What changed for people in Alberta who gamble online on July 13, 2026? On that day Alberta opened a regulated market, and Alberta online gambling now has a regulator, a public directory of registered sites and one self-exclusion program. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) regulates the operators, the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) oversees the market, and the minimum age is 18. This guide gives general information and is not legal advice.
What changed in Alberta online gambling on July 13, 2026
According to the Government of Alberta, the province's regulated igaming market officially launched on July 13, 2026. The market rests on the iGaming Alberta Act, which the province's list of proclamations cites as SA 2025 cI-0.2. Private operators can now register to offer online gambling in Alberta.
Federal law explains why the rules differ across the country. Under section 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code, the government of a province may “conduct and manage a lottery scheme,” so each province decides how online gambling works within its borders. When checked on October 6, 2026, only Ontario and Alberta had opened a market to private operators, and Ontario did so on April 4, 2022. For the other provinces, see who regulates online gambling in each province.
The province's own site is a separate case. PlayAlberta.ca was running on October 6, 2026, with casino games, live dealer games, lottery and sports betting. It does not appear in the AiGC directory, and AGLC's self-exclusion page still names it. How Play Alberta fits into the new market is not explained on the official pages read for this guide. A summary by the law firm Gowling WLG, dated April 16, 2026, described Play Alberta as the only registered operator authorized to offer lottery on behalf of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC).
The table sums up what the official sources say applies since the launch.
| Topic | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | AGLC | Government of Alberta |
| Market oversight | AiGC | Government of Alberta |
| List of sites | Directory kept by AiGC | AiGC |
| Minimum age | 18 | AGLC standards |
| Self-exclusion | One program, regulated sites included | AGLC |
| Disputes | Site first, up to 90 days | AGLC |
Who does what: AGLC and the Alberta iGaming Corporation
The Government of Alberta explains the split in one sentence: AiGC oversees the igaming market, while AGLC serves as the market regulator. AGLC's own igaming page adds detail. AGLC is responsible for regulatory oversight of the province's igaming industry, and AiGC is responsible for commercial agreements, anti-money laundering, public complaints and financial reporting. AiGC describes its own job as “conducting and managing a legal, responsible, and secure online gaming market in Alberta.” That is AiGC's wording, not a finding about any site.
What the regulator actually checks
AGLC publishes the Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming, in its March 2026 edition, and registered operators must follow them. When an operator breaks the rules, AGLC says it “has tools to issue warnings, suspensions or monetary penalties to the operator,” according to its disputes page.
AGLC's reach has two limits: it does not recover money for players, and its standards apply only to operators in the directory.
How do you check whether a site is registered in Alberta?
Open the AiGC directory of registered sites and look for the site by name and web address. The directory describes its sites as “reviewed for security, integrity, and responsible gaming.” A site that is not listed there is not shown as registered in Alberta, whatever its own pages say.
- Open the AiGC directory of registered sites.
- Find the site's name in the list, then compare the web address in your browser with the address the directory gives. Copycat sites can reuse names and logos, so a matching name alone is not enough.
- Write down the date you checked, and look again before you deposit if some time has passed.
- If the site is not listed, read the section on sites outside the directory below.
The directory page carries no “accurate as of” date and says nothing about sites that are not in it. It also does not describe a logo or badge that identifies a registered site, so the listing itself is the check.
What the rules require of a registered site
The requirements below come from AGLC's standards, in its March 2026 edition, unless another source is named.
Age
A person under 18 years of age may not take part. A government factsheet published on January 13, 2026 speaks of “setting the minimum age to place bets online at 18 years.” Ontario's minimum age is 19, so the age depends on the province, not on the site. See the legal gambling age in each province for the full picture.
Payments
Cryptocurrency is “not legal tender and must not be accepted.” The standards also bar operators from extending credit to players, with one carve-out: the rule “does not prohibit a player from using a credit card issued in their name.”
Support and disputes
Registered operators “must provide 24-hour customer care for players to report a dispute.” They must also give players AGLC's number for Gaming Irregularities, 1-800-742-7818.
Limits
The Government of Alberta describes strong safeguards for people who gamble, including a centralized self-exclusion system. A summary by Gowling WLG also mentions mandatory responsible gambling features such as financial and time-based limits. The exact wording, the periods they cover and any cooling-off rules were not available from the official pages read for this guide. Check the limit settings on a registered site itself before relying on them.
Advertising
The same factsheet says advertising must not “be directed at a minor, or include an individual who is or appears to be a minor,” and that it must “be truthful and must not mislead or misrepresent products.” An AGLC bulletin says the advertising standards moved into section 4.1 of the standards on June 18, 2026. The full text of those rules was not available for this guide, so it does not describe them further.
Self-exclusion in Alberta
Self-exclusion means asking to be kept out of gambling for a set period. AGLC describes its centralized program as a responsible gambling feature available to casinos, racing entertainment centres and “legally operated iGaming platforms in Alberta.” The program's own website offers three choices: casinos and racing entertainment centres, regulated igaming platforms, or both. The period runs between six months and three years.
AGLC's page about the program lists four terms: six months, one year, two years and three years. It also says that once the agreement is signed, “It cannot be cancelled or changed in any way.” That page still names PlayAlberta.ca and does not mention the newly registered sites, so the program's website is the clearer guide to online coverage. Sign-up starts on that website or by phone at 1-844-468-8034.
If gambling is causing harm to you or someone you care about, the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is at 1-866-332-2322. AiGC's help page also points to 211 Alberta, which it describes as “free, confidential support and referrals.”
