At the moment, a new gambling regulation is being discussed in Alberta. With it, the AGLC will maintain its regulatory and oversight role, but a new entity called The Alberta iGaming Corporation will be in charge of the commercial side of the sector.
The Role of the AGLC in Alberta's Gambling Industry
The AGLC role in Alberta gambling is guided by the provisions set by the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, and they include:
- Licensing and regulating charitable gaming activities, which can include bingos, casinos, raffles, and pull ticket sales.
- Owning and managing provincial gaming activities, such as slot machines, VLTs, bingo and Keno.
- Registering individuals who work in the gaming industry.
- Inspecting the licensing establishment to ensure that all games are run properly.
- Informing casino players on responsible gambling in Alberta through the GameSense brand.
- Investigating potential criminal activities within the gaming industry.
- Manage and regulate PlayAlbera, which, in the absence of Alberta online casinos, is the only licensed operator. AGLC uses this online casino to promote responsible gambling tools in Alberta to players.
How AGLC Regulates Gambling in Alberta - Licensing and Compliance Standards
AGLC's licensing and compliance standards include a set of requirements for all gaming operators. They include secure software, fair game practices, financial stability, and responsible gambling. Under the current Alberta gambling laws, the AGLC enforces compliance through regular audits and inspections. Penalties for non-compliance can range from written warnings to financial penalties and license revocations. The specific penalty will vary, depending on the severity of the infraction.
As for licensing new Alberta online casinos, the AGLC handles the process, which is not open to unsolicited applications. To get a license, a casino must:
- Request for Expression of Interest and Application Process: A screening tool through which AGLC invites new organizations to participate in casino events. Here, potential new partners are identified through eligibility screens.
- Selection of applicants: Then, the AGLC selects the most suitable applicant before moving forward.
- Community support: The applicants must demonstrate community support for the casino by providing volunteers. In return, the applicants get a share of the profits.
- Construction and licensing: It may take up to six weeks for the AGLC to review a license application before allowing the applicants to proceed with construction.
AGLC Responsible Gambling Oversight and Player Protection
AGLC responsible gambling Alberta encourages all casino players in the province to use the GameSense responsible gambling program. It provides many resources and tools, some of which are mandatory and must be posted in every casino venue, including VLT locations.
The official GameSense website has many responsible gambling tools Alberta players can use along with resources and videos available that can encourage healthy gambling behaviors by players.
Players can also get in touch with the Alberta problem gambling helpline via GameSense, which works from Tuesday to Saturday. Every year, GameSense organizes a so-called Responsible Gambling Awareness Week which is showcased in every casino, VLT location, and racing entertainment centers. Its purpose is to inform the public about responsible gambling principles.
If players find themselves gambling too much, there is a Self-Exclusion program where players can choose to be excluded from casino gaming for a period ranging from six months to three years. Once the self-exclusion agreement is complete, players won't be able to withdraw or cancel the agreement before the expiry date.
Revenue Oversight and Community Funding
All revenue generated from VLTs, slots, and electronic Bingo goes straight to the Alberta Lottery Fund. Then, the Alberta government will disperse the money to a wide range of provincial operations:
- Health care
- School transportation
- Culture and tourism programs and grants
- Community and social services
- Highway maintenance
- Agricultural service boards and societies
- Alberta Parks organization
- Funding the First Nations Development Fund (a provincial lottery grant program that provides funding for several community projects).
- This doesn't include revenue from table games, bingo, raffles and pull tickets, which operate under the charitable gaming provision in Alberta. These funds are used for approved charitable or religious purposes.
Transition from AGLC to iGaming Alberta
Alberta's Legislative Assembly has already approved the iGaming Alberta Act. Once it is enacted, it will authorize private online casinos and sports betting sites to apply for licenses.
With the new Alberta online gambling laws, the AGLC will still be in charge of licensing, registration, compliance and enforcement, while market management (setting up technical standards, managing the operator registry, and enforcing responsible gambling rules) will be assigned to a new agency called Alberta iGaming Corporation. The expected market launch is early 2026.
The goal of this new regulation is to bring more casino players from the province into the legal system. Through this, new consumer protection mechanisms, like self-exclusion tools, will be added, while gambling revenue will be kept in Alberta, rather than losing it to offshore casinos that don't have local licenses.
The Future of Gambling Regulation and the AGLC in Alberta
Alberta's new legislative effort comes as a response to the growing concerns over the size of Alberta's unregulated and grey gambling market. Industry reports over the past few years have shown that international casinos dominate the gambling landscape in Alberta, which has led to regulators seeking a more robust casino legislation.
Proponents of the new gambling laws say that legalizing it will reduce the number of players registering at offshore casinos, generate tax revenue for Alberta, and attract more private investments. Here, Ontario's model is cited as reference and inspiration. Since Ontario legalized online gambling, consumer activity shifted towards regulated casinos.
Once the new gambling legislation is enacted in the first quarter of 2026, Alberta will become the second Canadian province to support a fully competitive and commercial online gambling environment. Until then, Play Alberta will continue to operate as the sole legal casino in the province.
More in our Alberta Guides
If you found this guide to how AGL regulates gambling in Alberta, you might find out other guides helpful too. They cover topics like where Alberta gambling revenues go, responsible gambling resources, taxes on gambling winnings, and more. We also have expert tips for first time caisno players and how to deposit and withdraw when playing online. Check out the links below for more.
