It’s been about two months since the provincial government brought online gambling sites and their subsequent betting ads to Alberta. In that time, the province has introduced regulations it says acknowledges the popularity of the sites while keeping Albertans safe. Other critics, including federal politicians, say young users are still at risk. The province has added safety features to further regulate the market, including a self-exclusion option for anywhere between six months to three years for those who actively choose to avoid gambling. Some 1,000 Albertans have requested that option in the last month alone. Ads are also no longer permitted to target youth, vulnerable people, or include celebrities unless they endorse safe play. Since the regulations – and the games – hit the market, CTV News Edmonton has learned there have been 58 complaints to the province. Alberta red tape reduction Minister Dale Nally says his rules not only protect players, but force companies to pay for treatment. “Gambling will never be safe, and it will never be responsible. But we know that online gambling was already here. You can’t shut the market down. You can’t shut the internet down,” he told CTV news Edmonton. “We took a look at what Ontario did, and we said, ‘We’re going to put player safety and responsibility first.’ We came out with guardrails.” Alberta is the second province in Canada to officially permit private online gambling operators after Ontario. The western province dedicates one per cent of gross gambling revenues to gambling addiction treatment and supports. But area Senator Kris Wells says gambling has become an “unrestricted revenue source for governments, in particular the Alberta government.” The province takes in 20 per cent of revenues, estimated at more than $76 million this year. He says a national conversation about regulatory frameworks is needed, including even stricter ad rules. “Because let’s face it, advertising is key to bringing people into gambling. And once they’re in, they’re often hooked,” he said. “If we’re going to open up the market from outside the province to allow major conglomerates to come in, how are we going to protect vulnerable people?” Young men are especially in danger of becoming “hooked,” according to adolescent addictions specialist Dr. Shawn Kelly. “They are all gas, no brakes. They are motivated, and designed to go for those potential rewards,” he told CTV News Edmonton. But he’s not excluding other vulnerable groups. The harms of gambling, he said, “always follows the socioeconomic ladder,” according to studies done in places with previous or current unregulated gambling, like Ontario or Sweden. Kelly warns gambling disorders among young men can be linked to challenges like ADHD, depression, criminal behaviour, and suicide. “There used to be a lot of friction involved in this (gambling) process. Even every casino was limited in numbers … Now the casino is in our pocket, and the cell phone already used as it is … These two things play into each other.” The province says it has received six proposals for companies hoping to offer support services. The Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction says it “may fund multiple applicants, depending on who meets the requirements.” The treatment programs currently in place for Albertans will be available until spring 2027, the ministry said, at which point it will be replaced with a long-term model. Anyone struggling is encouraged to contact 211 for 24/7 crisis support. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski
