Alberta Gets Into Supreme Court Fight Over Canada iGaming Future

Canada top court will hear from Alberta in a gambling case that could affect online sports betting, poker, paid DFS, and casino gaming across the country. The ruling also matters for Alberta own iGaming launch set for July 13.

Good to Know

• Alberta can file a 10 page factum and make a five minute oral argument.
• The case could affect poker liquidity, paid DFS, online casino gaming, and sports betting in Canada.
• Alberta says the appeal could shape how the iGaming Alberta Act operates.

Alberta Wins a Seat in a Case That Could Reshape Canada iGaming Market

Alberta has secured a place in one of the most important gambling cases now sitting before the Supreme Court of Canada. On Monday, the court granted the Attorney General of Alberta leave to intervene, giving the province room to submit a factum of up to 10 pages and present a five minute oral argument at the eventual hearing.

That access comes with limits. Alberta cannot argue how the appeal should be decided, raise new issues, add evidence, or repeat arguments already made by other parties.

The decision reads:

“The intervener is not entitled to express a position on the disposition of the appeal, to raise new issues, to adduce further evidence or otherwise to supplement the record of the parties.”

It also says:

“The intervener is not permitted to advance submissions that duplicate those of the other parties.”

Even with those limits, Alberta now gets a voice in a case that could reshape how online sports betting, internet casino gaming, daily fantasy sports, and poker operate in Canada. That matters well beyond theory. Alberta is preparing to open a competitive iGaming market on July 13, when private operators are expected to enter under a new provincial framework alongside Play Alberta, the only regulated operator there at present. Brands such as bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel are lining up for that launch.

Why the Ontario Fight Matters to Alberta

The case traces back to Ontario, which opened its private sector iGaming market in April 2022. Ontario rules classify pay to play DFS contests as gambling and require all bettors to be physically inside the province. That has cut the ceiling for online poker pools and helped push paid DFS out of Ontario.

Ontario then asked its appeal court whether it could legally connect its online gambling system with players outside the province. The province argued that shared liquidity would help pull more gamblers into the regulated market. Several provincial lottery corporations opposed that view. Last November, a majority at the lower court backed Ontario. The matter then went up to the Supreme Court of Canada.

If the top court leaves that lower ruling in place, Ontario based poker and DFS players could potentially be matched with players in the US or other countries. That could make paid DFS viable again in Ontario, though there are no guarantees.

Alberta sees clear overlap with its own plan. Its July 13 market launch will use Ontario style rules, including a requirement that gamblers be in the province when they wager. That could create the same limits for poker and DFS unless wider liquidity becomes possible. Alberta has said the Supreme Court case should not delay the launch, but it also says the result could affect how the new market functions.

In its filing, Alberta said its legislation does not ban people from outside Canada from joining games run by regulated provincial agents, provided authorities in those other countries allow it. The province argued:

“Consequently, this appeal will have a significant impact on determining the legality and operation of the iGaming Alberta Act,” and added that “the views of AGAB should be considered by this Court.”

The same filing also showed the line Alberta wants to press. Federal criminal law, it said, should be read “in a flexible and broad manner so that it does not conflict with valid provincial legislation regulating gaming.”

Opposition Is Already in Place

That position puts Alberta close to Ontario. It also puts the province across from government lottery groups in Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, and Quebec. Quebec was approved as an appellant on April 2. Those bodies, often grouped under the Canadian Lottery Coalition, have argued that letting provinces tap international iGaming liquidity could create harmful consequences and a slippery slope.

Other approved interveners include the Canadian Gaming Association and Flutter Entertainment PLC, owner of FanDuel. No hearing date has been set.

FAQ

What did Alberta win at the Supreme Court of Canada?

Alberta won leave to intervene in a gambling case and can file a 10 page factum plus make a five minute oral argument.

Can Alberta fully argue the case?

No. Alberta cannot seek a specific outcome, add new issues or evidence, or repeat arguments already made by others.

Why does the case matter for Alberta?

Alberta is launching a regulated iGaming market on July 13, and the ruling could affect how that market handles poker, DFS, casino gaming, and sports betting

Which operators are expected in Alberta new market?

Major brands named in the report include bet365, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Play Alberta.

What started the legal dispute?

Ontario 2022 iGaming launch and its rules on pay to play DFS and in province wagering helped trigger the current fight.

What could happen if the lower court ruling stands?

Ontario poker and DFS players could potentially be pooled with players in the US or other countries.

The post Alberta Gets Into Supreme Court Fight Over Canada iGaming Future appeared first on iGaming.org.