The highly-anticipated Alberta iGaming launch
Alberta officially opened its competitive regulated iGaming market on July 13, giving residents access to a much broader selection of privately operated online sportsbooks and casinos. Until then, Play Alberta, operated through the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), was the province's only regulated online gambling option.
Under the new framework, operators must be registered with the AGLC and have a commercial agreement with the Alberta iGaming Corporation. The launch has effectively transformed Alberta into Canada's second major competitive provincial iGaming market after Ontario, creating a fresh battleground for some of North America's biggest gambling companies.
BetMGM was among the operators to launch on day one, entering Alberta with both sports betting and online casino products available online and through the BetMGM app, one of the top-rated betting apps in the industry. But while the BetMGM brand itself is new to Alberta's regulated market, MGM Resorts is not an unfamiliar name to many potential customers.
"Nearly 10% of new players who signed up have a relationship with MGM," Greenblatt said during BetMGM's Q2 earnings call on Tuesday.
He pointed to that figure as evidence of the "power of the brand" and the relevance of BetMGM's omnichannel strategy, which connects the digital gambling business with MGM Resorts' land-based casino and entertainment ecosystem.
BetMGM's Alberta push
BetMGM is a joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain, combining MGM's global casino and entertainment brand with Entain's online gambling technology and expertise. The company has established itself as a major player in North American sports betting and iGaming, particularly in markets where it can offer both verticals. That is precisely what Alberta now provides.
BetMGM launched in the province with more than 4,000 online casino titles, alongside its sportsbook. Its casino offering also includes team- and league-branded games designed to appeal to local players. The strategy makes sense when looking at BetMGM's wider business. Greenblatt said around 70% of BetMGM's gaming revenue comes from online casino. That is important because casino has been the engine driving Canada's regulated iGaming growth.
Then there is the MGM Resorts connection. BetMGM can offer live dealer casino products connected to MGM Live studios operating at MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas. Greenblatt said the product has performed well in Ontario and could gain traction in Alberta. That creates a potentially powerful loop: a customer who already knows MGM Resorts may be more willing to try BetMGM, while the online platform can then deepen that relationship through rewards and digital gaming.
Why this matters beyond BetMGM
Ontario's regulated market has had more than four years to mature, and its competitive ecosystem has grown dramatically. The province's experience has also shown that casino can be the heavyweight engine behind market growth. Alberta, meanwhile, offers operators a rare opportunity to establish themselves near the beginning of a competitive market's lifecycle. For BetMGM, that could make existing MGM Resorts relationships a genuine customer-acquisition shortcut.
The immediate advantage is obvious. If someone has visited an MGM Resorts property, used its loyalty ecosystem or simply recognizes the MGM name, BetMGM may not need to spend as much time convincing that person that the brand is legitimate or familiar.
The longer-term opportunity could be even bigger. If BetMGM can turn those existing MGM relationships into loyal Alberta online casino customers, it could strengthen the case for an omnichannel strategy in future regulated markets. The message to other operators is clear: a strong land-based brand can be more than a logo attached to an app. It can be a pipeline of potential digital customers.
That will put pressure on rivals to find their own advantages. Operators entering Alberta without a comparable physical casino network may have to compete more aggressively through product, casino and sports betting bonuses, sports partnerships, technology and customer experience. At the same time, Alberta's regulated framework gives consumers more choice while bringing more online gambling activity into a supervised environment.