Where this applies
The program is Alberta's. It does not carry over to other provinces, and Ontario, for example, runs a separate program called BetGuard. The official pages read for this guide describe the program as covering casinos, racing entertainment centres, regulated igaming platforms in Alberta and PlayAlberta.ca. They do not say that it reaches other sites outside the directory.
What can you do if you have a dispute with a site?
Start with the site itself. AGLC says “The best way to solve a dispute is directly with the gaming site”: read the site's terms and conditions, follow the complaints process on the site, then wait for a decision. That can take up to 90 days. AGLC cannot get your money back or make a site give it back.
AGLC states this plainly on its disputes page, and it suggests that you consider seeking independent legal advice about your dispute. A complaint can only go further if there is a regulator to take it to. For a site in the directory, AGLC is that regulator, and operators in the directory must give you its Gaming Irregularities number, 1-800-742-7818. For a site outside the directory, the official pages read for this guide describe no route for a complaint.
What about sites that are not in the directory?
A site that is not in the AiGC directory is not shown as registered in Alberta. The protections described in this guide, including AGLC's standards and the dispute number, are tied to registration, and the centralized self-exclusion program is described as covering the regulated market. That describes the rules and is not a verdict on any site.
Operators already serving Alberta before the market opened were a separate question. A summary by the law firm Gowling WLG, dated April 16, 2026, reported that AGLC had said transitional relief for existing operators was assessed case by case and was “generally not expected to extend beyond October 13, 2026.” That is a law firm's account and not AGLC's own wording. No official statement on what happened after that date was found for this guide.
If you hold a balance on a site that has stopped serving Alberta, or you cannot tell whether it still does, ask the site to let you withdraw your funds and keep every email, statement and screenshot with the date of each. The official pages read for this guide say nothing about what happens to balances, so no outcome can be promised. If you suspect a scam, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) and tell your bank about any payment you do not recognize.
What did not change
Tax on winnings is a federal matter, and the opening of Alberta's market does not alter it. The Canada Revenue Agency lists lottery winnings of any amount among the amounts that are not taxed, unless the prize can be considered income from employment, a business or property, or a prize for achievement. For the wider picture, see how gambling winnings are taxed in Canada.
The rules also remain provincial: other provinces keep their own regulators, ages and programs.
Where to report and where to get help
What can you do if something goes wrong with a site, or if gambling stops feeling under control? The contacts for Alberta online gambling are listed below.
- A dispute with a registered site that the site has not resolved: AGLC Gaming Irregularities, 1-800-742-7818.
- Registering for self-exclusion: the program's specialists, 1-844-468-8034, or its website.
- Gambling is affecting you or someone you care about: the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline, 1-866-332-2322.
- A suspected scam: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), and your bank for any payment you do not recognize.
Outside Alberta, helplines differ by province. Find yours in helplines in other provinces.
What do people in Alberta ask most often?
Who regulates Alberta online gambling?
AGLC regulates online gambling in Alberta, and the Alberta iGaming Corporation oversees the market. The Government of Alberta says AiGC oversees the igaming market while AGLC serves as the market regulator. Each province sets its own arrangements, so this answer applies only in Alberta and not in Ontario or elsewhere.
How can you check whether a gambling site is registered in Alberta?
Look for the site by name in the AiGC directory of registered sites and compare its web address with the one listed. The directory carries no date of its own, so the check is only as current as the day you make it. A site that is not listed is not shown as registered in Alberta.
How old do you have to be to gamble online in Alberta?
AGLC's standards say a person under 18 years of age may not take part, and the Government of Alberta describes a minimum age of 18 for placing bets online. Ontario's minimum age is 19, so the age depends on the province where you gamble and not on the site.
Is Play Alberta still running?
PlayAlberta.ca was running when checked on October 6, 2026. It does not appear in the AiGC directory of registered sites, and AGLC's self-exclusion page still names it. The official pages read for this guide do not explain how it fits into the new market, so no firmer statement is made here.
Does self-exclusion in Alberta cover online gambling sites?
The program's website lets you exclude yourself from casinos and racing entertainment centres, from regulated igaming platforms, or from both, for a period between six months and three years. It applies to Alberta's regulated market, and AGLC's page also names PlayAlberta.ca. It does not reach other provinces, and the official pages read for this guide do not say it reaches other sites outside the directory.
Can AGLC get your money back from a gambling site?
No. AGLC says it cannot get your money back or make a site give you your money back. It says the first step is to raise the dispute with the site, follow its complaints process and wait for a decision, which can take up to 90 days. It also suggests considering independent legal advice.
Can a registered site in Alberta accept cryptocurrency?
No. AGLC's standards state that cryptocurrency is not legal tender and must not be accepted. Credit works differently: operators may not extend credit to players, but the standards say this does not prohibit a player from using a credit card issued in their name.
Sources
Facts in this guide to Alberta online gambling were checked on October 6, 2026, unless stated otherwise.
- Government of Alberta, Alberta's iGaming strategy
- Government of Alberta, Proclamations
- Alberta iGaming Corporation, Registered iGaming sites
- Alberta iGaming Corporation, Get help
- AGLC, iGaming
- AGLC, iGaming disputes
- AGLC, Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming (PDF, March 2026)
- AGLC, Self-Exclusion Program (program website)
- AGLC, Self-Exclusion Program (AGLC page)
- Alberta Health Services, Help in Tough Times
- Criminal Code, section 207
- AGCO, Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming (Ontario start date and age)
- Canada Revenue Agency, Amounts that are not taxed
- Gowling WLG, legal summary dated April 16, 2026 (a law firm's account, not an official source; cited in the text and not linked)