Alberta's Online Poker Market: What to Expect from the New Regulations

Alberta’s regulated igaming market will launch on July 13, 2026, making it Canada’s second regulated igaming market after Ontario. Alberta’s gaming authorities have confirmed that regulated peer-to-peer poker will be ring-fenced, meaning players on regulated sites will only be able to compete against other players located in Alberta. Talks are already underway to allow Alberta and Ontario to share player pools in the future, but those arrangements won’t be ready for the July 13 launch.

Operators moving into the regulated market may request a transition extension through October 13, provided they demonstrate a clear pathway to compliance. FanDuel, BetMGM, Party, 888 and BetRivers have already registered with Alberta’s regulators. However, GGPoker’s parent company, NSUS, had not yet appeared on Alberta’s list of registered operators as of July 2.

The Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) is responsible for the commercial operation of the market and continues to have discussions on shared liquidity. PokerStars has confirmed that sportsbook and casino products will no longer be available in Alberta from July 13, but players will be able to continue to play poker.