Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2026/03/21
Soft2Bet Announces Intention to Enter Alberta-regulated Market
iGaming solutions provider Soft2Bet has revealed its intention to enter Alberta’s upcoming regulated gambling market. Pending approval, Soft2Bet will expand its gambling brand, ToonieBet, which currently operates in Ontario, into Alberta.
According to Soft2Bet, Alberta’s market offers major growth opportunities for operators in the North American-regulated market. They add that they’re closely monitoring the province’s developing gambling framework, which involves the creation of a new gambling regulatory body, the Alberta iGaming Corporation, that will have joint oversight with Alberta’s current regulator, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis.
Soft2Bet said it was committed to meeting Alberta’s technical requirements under the framework and that entering the province aligned with its 2026 growth goals.
“Innovation is paramount at Soft2Bet, and our goal is to develop exciting products that meet our customers where they are most comfortable,” said David Yatom Hay, General Counsel, Soft2Bet. “As we evaluate our entry into Alberta, pending regulatory approval, we are committed to delivering localized, engaging experiences that reflect the unique preferences and culture of each market.”
Alberta Gambling Regulator Confirms No Betting on Political Events
In an iGaming bulletin published this week, Alberta’s gambling regulator, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), confirmed that operators are not permitted to offer betting markets on political events, such as elections, by-elections, and leadership contests.
The AGLC added that its Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming (SRIG) framework had been updated to include the rules, saying, “AGLC is committed to reviewing policies to meet the needs of stakeholders, while maintaining an effective regulatory environment. As a result, a policy amendment has been made to Section 4.6 of the SRIG … to prohibit betting on political events.”
Political wagers join the likes of other bets that are “reasonably objectionable,” including bets on human suffering, dead, non-consensual violence, animal fighting, financial markets, and minor league sports. Speaking to Canadian Gaming Business, the AGLC said that Alberta’s gaming market has always opposed political wagering, and as they move to an open market, they want to provide as much clarity as possible to operators.
Alberta Wants a Say in Ontario Global Poker Supreme Court Case
Alberta has asked to join a Supreme Court appeal that would decide whether or not Ontario can offer international liquidity pools for online poker and other forms of peer-to-peer online gambling. The intervention was brought forth by the province’s Attorney General.
In November, the Ontario Court of Appeal declared that under Canada’s Criminal Code, Ontario’s-regulated market would allow Ontario players to join peer-to-peer games in other countries.
Despite that ruling, crown corporations in the Canadian Lottery Coalition, the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation appealed the decision to the Supreme Court in December, arguing that the decision was illegal as phrasing from the Criminal Code meant that international betting wouldn’t be entirely within the province.
However, Alberta is in a position to argue for cross-border play, noting that the Supreme Court’s decision was instrumental to the province’s iGaming Alberta Act, which currently proposes regulation for a lottery scheme similar to Ontario’s.
“Consequently, this appeal will have a significant impact on determining the legality and operation of the iGaming Alberta Act… The issues relate to the legality and operation of validly enacted provincial legislation,” the formal motion to intervene from the Attorney General read.
Ziv (Steve) Chen
CEO at Major League Content
Ziv has been working in the iGaming industry for more than two decades, serving in senior roles in software developers like Playtech and Microgaming. He then followed his lifelong passion of writing and became a fulltime journalist, covering casinos, sports betting, legislation and other gambling topics and news with a specialty in North America.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-steve-chen-94b01b5/
