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Alberta opens its regulated online gambling market on July 13, 2026. Ontario opened its own competitive market in April 2022. Both provinces allow private operators to run legal sites, and both require each brand to clear a provincial process first. The way each province structured that oversight, however, is not identical.
Alberta divides oversight between two provincial bodies. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, known as AGLC, is the regulator. It registers operators, sets the standards they must meet, oversees compliance, and runs the province’s centralized self-exclusion program. The Alberta iGaming Corporation, or AiGC, runs the commercial side of the market. It is responsible for commercial agreements with operators, anti-money laundering coordination, public complaints, and financial reporting. Provincial legislation created AiGC and named AGLC as the regulator, keeping the two functions in separate hands. An operator must first complete registration with AGLC. Only then can it enter a commercial agreement with AiGC and prepare to launch.
Ontario built its market on a similar two-body structure, though the details differ. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, known as the AGCO, is the regulator. It issues a certificate of registration to each internet gaming operator and sets the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. iGaming Ontario, or iGO, conducts and manages the market delivered through private operators. It develops and executes an operating agreement with each registered brand. iGO began in 2021 as a subsidiary of the AGCO. It became an independent provincial agency in May 2025. Ontario was the first province in Canada to open a competitive online market to private operators. Its framework has since served as a reference point for other provinces weighing private licensing. Related News Top 10 Online Casinos for Real Money in 2026 Best Sites Like Bovada: Bovada Alternatives for US Players Best Bitcoin and Crypto Casinos to Play Online in Canada 2026
