Launch of a Regulated Market
The Alberta government takes a step closer to introducing regulated commercial online gambling as the iGaming Alberta Act passes a second reading. The officially titled Bill 48, introduced and championed by United Conservative Dale Nally, will now head to the Committee OfThe Whole. There, the legislation will be scrutinised by experts and lawmakers.
The bill aims to lay the groundwork for a regulated commercial online gambling market, modelled on the one that has had massive success in Ontario. The legislation would allow Alberta to open its doors to private-sector gambling sites. These operators would operate alongside Play Alberta, the government-run gambling service already available in the province.
The bill to reshape the online gambling landscape in Alberta passed without comment but will face more intense scrutiny in the committee. Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAS) will look at the bill clause by clause, before considering and suggesting adjustments.
Mr Nally, who is also the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, stressed that the intention of the bill isn’t to attract new gamblers but to make the current online gambling space safer. He suggested that Albertan gamblers are suffering at the hands of “grey-market sites or illicit sites”. Play Alberta offers casino games and sports betting markets to individuals aged 18 and above in Alberta.
Conflict of Interest
In its current state, the bill would introduce a new entity, the iGaming Alberta Corporation, which would manage the commercial side of the market, similar to iGaming Ontario (iGO).
However, the writing also suggests that the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) should regulate the province’s potential new iGaming market. The AGLC is also responsible for operating PlayAlberta, the government-associated gaming platform.
This gives rise to an interesting conflict of interest where the overarching regulator of gambling in Alberta will also be a direct competitor to any commercial operators in Alberta. This role would make it extremely easy for the regulators to favour Play Alberta over any of the commercial gambling operators. Naturally, this has raised eyebrows as critics argue that allowing the same body to both regulate the market and run a competing platform is non-competitive.
Bill 48 also proposes a self-exclusion system that allows individuals to ban themselves from all regulated platforms in the province voluntarily. This is a system Ontario is only now looking to develop after offering a gambling market for three years.
Although the bill has made progress, it is lacking some important details, such as tax rates, licensing fees, and operator requirements. The bill suggests that “surplus” funds should be passed to the provincial government, but gives no details on how those funds will be calculated or allocated. The United Conservative Party (UCP) announced last week that consumer protections would be added following consultations with Indigenous groups, industry leaders, and community leaders.
Members of the opposition, the New Democratic Party (NDP), criticise the vagueness of the bill. MLA Gurinder Brar described the situation as “just like buying a car without knowing if it has brakes or a steering wheel.” The bill may be with the Committee OfThe Whole for a while.
