The province seems to be closer to following the lead set by Ontario
According to a spokesperson from the office of Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally, Alberta government officials began meeting with First Nations representations this past week “to hear their perspectives on the potential implications and opportunities” of an iGaming model in the Canadian province.
In March, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith assigned Nally to work with Indigenous tribes to build Alberta’s online gaming framework while working on responsible gaming programs and the distribution of provincial and Indigenous revenue.
“Alberta can be a leading hub for [iGaming], with a strong emphasis on openness and a free market,” said Nally in a statement. “We have low corporate taxes, streamlined regulations, and high disposable incomes. These conditions will allow us to establish ourselves as a premier destination for the [iGaming] industry.”
The spokesperson indicated that meetings will resume throughout June and July and that the government will also sit down with Racing Entertainment Centers and retail casino operators. “We are committed to working with our partners to finish developing and implementing the province’s online gaming strategy, with a focus on responsible gaming and provincial and Indigenous revenue generation,” added the spokesperson.
According to Alberta Gaming, Lottery & Cannabis (AGLC) estimates, 45% of Alberta gamblers use the legal Play Alberta platform, while the remainder use offshore gaming sites.
“The future for Alberta remains to be seen,” declared AGLC VP of Gaming Dan Keene. “We support our Minister of Service Alberta, Dale Nally, in terms of his approach and his mandate to work on opening the [iGaming] market, to make it legal. AGLC stands in firm support of that. But until such time as that happens, the remainder of the market is really the illegal market that’s capturing the remainder of that share.”
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
