RP Staff·

iGaming Specialists Explain The Current State Of Casino Industry In Alberta

Naughty but nice

Judging by the way iGaming is regulated in Alberta, you can see that it sits firmly in the ‘fun but slightly naughty’ camp alongside liquor and cannabis. The regulatory office for all three is the ALGC. Its stated aims are that it is an organization that maintains the integrity of gambling activities while maximizing the financial returns to the services and programs that support Albertans.

As Casino.org’s Hannah Cutajar explains,

“Canadians enjoy gambling. Over 60% of residents admit to spending money on wagering and playing casino games within the last month. Therefore, the authorities want to make sure people can do so in the safest possible way. They also want to ensure that revenue from the industry flows back into good causes in the province rather than off-shore into corporate profits. We all recognize that gambling companies need to make a profit, but a well-run, well-regulated industry is a win-win scenario for players, operators and state coffers too.”

Staying safe 

Her colleague Jemma McColgan adds,

“One of the things ALGC (and other regulators) are hot on is keeping citizens safe and protecting them from potential gambling harms. You can have a great entertainment session by playing on licensed sites from reputable casino brands. My golden rule is to know your limits and play responsibly. That means setting a budget before you start, setting yourself a time frame and taking regular breaks. I prefer strategic games like poker; the live dealer games are almost unreal. However, you must master the cards and know the rules to increase your chances of winning”.

Use review sites to help find the best places to play

Whether you want to have a wager on the hockey or soccer, play poker, slots or other online casino games, knowing where to find the best online casinos in Alberta is not always easy. Cutajar adds.

“Well you can do worse than taking a look on Casino.org if you want to find the best online casinos in Alberta. Our in-house, independent experts go through a twenty-five-step review process to come up with our casino ratings. In addition, we also listen out for what other people are saying about where is hot and where is not!  We do not allow online casinos to pay us to improve their rankings. Our review site looks at a wide range of factors, including licensing, security, payment methods, customer service, interface, connectivity, software partners,  games on offer and bonus deals. We then compile the data to make our recommendations”.

“While it can be fun to watch influencers trying out their favourite games, it is important to remember that they might be paid to play them. So, while we take notice of what they are saying and have a look at the games and sites they recommend, we always run their recommendations against our reality checks. If the facts do not correspond, we will not be swayed. We want to make sure that people genuinely get the best recommendations”.

Gambling and the law

Jemma and Hannah discuss the history of Alberta’s online gambling and casino law to help readers understand what is happening in the province now.  

Hannah explains,

“Alberta’s  ‘Strong and Free’ motto can be applied equally to the province’s position on online gambling. Residents are free to play at many great First Nations land-based gambling joints and the best online sites.  Back in the 1920s, organized gambling took the form of wagering on horse racing or participating in church bingo. Then, gaming machines, lotteries, and sweepstakes became established throughout the province over the next few decades. Temporary casinos were a big draw at summer fairs. 

It was not until the 1980s  that permanent charitable casinos became established. These included Edmonton’s Casino ABS and Calgary’s Cash Casino. By 1995, there were eleven land-based casinos, and now there are twenty-seven. Edmonton and Calgary have six each. Many of them are now luxury getaway venues.”

McCOLGAN says.

“Online casinos became established in the early 2000s, but what really boosted their popularity was the advent of the smartphone and improved internet connections. Before then, they were somewhat style over substance. To be fair, most of the stuff on the internet was. It was not until people had a computer in their pocket with fast connectivity that online casinos took off. Mobile gaming takes online casinos somewhere else. Rather than being stuck at home behind a terminal screen, people can take gaming with them wherever they go. With optimized browsers for small screens and great apps, people can play what they like, where they like. Online casinos may have started as slightly niche but are now hugely popular.”

“Albertans do still love the lottery, too. It might first have been recorded in the province over a hundred years ago, but it is still going strong. Residents have various lottery options they can play. AGLC oversees the provincial lottery options, and there are also popular national ones like Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49. These options offer substantial jackpots. After all, who has not dreamed of that big lottery win?”

“There are also regional drawers like Western 649 and Western Max, which have generous prizes. Lotteries can be entered into via physical retailers and online platforms. Albertans can easily access lottery games. Official websites and authorized third-party platforms exist for those who like to play online. In addition, tickets can be bought from authorized dealers throughout the province”. 

Things can only get better

Hannah points out that things are about to get even better for Albertans,

“Alberta has confirmed the province’s broad plans to open up its market in line with Ontario’s. Commercial online gambling there has contributed CA$2.7bn to the province’s GDP. No specific timeline has been set out, but betting and gambling will expand beyond what Play Alberta offers. An independent administrator for the commercial market will be appointed, and First Nations interest will be involved in the online market.”

Alberta’s Minister for Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, said,

“It’s going to be very similar to Ontario. We’re following their model as they built the roadmap. We’ll massage it a little bit, but it’s been inspired by the experience in Ontario. It’s going to be an open and free market.”

The experts at Casino.org agree that the approach in Ontario has been incredibly successful and look forward to seeing how Alberta develops its market.

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