Get Familiar with Gambling Laws in Alberta

Alberta's gambling laws are much like the laws you will find in other provinces and across the US. It is commonplace for these locations to use funds they receive from gambling to pay for things like education, road repairs, and even gambling addiction support. Below, you can learn the basics of the province's laws, which is important for your personal protection.

The Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act

The gambling laws in Alberta are part of the province's Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act, which has been revised several times since 2000 and governs the possession and use of substances as well as participation in gambling. These laws govern lotteries, bingo halls, casinos, sports betting, pull tickets, and raffles. Each one has its own unique set of laws, but this article will focus on those that govern casinos.

What Alberta Gambling Laws Regulate

The legislation set forth by the Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act covers all the important aspects of gambling, both online and off. It is very clear about who may apply for a gaming license, what is required for registration, and how licenses are handled in the event of the death of the licensee or the sale of the gambling facility. The Albertan government also provides ample resources to promote responsible gaming and to help those who may be affected by gambling addiction.

Important Gambling Laws to Remember

Gambling is permitted all across Canada in one way or another. Each province regulates gambling in its own unique way. These provincial laws are mainly meant to regulate casino owners, which is designed to protect the public from things like fraud. The major laws in Alberta apply to numerous types of gambling, including:

• Horse Racing - Horse racing is legal in Alberta and bets can be placed at one of three tracks (Alberta Downs, Century Downs, and Northlands Park) or in one of 15 teletheaters that broadcast races as they happen.
• Video Lotteries - Video lottery machines can be found in places like sports bars and pubs as well as any other age-restricted location that has a valid liquor license. Only 10 machines per retailer are allowed; officially recognized gaming centers can have up to 30.
• Sports Betting - The province's Sports Select service will allow you to spend as much as $250 per day on parlay-style wagers on two or more games.
• Casinos - There are some 25 bricks-and-mortar casinos spread across Alberta, including government-owned casinos, charitable casinos, and others. Players can visit these Alberta-friendly online casinos and gamble without restriction.
• Online Gambling and Casinos - Residents have no restrictions or limitations imposed on them in terms of online gambling laws. They may visit and gamble freely.
• Lottery - The Western Canada Lottery Corporation oversees all lottery drawings across Alberta, and these drawings occur daily. Residents can participate with no restrictions.
• Charitable Gaming - Charitable gaming is also prevalent across the province in the form of pull tab tickets and bingo. The province provides pull tabs and bingo to various not-for-profit groups across the area, and all proceeds are kept by those charities.

As you can see, the gambling laws across Alberta are fairly lax, and this allows residents and visitors alike to enjoy a wide variety of sports betting, lotteries, bricks-and-mortar casinos, online casinos, and much more. This freedom to gamble is something that many people in the province appreciate, especially since so much money goes to charity each year as a direct result.