

Until July 13, Alberta bettors could only take the odds on PlayNow or decide not to bet. Now they can shop around between multiple sportsbook providers. With 18 operators already approved on launch date, Alberta customers will have several options.

The Canadian Football League is a month into its season, giving fans of the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks plenty of chances to wager on their teams this season.

How Could Alberta Online Betting See Fewer Options?

Because the province is so permissive with allowing operators, it’s taking a hard line on rules for joining. In order to offer legal sports betting and iGaming, a previously grey operator must stop taking all bets by July 13. It also must pay out all existing action before it can become legal.

Daily fantasy sports are also likely to disappear. The AGC’s rules require that regulated games only be offered to people in the province, unless offered in conjunction with another province. That’s modeled on Ontario’s laws, and that provision forced DFS providers to stop offering the option in Ontario.

Because DFS contests are legally considered iGaming in Canada, Alberta customers cannot mix with any other province besides Ontario. They also cannot mix with customers from the U.S., which drastically limits DFS contests. Because of that, it’s not practical for sportsbooks to offer them in Alberta.

What Other Changes Could Come?

Any providers operating outside the rules of Alberta online betting have until Oct. 13 to either apply for and obtain a license, or shut their site down.