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What’s happening in Alberta online casinos right now

Online casinos coming to Alberta

Alberta lawmakers have not revealed how many online casino licenses will be available. However, they have pledged to follow Ontario’s model.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., there are more than 80 legal online gambling sites in Ontario. We expect the most popular Ontario online casinos to expand into Alberta as soon as they are given the green light. These are the main contenders to launch Alberta online casinos, including:

Bet365 Casino

Bet365 is the world’s most popular online gambling site, with more than 90 million customers on a global basis. The site was available in Canada’s gray market for many years, and it built up a strong player base in Alberta.

In 2022, bet365 relaunched as a regulated online casino and sportsbook in Ontario. The site stopped accepting players in other provinces and territories at that point, but it is now poised to return to Alberta. Players will have access to a wide range of games, fast payouts, and 24/7 phone support.

BetMGM Casino

BetMGM is the market leader in Ontario’s regulated online gambling industry, according to analysts at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. During a business update for investors and analysts in December 2023, E&K CEO Adam Greenblatt said the site has a 22% market share in Ontario, and it has maintained that popularity.

We expect the BetMGM online casino to be one of the first platforms to launch iGaming and sports betting in Alberta. In other jurisdictions where it operates, BetMGM offers an enormous library of games, including a strong selection of exclusive progressive jackpot slots.

DraftKings Casino

DraftKings has been running daily fantasy sports contests in Alberta for many years, so it is already a familiar name in the province. The Boston-based company launched an online sportsbook and casino in Ontario as soon as it was legally able to do so, and it is likely to follow suit in Wild Rose Country.

This online casino offers a large selection of slots and table games, including plenty of exclusives. Many of the games are part of DraftKings Casino’s in-house progressive jackpot network, which gives players a chance to win a large payout from a single spin or hand.

TheScore Bet Casino

TheScore Bet is another leading candidate to launch online casino gambling and sports betting in Alberta. The app has made a strong start in Ontario’s regulated market, and it could prove equally popular in the Energy Province.

Albertans are familiar with the brand, which could give theScore a head-start over rivals in the province. This online casino offers a simple, accessible user interface, strong customer support, and reliable payments.

Caesars Palace Casino

Caesars Palace Casino is one of the most popular casino apps in the United States, and it is working to carve out a similar status in Canada. The app has been available in Ontario since 2022, and it also could launch in Alberta on Day One.

This is another simple, user-friendly online casino that offers broad betting limits to suit all budgets. Caesars Palace Casino also provides 24/7 phone support and same-day payouts.

Jackpot City Casino

Jackpot City Casino is a stylish site that has been available in the Canadian gray market for several years. Parent company Super Group runs several regulated gambling sites in Ontario, including Jackpot City, Betway, Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, and Spin Casino, and it is likely to target Alberta, too.

BetRivers Casino

BetRivers is another leading online casino, which is already available in Ontario, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia. The site offers thousands of games, including a variety of exclusives, and it also provides instant withdrawals via its automated payment system.

Spin Genie

Spin Genie is famous for offering a huge selection of games. It features more than 6,000 titles in many markets around the world, although it will not be able to offer the full range in Alberta right away. Spin Genie is up and running in Ontario, and we expect it to target an Alberta license, too.

Slots Magic

This popular online casino will aim to deliver a magical experience when it launches in Alberta. Slots Magic has a distinctive purple-and-gold color scheme, a high-quality user interface, and a diverse range of slots and live dealer games.

PlayOJO

PlayOJO is a distinctive online casino that offers a unique rakeback system, which is designed to increase the return-to-player rate of its slots. This site also offers additional distinct features, a broad range of slots, and a light-hearted approach to online casino gambling.

Types of casino games available in Alberta

Online casino games in Alberta fall into four main categories: slots, virtual table games, live dealer games and variety games. Here are more details about each:

Slots

Slots are simple games of chance. You just need to spin the reels, and you will win a prize if matching symbols appear on one or more paylines.

Albertans can play thousands of online slots. Options range from classic three-reel slots to the latest Megaways slots, progressive jackpot slots, and 3D video slots.

Some of the world’s leading online slot providers operate in Alberta, as they supply games to the government-run PlayAlberta site. Options include NetEnt, Red Tiger, IGT, Everi, AGS, Ainsworth, Inspired Entertainment, High 5 Games, and Konami.

