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We provide you with information about the best online casinos in Alberta and the responsible gambling policy that Alberta casinos provide. We also talk about gambling laws and taxes in this province, and answer the most popular questions that players usually have.
The N1 online casino was launched in 2017 by N1 Interactive Ltd and licensed by Malta. The online casino has 2000+ games in its lobby from over 50 providers, including state-of-the-art table game options, slots and live dealer games. The welcome package for Albertans is 6000 CAD and 200 free spins. The wagering requirements for the bonus are 50x. As for payment methods through which the players can deposit or withdraw winnings, N1 offers several options that are popular in Canada: VISA, Interac, MasterCard, iDebit, Neosurf, Ecopayz, InstaDebit and Bank Transfer. The mobile app for iOS and Android is not available in the official stores, but can be downloaded from the N1 official website.
The casino opened in 2017, is licensed by Curacao and is operated by Faro Entertainment N.V. Over 3,000 games are available to players from game providers such as Endorphina, Playson, Yggdrasil, Evolution, Games Global, etc. The welcome package contains four deposit bonuses with a 40x wagering requirement. Several payment methods are available for depositing funds into the account and withdrawing winnings for residents of Alberta, such as Paysafecard, MuchBetter, Interac and others. A mobile app for iOS is available in the official app store for this operating system, an app for Android is suggested to be downloaded from the official website of Mr Bet.
The multi-currency online casino was launched by Dama NV in 2017 and operates under a Curacao license. The casino offers over a thousand games from gaming providers such as BGaming, Nolimit City, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play and so on. Among the payment methods available for deposits and withdrawals are 10 crypto payments and popular fiat options such as VISA, MasterCard, Maestro, Neteller, iDebit, INSTADEBIT and others. On the online casino site, the function of acquiring cryptocurrency from a card using VISA, Google Pay, and the like is available. The welcome bonus for crypto players is 5 BTC and 180 free spins, for fiat players – $500 and 180 free spins respectively with 40x wagering. There is no mobile app for iOS or Android.
The online casino was established in 2003 and today is managed by TonyBet OÜ. Among the game providers that provide their products in the online casino lobby are more than 80 titles, such as Spinomenal, Iron Dog Studio, BetSoft, BGaming, Igrosoft, Zillion, etc. The collection of games is extensive – more than 3000, including slots, games with a live croupier, table games and sports betting. The welcome bonus is 100% cashback up to a maximum of 1000 CAD plus 120 free spins with 50x wagering requirements. Alberta residents have access to such payment methods as VISA, Interac, ecoPayz, Jeton, Bitcoin, etc. A mobile app for iOS or Android has been developed.
Multi-currency online casino started its work in 2017. It is owned by N1 Interactive Ltd and is licensed from Malta. The online casino lobby has more than 4000 games from 30+ providers, including big names in the iGaming industry such as Spinomenal, Thunderkick, Evolution, BGaming, Avatarux, 4ThePlayer and much more. Among the payment methods are such popular methods among Albertans as Bank Transfer, Instant Bank Transfer, Interac, etc. The welcome bonus is 2500 CAD and 250 free spins. Mobile apps for iOS and Android are not available.
This online casino is registered in Curacao and licensed by Kahnawake. It began operations in 2019 and is operated by Raging Rhino NV. Lucky Days offers over 2200 games from game developers such as Pragmatic Play, Microgaming, Evolution, Quickspin and more. The welcome bonus is $1500 plus 100 free spins. Among the payments that Canadian residents can use are Interac, MuchBetter, VISA, ecoPayz, MasterCard, etc. Mobile apps for iOS or Android are not developed.
The online casino from developers from Sweden opened in 2012 and has a Maltese license. Among the game providers supplying their product to Leo Vegas are brands such as Evolution, NetEnt, Microgaming, IGT, Pragmatic Play and so on. There are more than 1500 slots in the casino lobby, including table games, live dealer games and so on. The Leo Vegas welcome bonus is $1,000 and 200 free spins. The payment methods provided by Leo Vegas are popular in Canada: VISA, MasterCard, MuchBetter and so on. A mobile app for iOS and Android has been developed.
Dama NV launched the Cobra hybrid casino in 2020 under a Curacao license. The online casino has a fairly large range of payment methods popular in Canada: 19 deposit options and 20 withdrawal options, which are suitable for both fiat and crypto. The casino has over 2000 slots from 50+ gaming provider brands as well as table games, sportsbook games and live dealer games. The fiat welcome bonus is 1550 CAD and 300 free spins with a wagering requirement – 40x. The welcome bonus for cryptocurrencies is 5 BTC with a wagering requirement – 50x. Mobile apps for Android or iOS are not developed.
