Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) has licensed thirty-nine iGaming operators, with the latest addition being GGPoker on August 12, according to the AGLC website.
GGPoker, owned by NSUS Group, an international iGaming company, has been operating in Ontario’s regulated iGaming market since September 2022.
Despite securing a license in Alberta, GGPoker is required to finalize an operating agreement with Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) before launching. Currently, there are 28 live iGaming sites in the province including AGLC’s Play Alberta government-owned platform.
GGPoker Enters Alberta Market
Upon going live, online poker players in Alberta will be restricted to playing against others within the province, similar to Ontario. Liquidity is crucial for online poker.
Financial data from iGaming Ontario showed that the poker vertical only accounted for 1% of handle in June.
In May, Dan Keene, CEO of AiGC, mentioned during a panel discussion at SBC Summit Canada in Toronto, that Alberta was in the process of establishing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ontario to allow liquidity between the two jurisdictions for access to larger player pools and tournaments.
Liquidity Concerns Remain
It was reported that the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in November 2025 allowing the province’s regulated iGaming market to participate in global pooled liquidity, permitting residents to compete against players outside Canada in peer-to-peer games like poker and daily fantasy sports.
The matter has been contested by provincial lottery corporations and is due to proceed to the Supreme Court of Canada this fall.
Status of Ontario MOU
In support of international liquidity, Keene expressed in May, “From a business and commercial perspective, it makes a lot of sense.”
In October 2024, NSUS Group acquired World Series of Poker from Caesars Entertainment Inc. for US$500 million. GGPoker claims to be the largest online poker network globally in terms of traffic, with PokerStars, owned by Flutter Entertainment, being its primary competitor.
BetMGM Introduces Exclusive Slots
On the Alberta iGaming front, BetMGM announced exclusive access rights to offer popular Rakin’ Bacon! slots in the province through its partnership with AGS. Alberta players can now enjoy three titles from the franchise – Rakin’ Bacon! Fu Zhu Bao Bao, Rakin’ Bacon! Triple Oink Soda Fountain Fortunes, and Rakin’ Bacon! Triple Oink San Shen Zhu.
Rob Passerino, director of gaming at BetMGM, commented, “These new titles provide Alberta players with more variety within a franchise they already enjoy, reinforcing our dedication to offering sought-after games and exclusive experiences to players at BetMGM.”