Alberta plans online gambling regulation

The Canadian province of Alberta is planning to licence and regulate online gambling in order to generate revenue for provincial projects, says Finance Minister Robin Campbell.

Speaking at the spring convention of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties Wednesday, Campbell said that the provincial government plans will bring the money into rural Alberta and ensure that the province has a better equalisation of gaming profits going to rural Alberta versus urban Alberta.

Campbell revealed that the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission is in the process of seeking a vendor to operate online gaming on behalf of the province, and that he hopes to have online gaming in place later this year.

Alberta is one of the last provinces to launch a government-run gaming website, but it faces challenges from opposition party leaders, who have complained the government is circumventing the legislature with its plans to expand gambling.

Liberal Leader David Swann said in an interview with media this week: “I am disturbed that we’re now going to extend gambling and raise more public money from gambling. It certainly hasn’t been presented to us in the legislature and presented to the public. It sounds like it is a fait accompli, which is unsettling to say the least.”

Swann said Albertans must be provided more information about online gaming before the province goes any further.