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:
“By opening retail sports betting up to two proponents now, AGLC is able to bring this service to sports fans in Alberta earlier in 2022. If AGLC were to open the market up to all vendors, the process required to bring the service to Albertans would be significantly delayed.” – AGLC President and CEO Kandice Machado
Lautischer 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.
The Request for Proposals process will end on January 31, 2022, and the winning bids will be announced soon afterwards.
Snapshot of Alberta’s Sports-betting Industry
Alberta has a population of ~ 4.5 million people, making it Canada’s fourth-most populous province.
Research 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.
Gamblers in Alberta can bet on sports online through Play Alberta, or in-person at Sport Select retail locations.
Play 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.