Ontario’s iGaming Success Puts Pressure on Alberta’s Next Move

By Ron Nikhill 

September 29th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

Alberta is moving closer to reforming its online gambling laws, trying to balance the potential benefits against concerns about safety and regulation.

Alberta iGaming Corporation

Right now, only one government-run site, PlayAlberta, operates legal iGaming in the province. But recent steps like Bill 48, known as the iGaming Alberta Act, aim to open up the market. That bill would set up a Crown corporation (the Alberta iGaming Corporation) to handle online gambling more broadly, allowing private operators under regulation. Alberta is also seeking feedback through Phase 2 of its iGaming strategy to set out regulations, social responsibility standards and ways to reduce red tape.

Ontario’s regulated online gaming market offers a useful comparison. Between April 2024 and March 2025 it recorded CA$82.7 billion in wagers, up 31% year-on-year and gross gaming revenue of CA$3.2 billion, which is a 32% increase over the prior year. Casino games that consist of slots, table games, and live dealer games dominate in both revenue and wagering volume in Ontario, with CA$2.4 billion of the GGR coming from casino games and about CA$69.6 billion of wagers in that category. According to CasinoBeats Canada, players can access valuable information on which regulated casinos offer strong payment methods, competitive bonuses, or safer gaming tools. For example, the site highlights Interac casinos, which let people move money in and out directly from their bank without the usual delays or extra charges. Interac’s security is on par with major financial institutions, making it the most widely used payment method in the country.

When thinking about games, bonus offers and other benefits, players in Ontario have access to a large variety of casino games, sports betting, poker and virtual or instant win titles. Bonuses tend to be competitive, especially for new players, but there are wagering or play-through requirements to watch out for. Experts suggest people should always check the terms attached to a bonus, especially how much wagering is required and whether certain games count differently towards those requirements. Another tip is to prefer regulated sites for player protection, transparency about odds and payouts, and for consumer safeguards like self-exclusion tools.

Rules are needed in a well-regulated, competitive iGaming market.

For Alberta, the advantages of reform would include increased tax revenue going back into public services, more choice for players and a safer regulated environment. On the other side, risks include possible problem gambling, ensuring that regulations are robust and making sure that illegal offshore sites are discouraged. Alberta’s government has said its aim is not to promote more gambling but to move what already happens outside regulation into a safer, more accountable system.

All in all, Ontario’s recent gains show what can happen under a well-regulated, competitive iGaming market. Alberta is now evaluating its own path moving forward, trying to learn fro Ontario’s success while making sure protections are in place. If Alberta moves ahead with reforms as proposed, players there could see more choice, better games, safer platforms and more transparent bonus and payment options very soon.