Ultimate Guide to Online Poker in Alberta - When Will it be Legal and Where Can I Play?

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May 12, 2025 8 min read Last updated May 16, 2025

As shared liquidity grows in the United States, Alberta, Canada, could be the next North American province with legal and regulated online gambling.

In early 2025, the Alberta Government introduced Bill 48, a piece of legislation opening the door to regulated online gambling. Currently, PlayAlberta is the only regulated online gambling operator in the region.

PokerNews has been covering these recent developments here.

In this guide, we'll take a look at online and live poker in Alberta and recent developments that could mean big things for online poker players in the province.

Current Situation of Online Poker in Alberta

Gambling is not legally banned or prohibited in the province, but no regulation exists, and no licenses are granted to operators.

In essence, it means that no legal and regulated real money casinos or poker sites operate from the region itself (aside from PlayAlberta). Instead, operators are 'offshore' and licenses are granted on this basis.

In Canada (outside of Ontario, which has it's own regulated market), large brands like 888casino, JackpotCity Casino, and PokerStars Casino, have taken advantage of the current position, and provide real money casino games to players in Canada using this model.

Where to Play Online Poker in Alberta in 2025

As of 2025, there are no regulated online poker operators in Alberta. However, Alberta lawmakers are currently considering a bill to bring regulated online poker to the Province.

PlayAlberta

PlayAlberta is the only online gambling operator in the province as of 2025. PlayAlberta offers online casino games including slots and blackjack but does not currently offer online poker.

International Operators

As previously mentioned, there are several online poker operators that currently operate through Alberta's gray market. We've outline some of these below.

PokerStars

Poker players in Alberta are able to play on PokerStars' global platform through the province's gray market. Should online poker legislation be passed, PokerStars could launch in Alberta with a shared liquidity pool with Ontario.

GGPoker

Like PokerStars, GGPoker is an international poker brand that operates in Alberta through the gray market. Should Alberta pass online poker legislation, it could join a shared liquidity pool with Ontario, where GGPoker also operates.

WPT Global

WPT Global could launch in Alberta if the province passes online poker legislation, as WPT Global already operates in other Canadian provinces.

Live Poker in Alberta

While regulated online poker is still on its way, live poker is thriving in Alberta. There are several poker rooms across the province that run cash games around the clock and regularly host tournaments.

Here's a look at the best live poker rooms in Alberta.

Best Live Poker Rooms in Alberta

Elbow River Casino

With 14 cash game tables, Calgary's Elbow River Casino is the biggest poker room in Alberta.

Elbow River Casino spreads a variety of poker games, including Texas Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) and Omaha Hi-Lo, according to PokerAtlas.

The room also offers comps and includes tableside cocktail and food service.

Deerfoot Inn & Casino

Deerfoot Inn & Casino is another popular poker destination in Calgary, one that offers both cash games and low-stakes tournaments.

As far as formats go, the room runs both Texas Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) games. According to PokerAtlas, the room's perks include free parking, a self-serve drink station, jackpots and massage services.

Ace Casino Airport

Also in the Calgary area is Ace Casino Airport, a 12-table room that offers both cash game and tournament action. It is also one of the only rooms to offer Dealer's Choice, giving players a variety of mixed game options.

According to PokerAtlas, the perks of Ace Casino Airport include cocktail service, free parking, tableside food and a phone-in list.

Upcoming Changes - Regulation of iGaming

In early 2025, Alberta’s Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, put forward Bill 48, which would introduce a new regulator for the region, similar to iGaming Ontario. This body would oversee all gaming operations in the province, including regulation and licensing for all online gambling operators who wish to operate in Alberta.

“Our goal is not to create new gamblers, but to make existing online gambling safer," Nally said about Bill 48. "As the gaming industry continues to evolve globally and in Alberta, it is important that we modernize Alberta’s approach to gaming to protect the health and safety of Albertans, particularly our youth.”

The bill in question will now be scrutinised for specific clauses and stipulations, and if that stage is successful, the launch of a regulated gambling market is expected later this year or early in 2026.

IGaming Business recently reported that in the 12 months between 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, online gambling increased by 32% year on year to a huge C$3.2 billion.

Alberta Player Pool - International v Multi-Province

Whether or not Bill 48 makes its way through the Alberta legal body, it is still unclear whether Alberta would be ring-fenced or expand to other markets. Notably, Ontario operates as a ring-fenced market.

Dale Nally and other Alberta officials have spoken about the importance of shared liquidity and the possibility of Alberta joining the Ontario market.

“The focus of this is not about upgrading PlayAlberta,” Dale Nally told the Edmonton Journal. “The focus of this is to have an open and free market for igaming, to offer more competition, and we believe that that is going to improve the experience for the player.”

What Online Poker Sites will Launch in Alberta?

Should Bill 48 make its way into law, there are a handful of poker operators that would likely set up shop in Alberta, including those that already operate in the province through gray markets.

Let's look at which operators would be likely to launch in Alberta.

888poker - 888poker could launch in Alberta given that the Gibraltar-based company already operates in Ontario.

PokerStars - PokerStars could launch in Alberta. In March 2024, Poker Industry PRO reported that both PokerStars and BetMGM had hired lobbyists for regulated online poker in Alberta.

BetMGM - Like PokerStars, BetMGM has hired lobbyists for regulated online poker in the province, according to Poker Industry PRO.

GGPoker - GGPoker is likely to launch as it already operates in Ontario and recently partnered with the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which has held Circuit events throughout Canada.

BetRivers - One of the newest online poker operators on the market, Phil Galfond's BetRivers could expand to Alberta. As of writing, BetRivers is only live in Pennsylvania.

History of Gambling and Gambling Laws in Alberta

1892 - Gambling First Legalized
Gambling was first legalized in Alberta in the 19th century, where changes to the Criminal Code of Canada authorized gambling to take place under specific conditions.

1970 - Criminal Code Amendments
Eight decades later, the Criminal Code was once again amended. This time, it gave provinces the power to independently regulate and license gambling, including poker.

1975 - Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission Established
Alberta's first attempts at properly legalizing and regulating gambling came in the 1970s with the establishment of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).

Early 1990s - Emergence of New Casinos
Several established casinos first opened in the province, including Casino Edmonton and Casino Calgary. While poker wasn't initially included in their offerings, both later did add poker rooms to their facilities.

2003 - Moneymaker Effect
Chris Moneymaker's 2003 WSOP Main Event win catalyzed a poker boom that was especially felt in North America and Canada. For the next few years, the game of poker would see exponential growth. Live poker rooms and tournaments became more frequent in Alberta as a result.

2020 - PlayAlberta Launches
With live poker being stunted by a global pandemic, the province launched its first online gaming site - PlayAlberta.ca. However, at the time no poker was added and only slots and lottery were available to play.

Future - Ontario Lead the Way?
Alberta is expected to follow in the footsteps of Ontario, which was the first Canadian province to establish a legal and regulated online gambling market back in 2022.

Since then, the gaming market in the province has gone from strength to strength, with many of the larger operators opting to launch Ontario-specific platforms for casino games, slots, and poker. When it comes to online casinos, these include BetMGM Casino, PokerStars Casino, and JackpotCity Casino.

Regulation is provided by bodies like the Kahnawake Gaming Commission which issues licenses to operators for a variety of gambling products.

Alberta Poker FAQs

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for three Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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