With a commercial Alberta sports betting launch in the works, the province’s lottery product made a significant partnership play last week.
On Thursday, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis announced Play Alberta signed a multi-year partnership with the Calgary Stampede, one of the world’s largest annual rodeos. The announcement comes just weeks after it was confirmed the province will follow a commercial regulatory rollout like Ontario for Alberta sports betting.
“The partnership between PlayAlberta.ca and the Calgary Stampede will drive entertainment value up for legal-aged Albertans,” AGLC CEO Kandice Machado said in a release. “Play Alberta can now present new and exciting sports betting markets at the Calgary Stampede Rodeo, such as barrel racing, chuck wagons and bareback riding, while at the same time, present the Play Alberta brand throughout the Stampede – reminding players of the only safe-and-secure responsible gambling option currently available to them.”
New Alberta sports betting options
With the partnership, Play Alberta will be the first online platform to offer odds on “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”
Events offered will include the rodeo and chuckwagon events.
The Calgary Stampede runs July 5-14. The partnership gives Play Alberta several “high profile” brand visibility locations at the Stampede.
Calgary Stampede popularity
Alberta has 4.4 million residents. The Stampede attracted 1.4 million people in 2023, just short of the 2012 record.
That is an average daily attendance of 125,050 people.
Play Alberta sports betting revenue
Play Alberta launched shortly after single-event sports wagering began in Canada in 2021. It has maintained a monopoly since then.
Play Alberta has more than 313,000 registered player accounts, according to the release.
The operator generated $179 million in net sales in 2022-2023.
Alberta sports betting market coming
In May, Alberta lawmakers passed a bill allowing the province to proceed with creating a new regulatory body to oversee online sportsbooks and casinos.
Last month, at the Canadian Gaming Summit, Dale Nally, minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, confirmed an Ontario-like framework is in the works. It could open as soon as late 2024.
Since the confirmation, stakeholders have been bullish on the province’s online sports betting potential. Multiple projections suggest it could be a top eight online gambling market in North America.
