Is online gambling legal in Alberta?

Key takeaways

• Alberta opened its regulated market on July 13, 2026. Private operators can now legally offer online casino games and sports betting to Albertans, but only if they are registered with AGLC and have signed an agreement with the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC).
• 34 sites are on the official list. As of September 30, 2026, AiGC’s directory lists 34 registered iGaming sites. AGLC’s register shows 42 “iGaming – Operator” registrations held by 40 distinct entities, and one of those 40 is Play Alberta itself (39 private operators plus Play Alberta).
• Self-exclusion covers online sites, venues or both. AGLC’s Self-Exclusion Program at selfexclusion.ca lets you block yourself from all registered iGaming sites, from casinos and racing entertainment centres, or from both, for six months up to three years.

The short answer

Canada’s Criminal Code bans most gambling but carves out exceptions. The main one for online casinos, lotteries and sports betting is section 207, which lets a provincial government “conduct and manage a lottery scheme” in its province “in accordance with any law enacted by the legislature of that province”. Section 204 separately exempts things such as private bets between individuals and pari-mutuel betting on horse races.

Before July 2026, Play Alberta was the province’s own online casino, lottery and sports site, and private operators had no way to be licensed in Alberta. Alberta’s government says about 70% of online gambling in the province went to unregulated operators before the new market opened (Government of Alberta, July 13, 2026). The iGaming Alberta Act (Bill 48) set up the new system. It received Royal Assent on May 15, 2025 (Legislative Assembly of Alberta).

Since July 13, 2026, AGLC says all operators must be registered with AGLC and must have signed a commercial agreement with the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AGLC iGaming). AiGC told unregulated operators to stop taking bets and return player balances by that date (AiGC FAQs). AiGC’s position is simple: “If an operator does not appear in our directory, it is not regulated” (AiGC Player Hub).

Who does what: AGLC and AiGC

Two provincial bodies share the job. AGLC itself tells players to “be aware of the difference”.

An operator needs both steps: registration with AGLC first, then a commercial agreement with AiGC (AGLC iGaming). Every operator must also hold independent RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council and connect to AGLC’s central self-exclusion system before AiGC will sign with it (AiGC FAQs).

How many sites are legal right now?

Which number matters to you? The 34 in AiGC’s directory: those are the sites you can legally play on. AGLC’s 42 are company registrations (one company, Cadtree Limited, holds three, and Play Alberta holds one), and a registration alone does not put a site in the market. Some registered companies, such as Bet99, Stake Canada, PointsBet and GG Poker, had no site in AiGC’s directory on September 30, 2026. Neither official list supports claims of “50+ operators”.

Some well-known brands are on AiGC’s list. For example, both FanDuel Casino and FanDuel Sportsbook appear in the directory, as do bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings and theScore. Brands change, so always check the live list rather than a third-party article.

We keep both lists in one place, updated from the official registers: Alberta registered operators tracker and site lookup. See how the market got here on our Alberta igaming launch tracker.

How to check whether a site is legal in Alberta

1. Search the official directory. Look for the site on AiGC’s Registered iGaming Sites page, or search the company on AGLC’s gaming registrants list. Our lookup brings both lists together.
2. Look for the AiGC logo. AiGC says approved sites show the official AiGC logo and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) seal at the top or bottom of the homepage (AiGC FAQs).
3. Check the ads. AGLC says ads from approved operators carry the AiGC logo and must include responsible gambling information, including 211 Alberta (AGLC iGaming).

AiGC says that if an operator does not appear in its directory, “it is not regulated”, and that unregistered operators offer “No guaranteed oversight or consumer protection”. They are also outside the central self-exclusion program and AiGC’s dispute process (AiGC Player Hub).

Can a player be charged for using an unregistered site? AGLC, AiGC and the Government of Alberta only set out duties for operators. The federal Criminal Code does have a player-side offence: section 207(3)(b) makes taking part in a lottery scheme that no province authorizes a summary conviction offence. Operators face the heavier charge, up to two years in prison (s. 207(3)(a)). The more practical risk is that AiGC’s dispute process and the self-exclusion program don’t reach those sites.

What about Kahnawake-licensed sites? The Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission, based in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke near Montréal, has licensed online gaming since 1996 and says its authority is an inherent Indigenous right. A Kahnawà:ke permit is not an AGLC registration, and since July 13, 2026 AGLC says all operators must be registered with AGLC (AGLC iGaming). Our offshore sites explainer covers the court fight over this in Ontario.

Legal gambling age in Alberta

18. AiGC says: “You must be 18 years of age or older to legally register, deposit funds, and play on any regulated iGaming site in Alberta” (AiGC FAQs). AGLC’s rules for operators say “an individual under 18 years of age” is not eligible to play, and that minors “must not enter or remain on an iGaming site” (SRIG, rev. June 18, 2026). Play Alberta also displays an 18+ notice (playalberta.ca).

You also need to be inside Alberta. AiGC says you must be “physically located within Alberta’s borders to log in or place bets with regulated operators” (AiGC FAQs).

What you can play legally

According to AiGC, regulated sites offer online slots, live dealer table games, peer-to-peer poker and sports betting. Poker games are limited to players physically in Alberta (AiGC FAQs). Play Alberta offers casino, sports, live dealer, lottery and instant games (playalberta.ca).