The online casino launched in September 2021, is licensed by the UKGC and Malta and is operated by White Hat Gaming Ltd. The lobby has over 3000 games and 100+ tables with live croupiers. Game providers include such brands as Red Tiger, Wazdan, Nolimit City, NEtEnt, Northern Lights, Evolution, Ezugi, Thunderkick, etc. The welcome bonus consists of bonuses for the first three deposits and 100 free spins. Residents of the province can deposit funds to the game account and withdraw winnings using payment methods such as VISA, MasterCard, PaysafeCard, Trustly, etc. There is no mobile app for iOS or Android.
Alberta casinos history
In 1967, the first charity casino was opened at the annual fair in Edmonton.
In 1975, the first non-commercial casino was opened thanks to the support of an Edmonton Kinsmen Club. At the same time, the first ever The Western lottery ticket was sold.
In 1980, the first permanent private charity Cash Casino was opened in Calgary.
Several more casinos were opened before 1989, and the Alberta Lottery Fund was also established.
1991 became a significant year for Alberta – the first video lottery terminals were tested at summer fairs, which a year later became a full-fledged part of the province’s gambling program.
In 1995, the Alberta Gambling and Liquor Commission (AGLC) was created.
In 2020, Alberta launched its own regulated website, PlayAlberta.ca, for online gambling. One of the aims of the regulation is to ensure that money wagered in Alberta stays in Alberta and goes to a fund that supports social programs and services, rather than ‘leaking’ out of the country through offshore casinos. Other Alberta online gambling sites, apart from this, have not yet been created.
Alberta has the only legal regulated online casino, PlayAlberta.ca, which is subject to provincial laws regarding the provision of gambling services to residents of Alberta. There are no other legal online casinos in Alberta, so if an online operator has a physical office and offers its services through targeted advertising to the people of Alberta, it’s breaking the law. And residents of Alberta who decide to use the services provided by such an operator are also breaking the law. If an online casino is located outside of Canada, it also cannot advertise its services in Canada, while deposits, bets and withdrawals are not prohibited for residents of Alberta if they play in offshore online casinos.
Elbow River Casino is considered the one of the best Alberta casinos in Vegas style in Calgary. On the territory of the casino there is a hotel, a restaurant, a sports bar, a hall where comedy shows are held weekly, and a hall for live music and dance concerts. At Elbow River Casino the gambler can bet on horse racing, play poker, slot machines and many table games. Also, Elbow River can arrange an outdoor table game for gamblers in any place convenient for the gambler. Club members enjoy free heated parking and soft drinks, as well as discounts on many casino services. Membership is free. The casino operates under a charitable model and gives a part of its net profit to charitable organizations. Elbow River Casino is located at 218 18 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2G 1L1.
Yellowhead is one of the largest gambling establishments in western Canada. The casino has more than 800 slot machines, 10 lottery video terminals, 30 live table games. There is also a poker room for 10+ tables, working around the clock. The institution provides a fairly wide selection of bars and restaurants with a varied atmosphere and cuisine for every taste. The showroom hosts performances by various musical groups. The casino also hosts poker tournaments for players of various levels. The Yellowhead game pieces feature a yellow stagecoach. The casino is located at 12464 153 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada AB T5V 1S5.
One of the oldest land-based casinos in Alberta, Boomtown Casino is located in Fort McMurray and has been operating since 1978. The casino covers an area of almost 24,000 square feet and offers its players 7 blackjack tables, tables with progressive Texas hold’em and professional poker, as well as roulette, and almost half a thousand slots. Gamblers visiting the casino can order cocktails, as well as attend live shows hosted by the casino every week. The casino is located at 9825 Hardin St., Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada T9H 4G9.
At the moment, there are many licenses for foreign online casinos, among which the most common for players in Europe and Canada are the licenses of Curacao, Malta, Great Britain, Gibraltar, Kahnawake, etc. Before registering at a foreign online casino, you need to make sure that information about a valid license is posted in the footer of the web page of the casino’s official website.
Most online casino games are slots where the developers use a random number generator algorithm. RNGs are reviewed by independent labs such as eCOGRA, iTechLab, and others before being included in the game. The presence in the footer of the web page of the official casino site of an independent laboratory logo is a sign of quality and a sign of a guarantee that the online casino provides fair games.
Another important characteristic of an online casino is the methods by which it processes deposits and withdrawals of winnings. All reputable online casinos allow their players to deposit via credit and debit cards. It’s also important that payment methods are familiar and numerous – because this provides gamblers with a comfortable game. The withdrawal speed shouldn’t exceed several days for fiat currency and several minutes for cryptocurrency. It’s also important to pay attention to commissions: they are low in good online casinos.
Before registering at an online casino, check out review sites and forums where gamblers share their experience playing at specific online casinos. It’s very easy to find info about the quality of the customer support work at the online casino of your choice. We recommend that you register with those casinos that provide a live chat feature and avoid those that only communicate with customers via e-mail.
