Alberta postpones legalization of sports betting
Apparently, the Alberta Commission is delaying the deadline for legalizing sports betting in the province. Official information on legalization was expected by the fall of 2022, but the agency didn’t meet the deadline, so we’ll have to wait until early next year for the law to be amended.
The news about AGLC giving the green light to the betting market became known in February 2021, after which the work in this direction began. However, it is still unclear if the local regulator has any operators that could legally operate in the state.
AGCL manager Karin Campbell said that the agency is in talks with several bookmakers, but they do not decide to rush things.
According to sources, who asked not to disclose their names and positions, the Alberta market is quite attractive for many operators, but all of them are hesitant to legalize because of possible difficulties with official registration.
Kambi, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, as well as PointsBet, BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel are among the candidates for spots on Alberta’s legal betting grid. Note that none of the companies listed have yet officially confirmed their intentions.
Even though the law has not yet been passed, Alberta residents can already legally bet on sports in the state. The fact is that there is already an official state operator PlayAlberta, which offers bets on hundreds of outcomes. Recently, to remind of its existence, the company launched an advertisement in the form of a short film in which the operator parodies the films “The Shining”, “Scream” and “Warriors”.
The purpose of such an advertising campaign is to cut off users from the gray market bookmakers and to remind them that it is safer to play on legal sites because then every client is protected by the Gambling Commission. Many users still bet at unlicensed foreign casinos and betting shops. According to twinspinca.com, these sites give users no deposit bonuses and other benefits, so customers don’t pay attention to whether they have a license.
The three commercials are airing regularly on local television and in movie theaters now and will run through the end of November 2022.
As a reminder, under Canadian law, each state has the right to make its own choice when it comes to legalizing gambling and marijuana. The Alberta government has decided to take a step towards certifying all betting shops that want to operate legally in the province. In the near future, its residents can expect the appearance of new companies, which will lead to increased competition, and therefore improve the quality of services. In addition, the bonuses’ size may increase to attract a new audience. All this has a favorable effect on the user experience and enjoyment of the time spent gambling.