AiGC lists some rules that apply on every regulated site (AiGC FAQs):

• No cryptocurrency for deposits or withdrawals.
• No auto-play on slots, and no playing several screens at once.
• Limits on “free” offers. A bonus cannot be called “free” if you must risk your own money to get it.
• Protected deposits. Player funds must be held in Canadian trust accounts, separate from the operator’s own money.
• Disputes. If an operator doesn’t resolve a complaint within 72 hours, you can ask AiGC for an independent review.

Advertising rules

AGLC sets three headline rules for ads from registered operators (AGLC iGaming):

1. Look for the logo. Advertising from approved operators carries the Alberta iGaming Corporation logo.
2. Responsible gambling messaging. Ads must refer to responsible gambling information, including 211 Alberta.
3. Limits on endorsements. AGLC’s wording bars “athletes or persons who appeal to minors” from endorsing an operator’s product, except to promote responsible gambling features. AiGC’s FAQ describes the rule more narrowly, as a ban on advertising that “features active professional athletes” or targets minors (AiGC FAQs).

AGLC controls what gambling ads say, but not how often they run. You can send a concern about the content of a specific ad to AGLC. Concerns about how often ads appear, or where, go to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) (AGLC iGaming).

Self-exclusion in Alberta

Self-exclusion is run by AGLC through its Self-Exclusion Program at selfexclusion.ca. GameSense is a different thing: it is “AGLC’s responsible gambling program, designed to give players tools and resources” (GameSense).

Choose what to block (AGLC iGaming):

• all registered iGaming sites (online only),
• all casinos and racing entertainment centres (venues only), or
• both online sites and venues.

Choose how long: six months, one year, two years or three years (GameSense).

How sign-up works. Sign-up is online. According to AGLC, you enter your name as it appears on government ID, add details such as your date of birth, height and weight, upload a headshot photo and accept the terms (AGLC iGaming FAQs). Only you can sign yourself up. While you are enrolled, you cannot receive a prize in a gaming facility (GameSense). Every registered operator has to connect to this central system (AGLC iGaming).

Questions: call AGLC’s Self-Exclusion Program at 1-844-468-8034 or email se@aglc.ca (AGLC common gaming questions).

Where to get help in Alberta

• 211 Alberta: free and confidential, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and available in several languages. Call 211, text INFO to 211, or use online chat. It can refer you to addiction services and counselling (AiGC Get Help).
• Addiction Helpline: 1-866-332-2322, 24/7 and confidential (listed on playalberta.ca).
• GameSense Info Line: 1-833-447-7523, for questions about your gambling habits (GameSense).
• Other support that AiGC lists includes Money Mentors (debt repayment), Alberta Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon for families, and the Hope for Wellness Helpline for Indigenous people (AiGC Get Help).

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

What has changed recently

• May 15, 2025. Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, received Royal Assent. It created AiGC and named AGLC as the regulator (Legislative Assembly of Alberta).
• January 14, 2026. AGLC issued the Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming (SRIG). A few sections were revised on February 5, March 17 and June 18, 2026; the June 18 version is the current one (SRIG).
• July 13, 2026. The regulated market launched with 22 registered sites (AiGC, Government of Alberta).
• September 30, 2026. AiGC’s directory lists 34 sites (AiGC Registered iGaming Sites), and AGLC’s register shows 42 “iGaming – Operator” registrations held by 40 distinct entities, including Play Alberta (AGLC gaming registrants). AiGC’s Reports page has no market revenue figures yet, only expense and compensation disclosures. AiGC says it “will publish quarterly market performance reports” (AiGC FAQs).

Where the money goes. Operators keep 80% of net iGaming revenue and the province keeps 20%. Before that split, 3% of gross gaming revenue is set aside: 2% for First Nations initiatives and 1% for social responsibility programs such as education, research and treatment (Alberta’s iGaming Strategy, Government of Alberta). AiGC says its goal is to bring 75% of the market onto regulated sites within its first two years (AiGC Operators).

Practical next steps

1. Check the site before you sign up. Use AiGC’s directory or our Alberta lookup. The government-run option is playalberta.ca.
2. Set limits first. Regulated sites let you set deposit, loss and session-time limits in your account settings (AiGC FAQs).
3. Need to stop? Enrol at selfexclusion.ca and choose online, venues or both.
4. Talk to someone. Call or text 211, any time.

Frequently asked questions

Is sports betting legal in Alberta?

Yes. Play Alberta offers sports betting, and AiGC says regulated private sites offer “comprehensive sports betting markets”. Several sportsbooks are in AiGC’s directory. Betting on a single game has been legal in Canada since August 27, 2021, when Bill C-218 came into force (LEGISinfo). You must be 18 or older and physically in Alberta.

Do I pay tax on gambling winnings in Alberta?

AiGC’s answer is no: “the Canada Revenue Agency does not tax recreational gaming winnings” (AiGC FAQs).

Can I play on Alberta sites while travelling outside the province?

No. AiGC says you must be “physically located within Alberta’s borders to log in or place bets with regulated operators” (AiGC FAQs).

Can I be charged for gambling on an offshore site from Alberta?

In law, yes. Section 207(3)(b) of the Criminal Code makes playing in a lottery scheme that no province authorizes a summary conviction offence. Alberta’s own rules (AGLC, AiGC) are aimed at operators, and an unregistered site is outside AiGC’s dispute process and AGLC’s self-exclusion program.

Is Play Alberta still open?

Yes. AiGC says Play Alberta continues as the province’s own government-run platform, alongside the regulated private operators.

This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice. Last reviewed September 30, 2026, against the official sources listed below.