If it feels like we've been talking about when sports betting might go live in a second Canadian province for a while, that's because we have been. Alberta appears to be next on the list, but the timeframe remains open-ended.
At least two major US operators in the last month addressed the question during third-quarter earnings calls. Penn Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden said the target date “certainly has moved into 2025”. The company will “wait on the government, the regulators there, to tell us exactly when the go-live launch would be.”
The question is when? In the US, regulators and operators often point to the Super Bowl or NCAA March Madness as big events around which to launch.
In Canada, it’s possible that if the regulator is aiming for a big event, it would be the start of the Stanley Cup Finals in April. Alberta is home to two NHL teams – the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Another potential time would be in June, around the start of the Canadian Football Leag..