In what is possibly the least surprising news you will read today, DraftKings intends to be live with online sports betting and casino in Alberta’s regulated market from the get-go.
The sports betting and gaming giant confirmed on Thursday that, pending licensure and regulatory approval, it plans to be available on the province’s July 13 launch date. Like several other operators, it has opened pre-registration in the province ahead of its expected launch.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to expand DraftKings’ footprint in Canada and bring our online sportsbook and casino experiences to customers in Alberta,” said DraftKings Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sports Greg Karamitis in a statement.
“With the anticipated launch aligning with the World Cup — hosted right here in North America — it’s a particularly exciting moment for sports fans in the province to engage with our platform.”
Alberta would be DraftKings’ 34th online sports betting market in North America and its seventh for online casino.
It already offers both verticals in Ontario, and last summer launched its Golden Nugget Online Casino brand as a standalone platform in that province. Canadian Gaming Business reached out to DraftKings to ask if the plan is to launch both DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino and Golden Nugget Online Casino in Alberta, but the company declined to share any further information.
While this is the official public announcement regarding DraftKings’ Alberta plans, executives have previously touched upon the opportunity that awaits in the province.
Chief Executive Officer Jason Robins said on the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call on Feb. 13 that launching in Alberta, as well as Maine’s upcoming online casino market, had been factored into the company’s full-year 2026 guidance.
Long queue forming at Alberta’s door
DraftKings is one of more than a dozen operators that Canadian Gaming Business has confirmed are seeking registration in Alberta, a group that also includes the likes of:
- Bet99
- BetMGM
- BetRivers
- Betty
- Caesars
- FanDuel
- High Roller Technologies
- PointsBet
- PowerPlay
- Soft2Bet
- Super Group
- theScoreBet
- TonyBet
As of last month, more than 55 operator sites had expressed an interest in registering to launch in the province, according to a document published by the market regulator, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC). Companies including Caesars, Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers, PointsBet Canada and PENN Entertainment’s theScore Bet are all already open for pre-registration in Alberta. like DraftKings.
It’s uncertain exactly how operators are actively undergoing the process as of today, and the 55 sites will not equate to 55 operators, given that some companies such as Caesars and Super Group intend to launch multiple brands in the market, as they did in Ontario.
Alberta Minister Dale Nally told the Edmonton Journal on Thursday that at least 32 companies have applied to be a part of the market, and 20 have already paid a $150,000 deposit to register.
The commercial brands that do go live in Alberta will compete with AGLC’s own government-run platform, Play Alberta.