In fact, all people are different and have different tastes. But the flashy design and user-unfriendly interface will alienate even the most unpretentious user from the online casino. It’s important that the design of the online casino Alberta sites and navigation through it are clear and convenient, so that you can easily find a complete list of casino games and any information you need, from payment options to support contacts.
Before registering for the welcome bonus packages, please read the terms and conditions of these bonuses. It often happens that, tempted by the size of the welcome bonus package for registration or the first few deposits, gamblers ignore information about the wagering requirements or the expiration dates of these bonuses and, as a result, remain dissatisfied.
Alberta’s leading responsible gaming program is GameSense. Many tools and resources are provided here to help the player play responsibly and manage their spending. But since there is only one regulated online casino in Alberta, the rest of the casinos provide their services from abroad and use other well-known responsible gambling programs in the world.
The protection of personal data of a gambler is one of the leading tasks of an online casino. It’s essential that the online casino has a website data security certificate and up-to-date encryption soft. Currently, online casinos use modern 128-bit SSL encryption. You can quickly check the site of an online casino and find out if this site is encrypted or not. To do this, click the padlock icon on the left side of the browser bar next to the URL of the online casino site.
The AGLC monitors Alberta for violations of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, which regulates gambling in the province. Players can use the online casino and land-based casinos of Alberta if they are in Alberta at the time of the game and they are at least 18 years old. As for taxes, the tax legislation in the province of Alberta in particular and in Canada in general is quite soft, regardless of which casino the gambler plays in – land-based or online. If a gambler plays in a casino from time to time and doesn’t do it as a way of earning money, then their gaming activity is not taxed. If a player earns a living by playing in a casino, winning regularly and big, then their gaming activity is regarded as professional and taxed. The gaming activity of a professional poker player is also taxed, regardless of whether they have a lot of winnings or a little. The criterion of a professional player is participation in official poker tournaments, completed poker training and the like. If an Alberta resident travels outside of their home province, their own tax laws and regulations may apply. For example, a Canadian citizen is required to pay a tax on visits to gambling establishments in the United States at a rate of 30%, unless they played roulette, baccarat, blackjack, craps and the Big Six wheel. But at the same time, they can count on a partial refund under certain conditions.
You can delete your account completely (self-exclusion), or you can self-isolate for a while. Once a gambler has enrolled in the self-isolation program, the Program Administrator will contact them and provide the necessary info about the program and additional self-isolation options, including self-isolation from traditional land-based casinos. Also, this option allows the gambler to be removed from all advertising databases of the Play Alberta mailing list. The gambler receives info and access to resources that help manage their gambling and interact with GameSense Advisors AGLC managers who provide additional support. It's important to understand that a gambler won't be able to refuse self-exclusion before the end of the deadlines set by them.
This self-limiting option only applies to games played for real money. Before each game, the gambler can set a time when the casino will send a notification that the gambler is too addicted to the game and plays longer than planned. In addition, the gambler has the opportunity to set a limit on the amount that the gambler plans to use for the game.
If a gambler doesn't want to completely limit their access to the game, then they can set a deposit limit, which will help control the costs in the game, allowing them to deposit only a certain amount during the selected time. If a gambler wants to set a deposit limit, it will be applied instantly. The same thing will happen when it is lowered. However, if they decide to increase the limit in order to deposit more money, then this change shouldn't take effect immediately and may take from 24 hours to 7 days.
This is similar to the effect of deposit limits, but also applies to money that has already been deposited into the account, while deposit limits 'cover' only new deposits. Although the calculation methods vary, it's usually based on a net loss limit that takes into account how much you wagered over a selected period of time, as well as how much you won. Ignoring bonuses and other factors that can affect the bankroll (apart from bets and winnings), the net loss limit limits the amount in the account to decrease to a certain level within a certain period of time.
Every online casino that is legally available to residents of Alberta and that has a demo game feature is free to play.
There are no online charity games, but there are bingo halls, such as the land-based Bingo Palace and Leduc Rapid Bingo in Leduc. This is organized so that charities can raise money through lotteries and bingo.
The AGLC regulates all gambling in the province, verifies that policies, guidelines and standards are followed in order to assure residents of the province that gambling and alcohol are under provincial oversight and do no harm.
Very simple. Read the ‘How to choose an online casino in Alberta’ section and follow the recommendations. In short: check the online casino for certificates from independent laboratories and licenses.
In Alberta, as well as throughout Canada, payments such as Interac, MuchBetter, InstaDebit, Paysafecare, etc. are popular.
Unlike most provinces in Canada, in Alberta a player can play from the age of eighteen.
Online casinos are played by those who care not to wait in line to play at the gaming table, who like to choose from thousands of games and receive generous bonuses for playing. Land-based casinos are visited by people who like the special atmosphere of the casino, communication with dealers and other players. Everyone chooses the best type of casino for themselves.