When Alberta sports betting might launch a moving target

At least two major US operators in the last month addressed the question during third-quarter earnings calls. Penn Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden said the target date “certainly has moved into 2025”. The company will “wait on the government, the regulators there, to tell us exactly when the go-live launch would be.”

The question is when? In the US, regulators and operators often point to the Super Bowl or NCAA March Madness as big events around which to launch.

In Canada, it’s possible that if the regulator is aiming for a big event, it would be the start of the Stanley Cup Finals in April. Alberta is home to two NHL teams – the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Another potential time would be in June, around the start of the Canadian Football League.

Penn has biggest stake of all US operators

Penn is particularly invested in sports betting in Canada after purchasing theScore and theScoreBet in October 2019. While Penn has been uber-focused on its US offering, ESPN Bet, it is live in Ontario with theScoreBet. Penn has plans to use the same platform in other provinces.

During the company’s Q2 earnings call, Snowden said: “Both with online sports betting and icasino, we expect Alberta to be a very strong market for us, given the power of theScoreBet brand in that market and the success we have seen in Ontario.”

Most of the other major US players are also already live in Ontario with plans to expand across the country.

Steve McAllister, editor-in-chief of Gaming News Canada, told iGB he believes the province is “on track” for a 2025 launch. He also said that with regulations still being promulgated, there is “too much work to be done to open by the end of the year”. His comments support those by Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) president Paul Burns.

“We encouraged them to get it right versus being quick,” Burns said earlier this year.

Alberta to use, ‘massage’ Ontario regs

There is already limited online sports betting and icasino in Alberta, offered through the government-run PlayAlberta. In anticipation of an open, competitive market, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is crafting rules for the wider industry.

Service Alberta and red tape reduction minister Dale Nally said earlier this year that the plan is to use rules in place in Ontario as a “road map”. But the province will “massage” the Ontario regulations to fit Alberta’s needs.

Nally’s office in October told Canadian Gaming Business: “We want to get our igaming strategy right by ensuring fairness and transparency to everyone. Industry stakeholders have told us that we need to continue our conversations so they can provide more input on the model. We are doing just that.

“While we aim to put the strategy forward in 2025, we will continue to provide updates as this work unfolds.”

A key difference between Alberta and Ontario is tribal gaming. Gaming by indigenous peoples was not a key consideration for the Ontario regulator. But there is a vibrant indigenous gaming community in Alberta and the tribes have been included in the regulatory process. Called the Host First Nations, tribes in Canada currently operate six gaming locations in Alberta.

House next up for S-269

As Alberta regulators refine their regulations, they are doing so against the backdrop of federal legislation moving forward. Canada’s parliament has been considering S-269 for more than a year and the legislation is gaining traction.

The bill would tighten advertising guidelines, including limiting the use of celebrities and athletes. It would also limit the number of gambling advertisements that could be shown and non-broadcast advertising. The bill includes new standards regarding responsible gambling and preventing gambling harm.

S-269 got a third reading and passed the senate on 5 November. It has not yet had a hearing in the house of commons.

The idea that the federal government is considering an advertising ban or limitations is curious. The CGA’s Burns pointed out on an 18 November Gaming News Canada podcast that gambling has long existed in Canada, and provinces already have advertising guidelines in place.