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Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Alberta, Canada?
Yes, online sports betting is currently legal in Alberta, but with limitations. Single-game sports betting became legal in Alberta on September 1, 2021. However, PlayAlberta is the only fully legal online sportsbook, overseen by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), along with Sport Select, a sports betting game provided by the Western Canada Lottery Corp.
Additionally, many other Alberta sportsbooks currently operate in somewhat of a "grey market" since legal sports betting is neither technically legal or illegal in the province . These grey market operators include bet365, BET99, and Sports Interaction.
When Will Online Sports Betting Be Fully Legal In Alberta?
A new expanded market with private operators is coming. Canadian Gaming Association CEO Paul Burns has indicated that an open online gambling sector in Alberta may be operational in the first quarter of 2026.
- March 26, 2025: Bill 48: the iGaming Alberta Act has been introduced as the province's official regulatory bill
- The Alberta iGaming bill passed out of the Committee of the Whole with no amendments and was then approved on third reading
- The province issued a so-called "order in council" on June 4 proclaiming that important sections of Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, came into force the same day
Who is online sports betting legal for in Alberta?
The legal betting age for sports in Alberta is 18. This makes Alberta different from many other Canadian provinces such as British Columbia or Ontario where the legal betting age is 19.
Requirements:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Bettors must be 18 or older and located in the province to register and play on an AGLC-regulated sports betting website Play Alberta
- Some grey market operators may require users to be 19+
What online sportsbooks are legal in Alberta, Canada?
Currently legal and regulated:
PlayAlberta - the only regulated online sports betting website for people in the province Alberta Sports Betting Sites: Best Legal AB Sportsbooks (2025)
Grey market operators currently serving Alberta:
bet365, Sports Interaction, Bet99, Betway, and BetVictor Alberta are a few of the grey market options available.
Expected to launch in 2026:
DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and more are expected to launch in 2026 when the market officially goes live with legal operators outside of PlayAlberta
Why is online sports betting becoming legal in Alberta?
Several key reasons are driving Alberta's expansion:
Revenue Capture: The AGLC itself has acknowledged its share of all online gambling in the province could be less than 50%. A regulated market could help divert that activity away from offshore and illegal operators and toward ones licensed by Alberta that pay the province a cut of their revenue. Some estimates suggest grey and black market operators account for more than half of all Alberta's online gambling, perhaps as much as 90%.
Economic Potential: Last year, JMP Securities estimated the province's gambling market could surpass US$700 million annually. One U.S. investment banking firm has already predicted Alberta could become the eighth-largest online gambling market in North America.
Demographics: Alberta has favorable characteristics including Canada's youngest adult population combined with the highest per-capita GDP and highest per-capita spending on gambling.
Consumer Protection: Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, wants to make Alberta online sports betting safer for everyone and increase revenue for government programs by regulating the province's existing gambling scene. The new framework will include promoting "responsible gaming with respect to online lottery schemes".
Following Ontario's Success: Ontario, Canada's most populous province, has reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from its competitive iGaming market, which launched in 2022, providing a successful model for Alberta to follow.
Author
Brandon Justice has nearly a decade of experience covering sports, primarily working in college football, college basketball, NFL and MLB. Brandon provides a detailed analysis of the latest iGaming & sports betting trends with a wealth of experience, including writing for The Action Network & Rivals.com.