Alberta Budget Pledges $1M For Online Gambling Review, Eyes Revenue Growth
Alberta is earmarking $1 million for an evaluation of its betting guidelines, a possible action towards an Ontario-like system of online sports betting and web casino gaming that operators hope will ultimately emerge in the Western Canadian province.
Indeed, the Alberta federal government launched its 2024 spending plan on Thursday, and the $73.2-billion spending strategy consists of additional information about what the province plans to do about iGaming.
Alberta is weighing the idea of a competitive market for online betting along the lines of what was presented 2 years earlier in Ontario, the only jurisdiction in Canada where the likes of bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel can lawfully offer sports betting and iGaming.
Thursday's spending plan may assist make such a system possible in Alberta. That, however, could depend on the outcome of a $1-million legislative and regulatory review guaranteed by the province's financial plan for the year that will end March 31, 2025.
The budget plan states "$1 million in 2024-25 will support a review of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act and supporting Regulation, with the objectives of minimizing the regulative concern on company and finding methods to increase contributions to Alberta charities and community facilities."
That legislation enables the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) to "conduct and manage" betting on behalf of the provincial government, including the province's just regulated iGaming site, Play Alberta.
Moreover, the document outlining the Ministry of Service Alberta and Bureaucracy Reduction's business plan for 2024-27 says it is "additional dedicated to establishing and executing Alberta's online video gaming strategy, with a concentrate on accountable video gaming and provincial and Indigenous profits generation.
Alberta is earmarking $1 million for an evaluation of its betting guidelines, a possible action towards an Ontario-like system of online sports betting and web casino gaming that operators hope will ultimately emerge in the Western Canadian province.
Indeed, the Alberta federal government launched its 2024 spending plan on Thursday, and the $73.2-billion spending strategy consists of additional information about what the province plans to do about iGaming.
Alberta is weighing the idea of a competitive market for online betting along the lines of what was presented 2 years earlier in Ontario, the only jurisdiction in Canada where the likes of bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel can lawfully offer sports betting and iGaming.
Thursday's spending plan may assist make such a system possible in Alberta. That, however, could depend on the outcome of a $1-million legislative and regulatory review guaranteed by the province's financial plan for the year that will end March 31, 2025.
The budget plan states "$1 million in 2024-25 will support a review of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act and supporting Regulation, with the objectives of minimizing the regulative concern on company and finding methods to increase contributions to Alberta charities and community facilities."
That legislation enables the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) to "conduct and manage" betting on behalf of the provincial government, including the province's just regulated iGaming site, Play Alberta.
Moreover, the document outlining the Ministry of Service Alberta and Bureaucracy Reduction's business plan for 2024-27 says it is "additional dedicated to establishing and executing Alberta's online video gaming strategy, with a concentrate on accountable video gaming and provincial and Indigenous profits generation.