The Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (formerly the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission) is accepting bids from prospective vendors looking to enter the province’s sports betting market, according to members of the executive body at a press conference on Friday.
Competition will be fierce, as the AGLC will initially limit the Alberta market to just two private sportsbook operators, with the possibility of more private operators joining the market later on, according to AGLC acting VP of Gaming and Cannabis Steve Lautischer during the press conference.
The agency prefers to wait and see, and will consider allowing more private operators into the market after hearing from other Alberta stakeholders in the sports betting industry, preferring to deliver to consumers as quickly as possible:
Alberta Regulators To Accept Proposals From Two Private Sports Betting OperatorsLautischer hopes to have sportsbooks operational by the end of 2022, and emphasized that the AGLC is looking for retail and online sports betting options with mobile extensions.
The AGLC has already held preliminary discussions with the province’s four professional sports teams — the Calgary Flames, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Oilers, and Edmonton Elks — about the possibility of establishing sportsbooks in each of their respective sporting venues.
Alberta Regulators To Accept Proposals From Two Private Sports Betting OperatorsSnapshot of Alberta’s Sports-betting Industry
Alberta Regulators To Accept Proposals From Two Private Sports Betting OperatorsResearch suggests that Albertans spend more than $100 million CAD annually on international sportsbetting websites as well as on DFS (daily fantasy sports) games provided by operators like DraftKings and FanDuel.
Alberta Regulators To Accept Proposals From Two Private Sports Betting OperatorsPlay Alberta went live on September 1, just a few days after the Canadian federal government passed Bill C-218, which enabled gamblers to place single-game bets (as opposed to parlays).
Currently, the only legal wagering available in Canada is through provincially regulated lotteries.
An experienced iGaming commentator and analyst based in New York City - Jenny reports on regulation and gambling industry news and events.