About
Seventeen questions about online gambling in Alberta, answered with sources
Seventeen questions about online gambling in Alberta, in five groups (the site, the law, registered sites, money and staying safe) that run from how this site works to where to find help, each with a short answer and a link to the page that covers the subject in full. The answers name their sources, and where a fact depends on a date (a reading of the list, a bulletin, a rule) the date is given with it.
How the answers are written
A page of questions is the easiest place on a site to be "vague", because an answer that sounds right is rarely checked, and the habit of these pages, as we write them, is to give the reader something to check instead. Each answer names the document, the list or the standard that it rests on (or says that none exists), and it links to the page where you can read the subject at length, with the figures and the dates. Where we could not establish something, the answer says so.
Short answers can mislead by leaving things out, so ours stop at what is true without qualification and leave the "qualifications" to the page they link to.
Where the questions come from
The groups follow the questions that the province's own material answers (the AGLC and AiGC pages, the government's "factsheets") and the subjects that the rest of this site covers, from the law and the money to the scams that follow both. None of them asks which casino a reader should choose, and that "omission" is deliberate; a site paid by the operators it lists is the wrong place to ask.
The full list of registered sites, with the company behind each, is on the index of casinos, and it is ordered by company and then by name rather than by any preference of ours.
What the answers will not do
The answers explain rules and point to the people who apply them, but they are not legal, financial or tax advice, and a question about an "individual case" belongs to a lawyer, an accountant or the body named in the answer (AGLC, AiGC or the Canada Revenue Agency, for most of them). A question about an account, a balance or a withdrawal belongs to the operator first (in writing), and to AiGC after seventy-two hours without an answer from the operator.
Nor do they promise anything about a site's future, since a row on the list can change and the list itself is the only "current record".
The answers in brief
If there is one thing to keep from this page, it is that the province's protections exist only on the sites on the AiGC list: the limits, the "trust account" in Canada (where player funds are held), the self-exclusion and the "complaint route" all stop at its edge! A minute spent on the list before the "first deposit" is, in our view, the cheapest protection that a player in the province has. The list decides.
Where to go next
Questions about a particular site are answered on its review, and questions about the law lead to the overview of online gambling law in Alberta, which sets out the "federal rule", the provincial act and the standards in order (with the dates of each). A question that is missing here is the one we would most like to receive; a gap in this page usually means a gap in the site, and the contact page gives the address to write to.
If you are reading this because gambling has stopped being fun, the help page is a better next step than any answer on this page.
This site and how it works
Who runs this site?
An independent editorial team publishes it, and the publisher's details are on the privacy page. The only address for readers is the email on the contact page.
How does the site make money?
Operators pay a commission when a reader opens an account through a link on our commercial pages. The commission does not change which operators appear or their order, which follows the company and then the name.
Why are there no ratings or bonus offers?
AGLC's standards allow bonuses and other inducements to be communicated only on the operator's own site and in direct marketing that a player has agreed to, so affiliate pages carry none. A site paid by operators cannot rate them credibly either, so the reviews show public averages, each attributed to its source.
The law in Alberta
Is online gambling legal in Alberta?
Yes, on two kinds of site: Play Alberta, the province's own site, and the private sites registered with AGLC that appear on the AiGC list, a market that opened on July 13, 2026. Since October 13, 2026, a site that is not on the list has no authorization in the province. The law page explains the framework.
How old do you have to be?
Eighteen, the province's minimum, and some operators set nineteen in their own terms. The age page explains how sites check it.
Do you have to live in Alberta?
No, but you have to be physically in Alberta when you play: registered sites check the location before accepting a bet, and a resident who travels outside the province cannot play on them from there.
Are gambling winnings taxed?
The Canada Revenue Agency does not treat the winnings of a recreational gambler as income (Income Tax Folio S3-F9-C1), although the position differs for someone who gambles as a business. The tax page sets out the details.
Registered sites and complaints
How can I tell whether a site is registered?
Open the AiGC list by typing its address, find the site, and compare the address and the company in its Details window with the site in front of you. The licence check walks through five checks in all.
What do I lose at a site that is not on the list?
The province's protections: the limits that AGLC's standards require, player funds held in a trust account in Canada, the centralized self-exclusion and the complaint route that ends at AiGC. The page on unregistered sites explains each.
How do I complain about a registered site?
Write to the operator first. If seventy-two hours pass without a resolution, take the complaint to AiGC, as the complaints page describes.
Which companies run the registered sites?
The AiGC list names the company behind each site, our index prints them row by row with the date of reading, and the operators page explains how one company can run several brands.
Payments and withdrawals
Which payment methods do registered sites accept?
Usually Interac e-Transfer, debit and credit cards, bank-transfer services and e-wallets, while AGLC's standards exclude cryptocurrency. The payments page describes each method.
Can I use a credit card?
Yes, but some banks treat a gambling payment as a cash advance, with fees and interest from the first day, so it is worth asking the bank before using one.
Why does a withdrawal need documents?
A registered site must verify a player's identity before it pays out, under the rules against money laundering, and it usually pays to the method used for the deposit. The page on withdrawals explains the stages.
Staying safe
How do I self-exclude?
Through AGLC's centralized programme, which can cover every registered site, the casinos, or both, for six months to three years, and which cannot be cancelled early. The self-exclusion page lists the ways to sign up.
Where can I get help with gambling?
The Addiction Helpline of Alberta Health Services answers at any hour on 1-866-332-2322, and in a crisis you can call or text 988. The help page lists the other free services.
How do I recognize a gambling scam?
The clearest sign is a payment requested before any payment to you, such as a fee, a tax or a deposit to release winnings, and others are contact by direct message and promises of certainty. The scams page covers the four families.
By the Alberta Casinos Online editorial team · Last updated: November 13, 2026 · Online since 2026