Alberta’s regulated online gambling market is approaching its long-anticipated launch window, and provincial officials have placed responsible gambling accreditation at the center of its framework. As the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) prepares for a potential start-of-summer rollout, every operator seeking entry into the province will need to secure RG Check accreditation before going live.
The requirement follows a formal partnership between AiGC and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). Under the arrangement, any internet gaming site entering Alberta’s regulated environment must obtain and maintain RG Check certification as a condition of operating.
Dan Keene, Interim CEO of AiGC, outlined the province’s direction. “Alberta is committed to building a safer, regulated iGaming environment where player protection comes first,” he said. “By requiring RG Check accreditation, we’re ensuring that every iGaming operator in our market has demonstrated their commitment to player safety through independent verification of their responsible gambling programs.”
Accreditation Anchors Alberta’s Player Safeguards
RG Check operates as an independent accreditation program developed in Canada more than a decade ago. It assesses operators against defined standards covering governance, player safeguards, employee training, and marketing practices. The program has gained recognition across multiple jurisdictions and functions as a measurable accountability mechanism.
Sarah McCarthy, CEO of RGC, described the partnership as a foundational step. “This partnership with AiGC demonstrates the power of regulators and responsible gambling experts working together to protect players from day one,” she said. “Alberta is building on a strong foundation established in Ontario, where RG Check has proven its value in creating safer gambling environments. This proactive approach ensures that player protection isn’t an afterthought; it’s built into the market from the ground up.”
The Alberta model requires every iGaming site to achieve accreditation and to keep it in good standing while active in the province. RGC will conduct assessments using internationally recognized responsible gambling standards, and AiGC will coordinate with the council to oversee compliance and encourage ongoing improvements.
Operators that already hold RG Check accreditation elsewhere will still need a distinct Alberta accreditation. However, the process will recognize existing certifications, which should reduce administrative steps and costs while preserving the same standards.
Summer Timeline Comes Into Focus
The accreditation announcement arrives as Alberta edges closer to launching its commercial online gambling market. Initial expectations once pointed to an early 2025 debut. That schedule shifted in October 2024 when the provincial government reassessed its timing.
Now, provincial officials indicate that the market could open around late spring or early summer 2026.
“I would suggest that spring/summer is when you’re going to see the market open in Alberta,” Keene said recently. “I remain very confident of that.”
Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally signaled a similar timeframe. “I can’t give you the exact date, but we have some temporary regulatory requirements that we put up, and the expiration on those I believe is the second week in July,” Nally stated. “So I think you can take that as a very big hint that we won’t be having this conversation in July. I can only tell you that the team is going all out to make sure that we’re live very soon.
“We have a date in mind. We’re just not ready to put out the media just yet.”
Legislative groundwork already stands in place. Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, became law last spring. In January, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) released its first set of conduct guidelines for operators and suppliers. Several operators licensed in Ontario have confirmed that they submitted registration applications in Alberta, positioning themselves to onboard players once approvals are finalized.
Operational Build-Out Continues
Before launch, AiGC must complete several structural tasks. The corporation is recruiting senior leadership, including a Chief Compliance and Operations Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Director of Anti-Money Laundering. The agency also needs to finalize its operating agreements, establish a headquarters, develop a website and brand identity, and continue stakeholder engagement.
Operators that receive a license from AGLC will also need to sign an operating agreement with AiGC. “There will be an operator agreement and subsequent policies that the operators will have to agree to,” Keene explained. “Once they do, they become an agent of the AiGC to conduct and manage iGaming within the province. We suspect in the coming weeks, we’ll be able to share a first cut of that operating agreement with operators to get some feedback.”
Further responsible gambling measures are expected, including more detail on a centralized self-exclusion system. Keene indicated that engagement with industry participants will intensify in the coming weeks as policies take shape.
“You will see in the coming weeks a more fulsome engagement calendar come out,” he said. “Because, from there, we need to obviously work and engage with industry on the policies that will guide all of our activity.”
With late Q2 or early Q3 cited as a likely launch window, Alberta’s online betting and casino market could begin operations during the summer sports lull, building momentum ahead of the next NFL and NHL seasons in the fall.
“One of the biggest things I’ve heard from operators, and it’s so true, is that we need to do it right and with integrity,” Keene added. “I’m confident in AiGC and AGLC, immensely confident in our industry and our partners in business. We certainly won’t shirk any of our responsibilities.”
Source:
Alberta iGaming Corporation Makes RG Check Accreditation Central to Player Protection Framework, newswire.ca, February 20, 2026.
