Pure Canadian Gaming has applied to bring its own gambling platform to Alberta’s new online gambling and sports-betting market, pitching the service as a smartphone app and website. The Alberta-based operator framed the move as a local answer to a market already drawing in large international brands.
In a Friday news release, the company said it wanted to be a “distinctly Albertan choice” in contrast to multinational entrants and their “celebrity-endorsed advertising.” Brad Belhouse, the company’s president and chief executive, said, “We can’t outspend the multinationals on Super Bowl ads. But we can beat them on trust and our commitment to Alberta.” He added: “We were here before they arrived, and we’ll be here long after the market settles.”
Pure Canadian Gaming said its entry would help keep revenues in Canada and support local employment and investment. The company said it has been operating for more than 25 years, runs seven casinos across Alberta, has two locations in Edmonton and employs about 1,500 people in the province.
The application lands in a crowded field. More than 48 platforms have applied to join Alberta’s market, including BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel and bet365.
Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally said the regulated market should generate around $76 million for the province in its first year. He said the point of the new regime was to protect players from an unregulated grey market.
The province has also put rules and protections around the launch. Operators can use sports celebrities in advertising only when the ads are meant to encourage responsible gambling, and Alberta has set up a centralized exclusion option that lets players opt out of all iGaming options.
