DraftKings said it will launch its online sportsbook and casino, together with its Golden Nugget Online Gaming brand, in Alberta on July 13. The company said it will also give Food Banks Alberta $150,000 ahead of the rollout.
The funding is expected to buy more than 40,000 pounds of essential food items for distribution through Food Banks Alberta’s network of member food banks. DraftKings said the donation would help supply high-demand items such as fruit, vegetables and baby formula to people and families facing hunger.
The company also said employees will volunteer with Food Banks Alberta as part of the Alberta launch celebration. Greg Karamitis, DraftKings’ executive vice president and general manager of sports, said Alberta has a passionate sports fan base and that the company is excited to bring sports betting and online casino products to customers across the province.
That would make Alberta DraftKings’ second Canadian province and its 34th North American jurisdiction. The company also said it will mark the launch with a World Cup watch party on July 11 at the Wildhorse Saloon in Calgary.
Alberta’s regulated iGaming market is set to open on July 13, according to Casino.org. The site said 49 operators had completed registration and paid their fees by July 7, after the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission released its Internet Gaming Standards and Requirements on June 18.
Those standards set strict compliance rules for licensed operators, including responsible gambling, supplier benchmarks and data security. Casino.org said Alberta is using an Ontario-style dual-agency model, with the AGLC handling enforcement and the Alberta iGaming Corporation overseeing day-to-day market operations.
The province is also requiring operators to monitor and intervene in high-risk player behaviour, enforce deposit and time limits, and build safer-play tools into their products. Alberta will launch with a centralized self-exclusion system covering both online and brick-and-mortar gaming.
Food Banks Alberta’s 2024 annual report said inflation and the high cost of living drove usage higher than ever before. It also said food stocks were getting low and reserve funds were dwindling, while the organisation planned to provide more direct services to members and continue seeking badly needed funding.
The charity said it tracked 105 donation offers over 2023 and exceeded donation amounts not seen since COVID-19 relief efforts in 2020. Against that backdrop, DraftKings’ contribution is designed to bolster a provincial food bank network that says demand has been rising sharply.
