bet365 expands Canadian footprint with launch in Alberta’s gaming market

FILE — Advertisements for sports betting apps are seen in downtown Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Trip Stoddard and bet365 are expanding their Canadian footprint.

Alberta officially opened its regulated sports betting and iGaming market Monday, becoming the second Canadian province to do so. Ontario became the first to offer a regulated, private market for online gaming April 4, 2022.

And like it did in Ontario, bet365 is among the operators that will set up shop in Alberta.

“Canada is a key market for bet365, and cementing our brand’s presence in Alberta marks another milestone in our long-term commitment to Canadian sports fans,” said Stoddard, head of development at bet365. “We’re proud to work alongside Alberta’s regulators to give fans a trusted platform to engage with the sports they love through a responsible, world-class experience.”

Bet365 also has an association with the CFL as its sports betting and online casino partner.

Nearly 50 companies paid $200,000 in registration and permit fees leading up to Monday’s launch however closer to 20 were expected to be ready for customers. Before Monday, the province’s online bettors either participated in the government-owned PlayAlberta or with “grey market” operators and their wagers went offshore.

In Ontario in 2022, companies that had their documentation submitted before April 4 but hadn’t received approval in time for the open-market launch received a grace period to continue operating while their applications were being considered.

The opening year of Ontario’s regulated market included 45 operators and 76 gaming sites. The industry also supported 12,207 jobs, a figure that was projected to increase to 22,132 by its fifth year of operation.

In 2025, there were 47 operators and 81 gaming sites in Ontario.

The Alberta government will collect 20 per cent of profits from private operators with the province’s First Nations guaranteed two per cent of all revenues.

Alberta has population of over four million residents and is home to the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames as well as the CFL’s Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders, making it an attractive market for operators.

Monday’s launch means Albertans 18 years of age and older can now bet on casino games, sporting events and other gambling activities through online websites and smartphone apps from operators registered to run activities in a provincially regulated market.

But like Ontario, Alberta has strict rules for advertising, marketing, and promotions to ensure operators are not targeting minors or high-risk individuals.

The operation of an open, regulated market has proved to be a financial boon for Ontario with over $35.5 billion in total online bets — counting sports betting, online casino and poker — placed the first complete year alone.

The province generated total gaming revenues of just over $1.4 billion. It resulted in $238 million in federal government revenue, $469 million to the province and $54 million in municipal government revenue.

In all of 2025, total wagers in Ontario was at $98.4 billion, an increase of 177 per cent. And that doesn’t include the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s online wagering numbers, which are reported separately and reportedly make up 20 per cent of the total market.

Since the Ontario market’s launch in 2022 (and excluding the OLG’s numbers), over $303 billion has been wagered. The total operator revenue has been $12.2 billion with $2.44 billion being collected by the province in taxes.

The Alberta government forecasts a $76-million bump in tax revenue in the first year of an open market.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press

Jack Farrell in Edmonton contributed to this report.