Alberta’s regulated igaming market goes live in less than two weeks, making it Canada’s second regulated igaming market after Ontario. All three verticals will be available under the new framework: sports betting, online casino, and online poker.
But if you’re an online poker player, the rollout isn’t as straightforward as it is for casino games and sports betting. We’ve spoken with Alberta’s gaming authorities, tracked which operators have registered, and gathered information from operators themselves.
This article answers the biggest questions Alberta and Ontario poker players may have ahead of launch.
Will regulated online poker be available in Alberta on July 13?
Well, yes and no.
Alberta’s gaming authorities have confirmed that any regulated peer-to-peer poker offered when the market launches will be ring-fenced. In other words, players on regulated sites will only be able to compete against other players located in Alberta, just like in Ontario.
But there will be no shared liquidity with Ontario or international player pools on day one.
The good news is that this isn’t expected to be permanent.
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.
That answers one of the biggest questions surrounding Alberta’s regulated online poker market. But it also creates another:
Will online poker operators launch Alberta-only networks?
Probably not. This is where commercial reality comes into play.
Unlike casino games or sports betting, poker depends on liquidity. More players means better cash-game traffic, larger tournament guarantees and more games running around the clock. Alberta has a population of roughly 5 million. Ontario’s regulated market now serves more than 16 million people.
That’s why we believe most operators will hold off launching regulated online poker until shared liquidity with Ontario becomes available. We still expect them to launch their casino and sportsbook products on July 13, but poker may have to wait.
Does that mean online poker disappears on July 13?
Not necessarily.
One of the most important details revealed by Alberta regulators is that operators moving into the regulated market may request a transition extension through October 13, provided they demonstrate a clear pathway to compliance.
That could allow eligible operators to continue serving Alberta players while completing the move into the regulated market.
But there is one important catch. Operators must be registered with Alberta’s regulators. Those that are not registered will be required to cease operating in the province.
The good news is that most operators offering online poker in North America have already registered. That includes FanDuel, BetMGM, Party, 888 and BetRivers.
One notable exception is GGPoker. As of July 2, GGPoker’s parent company, NSUS, had not yet appeared on Alberta’s list of registered operators. If GGPoker intends to benefit from Alberta’s transition framework, it will first need to complete that registration process.
That said, the company previously told PRO earlier this year that it is “currently engaged in proactive discussions with the AGLC” but had no further details to share at the time.
In fact, PokerStars has already given players an indication of what to expect.
Responding to questions on its official Discord server, a PokerStars representative confirmed that sportsbook and casino products would no longer be available in Alberta from July 13, but added that, “for now, you will be able to continue to play poker,” with official emails to follow.
888poker has also confirmed that it has begun planning for an Alberta launch but the rollout of online poker will likely depend on the province securing shared liquidity with Ontario.
What’s happening with shared liquidity?
First, it’s worth understanding who is running Alberta’s regulated market. There are two organizations involved.
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) oversees regulation and compliance, while the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) is responsible for the commercial operation of the market.
AiGC has confirmed to Poker Industry PRO that discussions on shared liquidity are continuing.
“The Alberta iGaming Corporation continues to have discussions with regulators and operators regarding future opportunities for pooled liquidity and shared player pools. However, no decisions or timelines have been finalized at this time.”
The corporation also confirmed that shared liquidity won’t be available when the Alberta online poker market launches.
“Shared liquidity arrangements between Alberta and other jurisdictions, including Ontario, will not be in place for launch. As such, Alberta players will only be able to participate in player pools comprised of other Alberta players.”
Those comments line up with remarks made by AiGC CEO Dan Keene during an SBC Summit panel in Toronto, where he revealed that Alberta and Ontario are working on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would allow the two provinces to combine player pools.
If and when that agreement is reached, the economics of regulated poker change dramatically.
Instead of serving a province of five million people, operators would have access to a combined market of more than 21 million residents. That’s a much more attractive proposition and one that every major poker operator is expected to pursue.
Will it happen before the October 13 transition deadline?
At this point, we don’t know. The hope is that the three-month transition period gives Alberta and Ontario enough time to finalize a shared liquidity agreement, allowing operators to move directly into a larger regulated player pool rather than launching standalone Alberta poker networks first.
What about international player pools?
This is a separate issue from sharing players with Ontario.
Today, Albertans playing on offshore sites enjoy access to international player pools, competing against players from around the world. That means larger tournaments, better cash-game traffic and a much wider selection of games than a ring-fenced provincial market can offer.
Whether regulated operators will eventually be able to offer that same experience remains uncertain. The question isn’t about technology or commercial viability; it’s about Canadian law.
The issue centers on whether provinces can legally allow players to compete against opponents outside of the Canada online poker market while still satisfying the Criminal Code requirement that gaming be “conducted and managed” by the province.
Last year, Ontario scored a significant legal victory when the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that international player pooling can be lawful, provided the province continues to conduct and manage the gaming operation. The decision was widely welcomed by the online poker industry because it removed what had long been considered one of the biggest legal barriers to reconnecting regulated Canadian markets with the rest of the world.
However, the case has since been appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Until that appeal is resolved, Alberta appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach.
Asked about international player pooling, AGLC told PRO that it is still reviewing the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision.
“No determination has been made at this time regarding the permissibility of peer-to-peer games involving players located outside of Canada.”
The regulator added that any future position would depend on “a detailed evaluation of legal authority, regulatory oversight, operational controls and player-protection requirements.”
In other words, Alberta’s immediate focus is on reaching a shared liquidity agreement with Ontario. Reconnecting regulated operators with global player pools may eventually become possible, but that is unlikely to happen until the Supreme Court appeal has been resolved.
What should Alberta poker players expect?
The biggest takeaway is this: July 13 is the beginning of Alberta’s regulated igaming market, but it probably won’t be the day regulated online poker truly arrives.
Casino games and sports betting are expected to launch immediately. Poker is likely to follow a different path.
Over the coming weeks, watch for three things: whether GGPoker registers in Alberta, whether more operators announce their transition plans, and whether the Alberta and Ontario online poker authorities make progress on shared liquidity.
Those developments—not July 13 alone—will determine what regulated online poker in Alberta ultimately looks like.
