Alberta’s regulator, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), set out advertising and marketing standards that licensed online gambling operators must follow as the province prepares to open its regulated market on 13 July, according to SoloAzar.
The rules, published on 18 June, sharply limit how incentives can be promoted and place new obligations around consent and responsible messaging.
One of the most significant measures prohibits operators from publicly advertising gambling bonuses, credits, free bets, and promotional offers. Incentives may be displayed only on an operator’s own platform, or communicated directly to players who have explicitly opted in.
AGLC also requires operators to provide customers with a simple and accessible way to withdraw consent at any time. Advertising is barred from targeting minors, and it may not use imagery, themes, cartoons, public figures, or influencers that are likely to appeal to children or young people.
Promotions near schools and youth-focused venues are prohibited, and current or former athletes may appear in campaigns only if the sole purpose is to promote responsible gambling initiatives. The regulator also limits marketing communications directed at individuals identified as high risk, and operators are prohibited from specifically targeting those groups with promotional content.
The standards restrict how gambling can be portrayed, including bans on presenting gambling as a financial investment opportunity or suggesting it can help recover previous losses. Operators are also not allowed to imply that spending more money or playing longer increases a player’s chances of winning, and the regulator explicitly prohibits suggestions that skill can influence outcomes of chance-based games such as slot machines.
AGLC will introduce a province-wide self-exclusion system from the outset. The system lets players exclude themselves from all online gambling sites, all land-based gaming venues, or every licensed gambling product in the province through a single process, and operators are prohibited from sending advertising or promotional communications to self-excluded individuals for the duration of their exclusion period.
Operators will be held responsible for third-party activity, including the actions of marketing affiliates and advertising agencies acting on their behalf. Affiliate partners promoting licensed brands in Alberta will not be permitted to provide similar services to unlicensed operators operating in the province.
SoloAzar reported that nearly 50 operator websites had been registered and approved to compete alongside the government-run Play Alberta platform. The regulator also said it retains authority to require operators to modify or remove advertising campaigns or promotional offers whenever it considers such action necessary to protect market integrity or support social responsibility objectives.
On the transition away from unregulated services, a key condition for obtaining an Alberta iGaming licence is the termination of any existing unregulated operations in the province. Operators with an established grey-market presence, including bet365 and Super Group, must cease those activities before the market officially opens on 13 July, except in limited circumstances permitted by the regulator.
As the opening period gets closer, operators will also need to ensure that any marketing conducted through affiliates stays confined to licensed brands and that self-exclusion requests are reflected in what players receive after they exclude themselves.
