Playson has moved into Alberta through a partnership with Betty Casino, adding its games to the Canadian operator’s Alberta offering and giving the company its first partnership in the province. The deal extends a collaboration that began in Ontario.
Alberta players can now see a curated line-up of Playson releases, including 4 Chili Amigos: Hold and Win, Thunder Coins XXL: Multicoin and Rhino Coins: Hit the Bonus. Betty Casino is already live in Ontario and Alberta and describes itself as mobile-first, with a broad portfolio of slot and casino titles.
The Alberta market opened on 13 July under the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, with Alberta iGaming Corporation handling commercial operations. AiGC said at least 18 companies and 23 websites have been operating since launch, while earlier reporting said 28 operators had been approved for the market opening.
The province was described as Canada’s second regulated iGaming jurisdiction after Ontario, which launched in April 2022. Alberta’s government projected the market could generate about CAD 100 million a year in tax revenue and said the aim was to draw play away from unregulated sites, which it said still account for 65% of online gambling.
The framework mirrors Ontario’s model but adds Alberta-specific compliance rules and a first-come, first-served registration process that favours early entrants. Operators pay $150,000 a year plus a $50,000 application fee, and the complete registry encompasses 69 gaming registrations, including 22 content suppliers, eight platform providers and 11 compliance and integrity-related suppliers.
It also includes consumer protections under Bill 48, among them self-exclusion tools and a $20,000 betting limit, as well as restrictions on celebrity and athlete endorsements for sportsbooks and betting on political events such as elections and leadership contests. The province also directs 3% of gross gaming revenue to First Nations communities and social responsibility programmes before operator revenue distribution, while another 1% is earmarked for player safety and social accountability initiatives. That structure has drawn concern from Treaty 8 First Nations grand chief Trevor Mercredi, who questioned whether the arrangement would offset projected declines and said the distribution process lacked consultation. Laurel Wheeler, an economics professor at the University of Alberta, warned that even small revenue falls could lead to program closures and job losses.
Playson, founded in 2012, says it operates in more than 26 regulated markets and has more than 200 operator partnerships. Ben Wood, its chief commercial officer, said entering Alberta was an important milestone in the company’s North American strategy, while Tom King of Betty Casino said the launch extends the relationship and adds recognised casino content to the brand’s portfolio.
