DraftKings has announced that it is planning to enter Alberta’s regulated iGaming market by launching online casino and sportsbook products in the province in July 2026.
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Alberta’s regulated market to ban election betting
On March 17, 2026, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) announced that a change was made in section 4.6, ‘Sports and Event Betting’ of Alberta’s Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming.
On the other hand, Ontario, which is the only other province with a regulated iGaming market, allows election betting, an area already associated with prediction markets, and while Alberta’s market borrows mainly from Ontario, the latest change shows how the province is creating its own framework.
The Alberta iGaming bulletin stated:
“This bulletin is to advise iGaming Suppliers of IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS to the Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming (SRIG). The following policy amendments are effective March 17, 2026. AGLC is committed to reviewing policies to meet the needs of stakeholders while maintaining an effective regulatory environment. As a result, a policy amendment has been made to Section 4.6 of the SRIG: 4.6.5 p) has been added to prohibit betting on political events (e.g., elections, by-elections, and leadership contests).”
Alberta will also impose a higher tax rate than Ontario’s 20% and will have a centralized self-exclusion system ready even before the market launch. It hasn’t yet officially been announced when the regulated online gaming market will go live; however, it’s expected to be sometime during summer 2026.
Rahm Emanuel, the previous Mayor of Chicago and U.S. Ambassador to Japan, has introduced a proposal to add a 10% federal tax on iGaming and prediction markets, which is...
