The province has budgeted for a feasibility study into online gaming and poker
After seeing the success of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market since it launched in April 2022, another Canadian province is contemplating doing the same. Alberta appears to be ready to at least explore the possibility, but there’s a long way to go.
Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally and Service Alberta issued a directive in July 2023 with the objective of turning the province into a sports betting and online gaming hub. Several major gaming providers hope that includes poker, with BetMGM Poker and PokerStars reportedly hiring lobbying firms to help make it a reality.
The province announced its new budget last week and has committed $1 million to explore entering a regulated gaming market. The funds would be used to “support a review of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act and supporting Regulation, with the objectives of reducing the regulatory burden on business and finding ways to increase contributions to Alberta charities and community facilities.”
The recent mandate also says the government plans to launch regulated gaming by “working with indigenous partners, finish developing and implementing Alberta’s online gaming strategy with a focus on responsible gaming and provincial and Indigenous revenue generation.”
However, as Canada’s fourth-largest province with about 4.3 million residents, creating sufficient poker player pools could be difficult. Smaller US states, such as West Virginia and Connecticut, have had problems launching operators, but at least some initial interest in Alberta could be favorable.
Sports betting providers have also been seeking changes in Alberta. For the province to see online poker become successful, establishing a shared liquidity online poker pool might be required. The Canada Poker Network (CPN) also offers regulated online poker in three markets.
CPN is part of the PlayNow online gaming platform operated by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC). It’s currently available in BC, Québec and Manitoba, which have a combined population of about 15 million.
