Alberta Pitches iGaming Market, Warns of Crackdown on Illegal Sites in Vegas

^{Minister Dale Nally tells a Las Vegas gaming conference that illegal operators face a reckoning once the grace period ends. (Image: Bruno Coelho/Alamy)}

Alberta's iGaming minister used a Las Vegas panel to warn illegal operators it will "pull every lever" against them to ensure they can't operate within the province.

Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally made the comments on a Canada-focused panel at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas on Sept. 29.

"We have levers at our disposal that may not have been tried in the past," Nally said.

"I'm not going to broadcast what they are because I don't want to tell the bad guys what we're going to start doing," he said. 

"But we are intrinsically motivated to deal with the illicit market, and we're going to pull every lever at our disposal to make sure that the good guys are rewarded."

Nally said the province's cease-and-desist powers and the option of targeting payment processors that serve unlicensed sites are "absolutely two levers that we're going to be exploring."

He also pointed to Google, Apple and social media platforms as targets for pressure over unlicensed gambling apps and ads.

"There's a bit of Whac-A-Mole because these companies always seem to pop up under a new name or IP address," Nally said. "So there's lots of work to be done."

A Deadline, Then Enforcement

Alberta's regulated iGaming market launched July 13, replacing a system where grey market operators controlled an estimated 70% of play.

Operators that were taking bets before the launch have until Oct. 13 to register with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) or shut down in the province.

Nally said the number of licensed Alberta iGaming sites is expected to rise from roughly 35 this week to about 60 by that deadline, as operators such as Betway complete their transition.

"The commitment I have given the market is that we will not go after illicit operators until Oct. 13," Nally told the G2E panel.

"Once we go live in Alberta, we are going to wrap up these conversations because we don't want an illicit market in Alberta."

Alberta's enforcement message follows reports of black market gambling ads still circulating on the province's social media months after the launch.

Short on Specifics

Nally has previously told Casinos.com that unlicensed sites "play by no rules, offer no protections and should be avoided at all costs."

Ontario, which opened Canada's first regulated iGaming market in 2022, says it has moved 90% of play onto licensed sites after four years.

Alberta is publicly targeting a 75% channelization rate within its first two years, faster than Ontario's pace, though the province's own iGaming CEO has called that goal conservative.

More than 30 operators are now registered to offer regulated casino and sports betting products in Alberta.

Exactly how Alberta will enforce against operators that miss the Oct. 13 deadline remains unclear, and Nally declined to give specifics when pressed on the panel.