Virtual table games

These games include craps, blackjack, online roulette, and baccarat. They are powered by random number generators that have undergone independent testing for fairness and accuracy, and they offer a similar experience to live table games at land-based casinos in Alberta.

You can also play video poker and table poker games, such as Three Card Poker. These games are all available at PlayAlberta, and they will soon be available at privately operated Alberta online casinos, too.

Live dealer games

These games allow you to connect with an actual dealer in a professional studio. You can watch the games unfold in real time, and you can interact with the dealer and fellow players. There is no need for RNGs, as the host deals the cards or spins the wheel.

Evolution Gaming is the world’s leading supplier of live dealer games. It already provides options like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, video poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, sic bo, and game shows to PlayAlberta. Titles can include classic table games and variants like Lightning Roulette.

Variety games

Some games don’t fall into the category of either slots or table games. They include keno, bingo, crash games, online scratchers, and arcade-style games like Mines and Plinko. At most online casinos, these games are referred to as variety games or casual games.

History of online gambling in Alberta 

Unregulated online casinos and sportsbooks have been operating in a gray market in Alberta for many years. These sites never obtained legal permission to accept players in Alberta, but the government did not take any steps to prevent them from doing so.

However, that all changed when Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis launched PlayAlberta in October 2020. The government-run site became the first legal, regulated online gambling platform in the province. AGLC Chair Len Rhodes announced that proceeds would help support “valuable programs and services Albertans rely on every day.”

The site launched with online slots and virtual table games. PlayAlberta then added live dealer games and internet lottery (iLottery) games in 2021. The iLottery games include instant win titles, which are similar to scratchers, and tickets for draw games like Lotto Max and Lotto 649.

In September 2021, PlayAlberta added sports betting. This followed the federal government’s decision to legalize single-game sports wagering for the first time. Prior to 2021, regulated sites like PlayAlberta could only accept parlays with at least three legs.

Sport Select, a site run by the Western Canada Lottery Corp., also began offering single game online sports betting in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Canada’s three northern territories in 2021. PlayAlberta and Sport Select have been the only legal online gambling sites in Alberta, but they have still faced competition from the gray market, which lawmakers now commonly refer to as the illegal market.

In May 2024, the Alberta legislative assembly passed Bill 16. This bill amended the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act to allow a regulated online gambling market to open in Alberta. The first privately operated online casinos and sportsbooks are poised to launch by early 2025.

Payment methods at Alberta online casinos

You can use a wide range of payment methods when adding funds to an online casino account in Alberta. These are the most common options:

PlayAlberta accepts all four of these deposit methods. Some of the new Alberta online casinos may support additional payment methods, too, such as iDebit, Instadebit, MuchBetter, and Apple Pay.

At online casinos, the minimum deposit is usually $10, and the maximum deposit limit can vary according to the method. If you play at legal, regulated online casinos in Alberta, you will also receive secure, reliable payouts.

Alberta online casinos to avoid

It is important to avoid unregulated online casinos in Alberta. These sites do not fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial or federal government, so you will have no legal recourse if you are scammed.

Some Canadian players have been cheated at illicit online casinos, and others have had their data stolen. You cannot rely on unlicensed, unregulated sites to keep you safe or treat you fairly, so we recommend avoiding them and sticking to legal, regulated sites and apps instead.

Land-based Alberta casinos

There are 29 land-based casinos in Alberta. Eleven are located in Edmonton, nine are in Calgary, and the other nine are scattered about the province.

The chart below lists the land-based casinos in the province along with each one’s available games, such as slot machines, live table games, electronic table games, and video lottery terminals.

