Reviewing the Gambling Laws in Alberta
Hello and welcome to this page discussing the gambling laws in Alberta! Canadian gambling law differs in each province, so it’s necessary to know the gambling legislation in every province. Read our review of Alberta gambling law to find out everything about it.
What Are Alberta Gambling Laws Like
Canada is an interesting country in terms of gambling legislation. The history of gambling in Canada is fascinating and the latest developments in legalizing various types of gambling are no less exciting and interesting. Every province is allowed to make its own gambling law and the focus today is Alberta.
We will explore the broader historical background surrounding Canadian gambling, but we will concentrate on gambling laws in Alberta. Find out more about Alberta gambling law and what forms of gambling you can legally partake in here.
History of Canadian Gambling
The history of Canadian gambling is rich and interesting. First Nation people used to gamble on games of dice and sticks (some still do). Later, when Europeans came to Canada, they brought with them horse racing, card games, roulette and many more. The indigenous people, perhaps inspired by horse racing, later started betting on sled dog races.
Although both the indigenous people and the European settlers enjoyed gambling, there were still campaigns to ban gambling altogether on the allegation that it was bad for society en-large. These campaigns spurned in the US as well around that time (late 19th century).
Canada eventually listened to these complaints and took measures. The first piece of Canadian gambling legislation (gambling had not been previously legalized) was included in the Canadian Criminal Code. The Criminal Code of 1892 banned all forms of gambling within the country.
Around 20 years later though, Canada had a change of heart and allowed for pari-mutuel betting on horse races. It later also included religions and charitable gambling (lottery, bingo, raffles) as well in its legal forms of gambling. These types of gambling soon became very popular.
This led the Canadian government to consider whether it was better for them to remain prohibited. In the end, the special commission assigned to review gambling habits found out that prohibition does not work and people would always gamble even if it’s illegal.
In 1970, Canada decided to leave it to provinces to decide how to manage gambling, thus essentially allowing them to self-govern and legalize various types of gambling. Canada did so by amending the Criminal Code. Later, in 1985, Canada legalized sports betting across the country, but only for parlay bets.
Gambling Laws in Alberta
Now let’s discuss how Alberta made use of the changes to the Canadian Criminal Code. First of all, Alberta uses the common way to conduct gambling in Canada or the so-called charitable gaming model of regulation that is also utilized by other provinces.
The charitable gaming model of regulation sees gambling as a sort of nationalized industry, mainly enforced through state-run operators, whereas some portion of the proceeds from gambling are given back to the community through charitable organizations, some of which, for example, help people struggling with gambling addiction.
Gambling laws in Alberta outline a rich selection of legal types of gambling. Anybody over the age of 18 can legally buy a lottery ticket, partake in bingo and raffles, bet on sports (now with the latest legislation, single bets are allowed as well) or play at a casino. This is the legal gambling age in Alberta. This differs from other provinces where the gambling age is usually 19.
Therefore, Alberta gambling laws are quite liberal and not only that, but the Canadian province has shown a willingness to improve its business model and the experience of customers.
Online Gambling Laws in Alberta
We thought it was appropriate to dedicate a section of this article to online gambling laws in Alberta, especially because they differ greatly in different provinces and because there are new developments to Canadian gambling law in terms of Internet gaming.
Let’s begin by saying that online gambling is legal according to the Alberta gambling law. Yes, you can register at an online casino and bet on sports online. However, the catch is that there is currently just one online operator – PlayAlberta – which is run by the province. As a sole representative, it is the only Canadian Interac casino in the province.
On PlayAlberta, you can play a wide variety of casino games such as slots, roulette and blackjack. You can also play online keno, buy a lottery ticket or a scratch card, and since 2021, you can also bet on sports there.
Still, Alberta gambling laws might change soon, because the province has shown interest in expanding its market by allowing the best Canadian online casinos and sportsbooks to operate in Alberta, following the successful introduction of them in another province – Ontario. We will update the article if this happens.
Gambling Regulators in Alberta
There is just one regulator that makes sure that gambling laws in Alberta are being abided to. The laws in question are the Canada Criminal Code, which oversees gambling in the whole country, and the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (last updated March 2022), which oversees gambling in Alberta.
The main, and so far only, regulator of gambling in Alberta is the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission. The commission maintains the integrity of the games, it licenses casinos, and it also allocates the money generated through gambling to various charitable organizations in Alberta.
Popular Questions
Thank you for reading our review of gambling laws in Alberta! We hope you found the article to be exhaustive and that you now know everything about Alberta gambling laws. Below, you can also find the most popular questions regarding this topic. If you have any other questions, please contact us.
1️⃣ Why are there different gambling laws in Canadian provinces?
The reason why there are different gambling laws in every Canadian province is because of amends to the Criminal Code in 1970, which allowed provinces to regulate their own gambling industries. Gambling laws in Alberta are very liberal and will likely become even more liberal in the future.
2️⃣ What's the legal gambling age in Alberta?
The legal gambling age in Alberta is 18 years, according to the Alberta gambling law. This comes in contrast to other provinces where you have to be at least 19 to partake in all forms of gambling. At 18 in Alberta though, you can do anything as you wish.
3️⃣ Which are the legal forms of gambling in Alberta?
Alberta gambling law allows for different types of gambling. Let us now list all of them - lottery, raffles, bingo, keno, sports betting, and casino-style gaming. As you can see, all forms of gambling you can think of are legal in Alberta.
4️⃣ Is online gambling legal in Alberta?
Yes, online gambling in Laberta is indeed legal in the state. You can bet on sports and you can also play all sorts of casino games online. There is currently only one online operator (PlayAlberta), which is state-run, but this might change soon.
5️⃣ Who regulates gambling in Alberta?
So far, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission is the major gambling regulator in Alberta. The commission makes sure that gambling laws in Alberta are abided by and that the integrity of games is preserved. The agency also gives gambling licenses to eligible operators.