Alberta, Canada’s fourth most populous province, is making some real progress toward opening its regulated online gambling market, following Ontario’s example.
Last month, the Alberta government introduced a bill that could establish a regulated framework for online gambling, allowing international operators to legally offer online casino games, online sports betting and online poker in Alberta under a provincial license.
The bill is expected to pass without much resistance, with the first regulated operators potentially going live as early as 2026.
At present, Albertans can access online gambling through PlayAlberta, the province’s only state-regulated platform. It offers online casino games, sports betting, lottery, and other products but not peer-to-peer online poker.
That said, Canadian poker players in Alberta do have access to online poker but only through the gray market. Major international operators like PokerStars, GGPoker, WPT Global, PartyPoker, 888poker, and various iPoker skins serve Alberta under offshore licenses.
But once Alberta launches a regulated online poker market, residents will be able to play in a secure and protected environment with consumer safeguards, responsible gambling tools, and the confidence to use licensed platforms, much like what’s already in place for Ontario poker players.
Alberta Online Poker: Shared Liquidity or Segregated?
One key question remains: Will Alberta’s regulated online poker market be ring-fenced with player pools limited to those within the province? Or will it link with Ontario or retain access to the global player pool?
When Ontario launched its regulated market three years ago, online poker was ring-fenced, with player pools restricted to within the province. Despite this limitation, operators were not deterred. By the end of its first year, major brands like PokerStars Ontario, GGPoker Ontario (under the WSOP brand), PartyPoker, bwin, and 888poker had all gone live. Even BetMGM Ontario entered the market, marking its first online poker launch outside the US.
In total, six poker rooms across four different networks launched in Ontario, creating a highly competitive market.
However, Alberta is not the same as Ontario.
With a population of just under 5 million, roughly a third of Ontario’s 16 million. Alberta’s online poker market would be much smaller. A segregated, province-only player pool may not be viable. While one or two operators might enter the market, they would likely struggle to sustain sufficient liquidity, making the offering less attractive to players.
Albertans shouldn’t feel discouraged. Encouragingly, the provincial government appears to understand the importance of shared liquidity. In fact, legislation passed last year allows Alberta to conduct igaming “either alone or in conjunction with the government of another province or territory,” a clear signal that cross-provincial partnerships are on the table.
That intention was made even clearer in October 2024, when Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, told Covers, “We’re going to join Ontario in terms of liquidity,” and called on “similar, like-minded provinces” to do the same.
At the very least, a two-province poker network between Alberta and Ontario seems highly likely. Such a compact would be a win for both markets. It would virtually guarantee that all existing poker networks in Ontario, PokerStars, GGPoker, 888poker, and BetMGM, expand into Alberta. It could even incentivize BetRivers Poker, a newly launched US online poker room, to build a two-province Canadian network, and might finally prompt iPoker to pursue its long-anticipated North American regulated market entry.
If indeed Alberta and Ontario do move forward with shared liquidity, the combined market would serve over 20 million residents. For context, that’s roughly equivalent to the combined population of Michigan and New Jersey, the two largest states currently participating in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) in the US.
Alberta to Retain Access to International Pooling?
There’s also another possible path for Alberta: Retain access to international liquidity.
When Ontario launched its regulated online gambling market, it took a cautious approach, interpreting the federal Criminal Code as prohibiting participation in global player pools. However, that interpretation is now being challenged. In February 2024, Ontario’s Attorney General submitted an Order in Council requesting the Court of Appeal to clarify the legality of international liquidity sharing.
A three-day hearing was held in November, during which Ontario’s two leading online poker operators: PokerStars and GGPoker — argued in favor of allowing the province to reconnect with the global player pool.
A ruling on the matter has not yet been issued, but one is expected sometime in 2025. A favorable ruling would almost certainly pave the way for both Ontario and Alberta to rejoin international liquidity, potentially setting a precedent for other provinces to follow.
While some regular poker players might oppose the move, reconnecting to the global player pool would benefit the vast majority of players in Canada and likely encourage even more operators to enter the market.
But if the court ultimately rules against allowing international liquidity, Alberta and Ontario could at the very least, still move forward by forming an interprovincial gaming compact, a far better outcome than operating in isolation. This is also the most likely scenario of the three. In fact, a similar model already exists with the Canada Poker Network powered by IGT software, which links provincially licensed poker sites in British Columbia, Québec, and Manitoba.
That said, if Alberta were to follow Ontario’s path step-for-step, it could end up with a segregated poker market. That would be a missed opportunity, especially considering the potential size and strength of a combined Alberta–Ontario market. Thankfully, this outcome seems unlikely.
Alberta Online Poker Market Shared Liquidity Likelihood
| Market Access | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| Multi-Provincial with Ontario | 50% |
| Share player pool with international markets | 40% |
| Alberta-only pool | 10% |
Regardless of which path is taken, one thing is clear: regulated online poker is coming to Alberta. The regulatory process is expected to move forward over the summer, with the first sites expected to go live in early 2026. All major operators—PokerStars, GGPoker, BetMGM, 888poker, and even BetRivers—are expected to enter the market.