CasinoAddressPhone NumberGaming Options
Ace Casino Airport40 Aero Crescent NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6W5403-287-1183Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Ace Casino Blackfoot4040 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB T2G 4E6403-287-1635Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Bear Hills Casino & Travel ResortCounty Of Wetaskiwin No. 10, AB T0C 1H0587-829-0504Slot machines, live table games
Bullys Casino3401 Parkside Drive S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4R3403-380-1905Slot machines, VLTs
Camrose Casino3201 48 Ave., Camrose, AB T4V 0K9780-679-0904Slot machines, live table games, VLTs
Cash Casino Red Deer6350 67 St., Red Deer, AB T4P 3L7403-346-3339Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Casino DeneRoute 28 & AB-897, Cold Lake, AB T9M 1P4780-594-7900Slot machines, live table games
Century Casino Edmonton13103 Fort Road NW, Edmonton, AB T5A 1C3780-643-4000Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Century Downs260 Century Downs Drive, Rocky View, AB T4A 0V5587-349-7777Slot machines, electronic table games, VLTs
Century Mile4711 Airport Perimeter Road, Edmonton International Airport, AB T9E 0V6587-416-6453Slot machines, electronic table games, Replay Arena VLTs
Century St. Albert24 Boudreau Road, St. Albert, AB T8N 6K3780-460-8092Slot machines, live table games, VLTs
Copper Coulee Casino1051 Ross Glen Drive SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3T8403-504-4584Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Cowboys Casino421 12 Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 1A5403-514-0900Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Deerfoot Inn & Casino11500 35 St. SE #1000, Calgary, AB T2Z 3W4403-236-7542Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Eagle River CasinoCorner of Highway 43 & 32N, Whitecourt, AB T7S 1N3780-779-2727Slot machines, live table games, VLTs
Elbow River Casino218 18 Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 1L1403-289-8880Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Evergreen Park CasinoEvergreen Park, Grande Prairie, AB T8X 4A3780-532-3279Slot machines, VLTs
Grand Villa Casino10204 104 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0H6780-413-3178Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games
Great Northern Casino10910 107 Ave., Grande Prairie, AB T8V 7R2780-539-4454Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Grey Eagle Casino3777 Grey Eagle Drive, Calgary, AB T3E 3X8403-385-3777Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Pure Casino Calgary1420 Meridian Road NE, Calgary, AB T2A 2N9403-248-9467Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Pure Casino Edmonton7055 Argyll Road NW, Edmonton, AB T6C 4A5780-463-9467Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Pure Casino Lethbridge3756 2 Ave. S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4Y9403-381-9467Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Pure Casino Yellowhead12464 153 St. NW, Edmonton, AB T5V 1S5780-424-9467Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Red Deer Resort & Casino3310 50 Ave., Red Deer, AB T4N 3X9403-342-5825Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
River Cree Casino300 East Lapotac Boulevard, Enoch, AB T7X 3Y3780-484-2121Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, VLTs
Rivers Casino & Entertainment Centre9825 Hardin St., Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1R7780-790-9739Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games
Starlight Casino8882 170 St. NW #2710, Edmonton, AB T5T 3J7780-444-2112Slot machines, electronic table games, live table games, Replay Arena, VLTs
Stoney Nakoda Resort & Casino888 Nakoda Way, Kananaskis, AB T0L 1N0403-881-2830Slot machines, live table games, VLTs

Responsible gambling in Alberta

Online casinos are designed to offer Albertans a form of entertainment. They should be enjoyed in moderation, and never treated as a guaranteed solution to any financial difficulties or goals you may have.

If you are struggling to gamble responsibly, there are several resources you can access in Alberta:

Resources
  • Call the Alberta Health Services Addictions Help Line at 866-332-2322 for confidential support at any time.
  • Visit the GameSense section of the PlayAlberta site to learn more about the odds of winning and commonly held gambling myths.
  • Call a GameSense advisor at 833-447-7523 to discuss your gambling and to learn more about the tools at your disposal.
  • Visit GamTalk for peer-to-peer support for a gambling problem.
  • Sign up for the AGLC’s self-exclusion program, which offers six-month, one-year, two-year, and three-year exclusion periods from all casinos, racing entertainment centers, and PlayAlberta.
  • Call the Problem Gambling Resources Network in Edmonton at 780-461-1259.

Explore More

Legal Sports Report focuses on the regulated sports betting and casino market. Our state pages provide in-depth information related to online casino and sports betting apps.

Alberta online casinos FAQ

Is it legal to gamble in Alberta?

Yes. PlayAlberta is currently the only legal online casino or sportsbook available in the province, but lawmakers will be expanding the industry in the coming weeks or months.

Is there an online casino in Alberta?

Yes. PlayAlberta is currently available to anyone over 18 who is physically located in Alberta.

Can you play Jackpot City in Alberta?

No. PlayAlberta is currently the only online casino and sportsbook available in the province. Apps like Jackpot City could launch sometime in the near future.

Are Alberta online casinos safe?

As of now, PlayAlberta is the only legal and safe option for online casino gaming and online sports betting in the province. You may encounter other online gaming sites that claim to be safe and legal, but they are operating offshore and are not licensed in Canada.