• The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins tomorrow, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across three countries until July 19.
• Alberta’s igaming market is set to launch on July 13, providing licensed operators merely six days to attract customers during this major sports betting event.
• Currently, 43 igaming operators are registered with Alberta’s regulator.

Industry experts indicate that the Alberta government has squandered a significant opportunity by postponing the launch of its regulated igaming market, missing out on potential customer acquisitions during the World Cup.

Major Customer Acquisition Challenge

The newly regulated igaming market in Alberta is set to launch on July 13, just six days ahead of the World Cup’s final match in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“They should have initiated operations much earlier to enable operators to transition smoothly before the World Cup,” said Phill Gray, a former head of sports betting operations at Sports Interaction and a consultant in the field. “This is a significant oversight by the province. The gaming sector has been preparing for this for years, and this tournament is poised to be one of the largest betting events to date—akin to experiencing multiple Super Bowls in a single month in terms of revenue.”

“(Alberta) should have launched before the NHL playoffs commenced. Typically, July is a slow month for sports betting. (Operators in Alberta) may capture some business from the World Cup, but most bettors are likely already loyal to their current platforms and may not switch.”

Broader Tournament Scope

Operators currently active in Alberta will transfer existing accounts to their localized Alberta platform. Major players like FanDuel and DraftKings, who are entering the market in July, will not prioritize the final World Cup matches for customer acquisition, Gray noted. Instead, NFL wagering will be the focal point for these operators’ marketing strategies.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will showcase 48 teams competing in 104 matches across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The tournament kicks off tomorrow (June 11) at Mexico City Stadium, featuring Mexico against South Africa. Canada’s first match takes place on Friday (June 12) at Toronto Stadium, where Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Projected Handle of $4 Billion

As per Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, the betting handle for the World Cup may exceed USD $4 billion in the U.S. H2 Gambling Capital, a global market data provider, anticipates that a total of $60 billion will be wagered through legal sportsbooks during the tournament. Among this, H2 estimates that $5.7 billion will be wagered in the three host countries—$2.9 billion in the U.S., $2.5 billion in Mexico, and $0.3 billion in Canada.

These betting figures from Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. are likely to escalate as the home nations progress in the tournament. According to a recent study by FanDuel Canada, 43% of Canadian soccer enthusiasts plan to support multiple countries during the competition, influenced significantly by heritage (37%) and family ties (21%).

Tenfold Increase in Futures Markets

“With an expanded participant field and optimal viewing times for U.S. audiences, we forecast the World Cup to be one of the largest and most engaging betting events ever, marking an unprecedented moment for soccer wagering,” remarked Dominic Hammond, Senior Vice President of Sports at Caesars Digital.

“If the U.S. Men’s National Team progresses deeply in the tournament, we could see significant increases in engagement and wagering with each match. Additionally, the tournament’s unpredictability along with the rise in parlay betting suggests that a few key upsets could dramatically alter outcomes.”

Hammond indicated that Caesars plans to offer the “largest and most sophisticated” World Cup betting options in its history, presenting over ten times the number of futures markets available compared to the previous World Cup in 2022.

A study released on June 9 by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada revealed that 13% of Canadians expressed a likelihood to place bets during the World Cup, which rises to 49% among regular sports bettors.

According to Yohan Mathew, Marketing Director at BetMGM, the company has gleaned valuable insights from prior major acquisition events.

“It’s about precision rather than scale,” he stated during a panel discussion at the SBC Summit Canada in May. “While we expect a surge of new players at the outset, it will be crucial for us to balance the right customer acquisition costs and ensure we attract players who will find genuine value, coupled with creating an engaging platform experience that encourages loyalty.”

“This is truly an occasion where it’s easy to become overly enthusiastic. The key takeaway is to find that right balance, incorporate local insights, and formulate a tactical plan from there.”

Alberta’s Market Launches July 13

Mathew was referring to BetMGM’s marketing strategies in Ontario, where the company has been licensed and operating for four years. Nevertheless, with Alberta projected to be a substantial market as well, the chance to enhance business through World Cup activations is an advantage that should have been extended to licensed operators in the province, according to Gray.

As per Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis, the provincial regulatory body, 43 igaming operators have registered to launch on July 13, many of which are new to the market, including BetMGM.

At the SBC Summit Canada, Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, expressed a desire for an earlier launch. As reported by Casino.org, an industry source indicated that the push for a May 20 launch created significant concern within the industry, mainly because at that point igaming operators were not fully equipped with all the AiGC regulations.