DraftKings confirms Alberta sportsbook and casino launch

• DraftKings will launch its sportsbook, casino and Golden Nugget Online Gaming brand in Alberta on July 13.
• The move marks DraftKings’ 34th North American jurisdiction for sports betting and seventh for online casino.
• DraftKings will host a World Cup watch party in Calgary on July 11 and donate $150,000 to Food Banks Alberta.

DraftKings has confirmed it will launch its online sportsbook and casino, along with its Golden Nugget Online Gaming brand, in Alberta on July 13.

The launch makes Alberta the second Canadian province where DraftKings operates, after Ontario, and the operator’s 34th North American jurisdiction for sports betting.

Alberta market opens

Alberta’s regulated online gambling market goes live on July 13, the date set by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. The province becomes the second in Canada, after Ontario, to license private-sector sportsbook and casino operators.

DraftKings joins a crowded field on opening day. The AGLC’s operator list, which stood at 28 in May, has grown to more than 45 registered operators by early July, according to trade reporting.

bet365, previously active in Alberta’s grey market, has secured a day-one licence, while FanDuel confirmed its entry this week backed by new community investment and sports partnerships. BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook are also among the confirmed entrants, with Caesars launching 3 separate brands.

Regulatory framework

Operators will pay a 20% tax on net gaming revenue, applied after 3% of gross revenue is set aside for First Nations and social responsibility funding.

Alberta’s government has projected the framework could generate C$76 million in proceeds during its first year, implying close to $390 million in legal Alberta gaming revenue, and redirecting activity away from unregulated platforms that have long served Alberta bettors.

With the Alberta launch, DraftKings Casino will operate in 5 U.S. states, and Golden Nugget Online Gaming casino in 4, with both brands live in Alberta and Ontario. Customers must be 18 or older and physically present in the province to wager.

Greg Karamitis, Executive VP and General Manager of Sports at DraftKings, said:

“We’re thrilled to launch DraftKings Sportsbook and DraftKings Casino, as well as Golden Nugget Online Gaming in Alberta and continue expanding our presence in Canada.”

“Alberta is home to a passionate sports fan base, and we’re excited to bring customers across the province our industry-leading sports betting and online casino experiences. Launching during one of the biggest moments in global sports, with the World Cup taking place across North America, makes this an especially exciting time to welcome Albertans to DraftKings.”

World Cup celebrations

Ahead of the official launch, DraftKings will host a watch party for the World Cup on July 11 at the Wildhorse Saloon in Calgary. The event is part of a broader initiative that has brought fans across North America closer to the tournament through watch parties in Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and Hoboken.

Each stop has featured live match viewing, giveaways and interactive activations for fans. The Calgary event ties the Alberta debut directly to the tournament, which North America is co-hosting this year.

Community donation

To mark the Alberta launch, DraftKings employees will volunteer with Food Banks Alberta and present the organization with a $150,000 donation. The funding is expected to purchase more than 40,000 pounds of food, including fruits, vegetables and baby formula, for distribution across the province’s food bank network.

Eligible Alberta customers will get access to DraftKings’ full suite of products, including same-game parlays, live in-game wagering and thousands of casino titles across both the DraftKings and Golden Nugget platforms.

The operator says it promotes budget and control tools, including deposit limits and self-exclusion, as part of its responsible gambling program.

DraftKings’ momentum

The Alberta launch lands as DraftKings reports strong financial performance. First-quarter 2026 revenue reached $1.65 billion, up 17% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA climbing 64% to $168 million. The company has reaffirmed full-year guidance of $6.5 to $6.9 billion in revenue.

Much of that growth has come from DraftKings Predictions, the operator’s CFTC-regulated event-contracts business. Annualized consumer volume reached $3.4 billion for the week ended June 21, up sharply from $1.3 billion in May, momentum that coincided with the launch of its own DKeX exchange. DraftKings has guided to $200 million to $300 million in prediction-markets investment this year. The company is expected to report second-quarter results later this month.

DraftKings first flagged Alberta as a target market in April, when it announced its intent to enter pending regulatory approval. With the AGLC’s registry now well past 45 approved operators, July 13 is shaping up as one of the most competitive regulated iGaming launches in Canadian history.