Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis‘ (AGLC) responsible gambling partnerships with numerous pro sports teams in Alberta have attracted glowing attention from Canada and beyond.
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has named the Alberta crown corporation as the winner of its inaugural GameSense Innovation Award, which was established to recognize the most creative, impactful and original GameSense-branded initiative of the year.
GameSense is the BCLC’s player health program that it launched in 2009. It later began licensing it out to allow other organizations across provincial and national borders to lean on it for their own player protection programs. As well as AGLC, licensees who use GameSense include the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) and Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming, commercial operators like BetMGM and MGM Resorts, and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
BCLC and its GameSense partners selected AGLC as the winner for its province-wide sports-betting campaign that brought GameSense messaging directly to fans through partnerships with Alberta’s professional sports teams. AGLC was presented with the award at the annual GameSense Summit in Edmonton on Sept.17.
GameSense at Oilers games and beyond
Alberta’s government continues to prepare to open a regulated commercial iGaming market next year. The AGLC will regulate that market, as well as continuing to operate Play Alberta, currently the only regulated online gaming platform in the province.
In the meantime, AGLC has somewhat cornered the market in terms of sports team partnerships. Play Alberta is the official sports betting partner of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames and sponsored the home jerseys of both of Alberta’s pro hockey teams last season. It’s also the official sportsbook of the Edmonton Elks and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and held a similar status for the Calgary Stampede last year.
BCLC stated in a release that AGLC’s winning GameSense campaign resulted in over 23.9 million impressions, 2.3 million video views and a 10% increase in direct traffic to its player health resources. GameSense messaging was featured in stadiums and arenas across Alberta, including at the Oilers’ Rogers Place, as pictured above.
“This award is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation – and a little friendly competition – in promoting player health messaging and resources,” said Ryan McCarthy, director of player health at BCLC. “AGLC’s campaign exemplifies how GameSense can be brought to life in engaging, high-impact ways to reach people where they’re at, like when they’re watching their favourite athletes hit the ice or the field.”
“AGLC’s GameSense Program reached new heights this past year and seeing its campaign recognized with the inaugural GameSense Innovation Award is an achievement I am proud of,” added AGLC CEO Kandice Machado. “The decision by BCLC to develop this award will further encourage jurisdictions to promote resources that ensure gambling remains fun and a form of entertainment. My thanks to our partners in B.C. and Alberta’s professional sports landscape, who supported the campaign.”
