PokerStars Enters Regulated Online Poker Market in Alberta

PokerStars entered the regulated market in Alberta on Monday. The province opened its regulated online gaming market in July, but initially did not offer online poker. In October, 888poker became the first operator in this segment, and PokerStars then joined the market.

PokerStars withdrew from the province on October 13. Alberta previously had a grey market status, where players could access international online poker sites. This time, the company is operating in a regulated environment, and players need to open new accounts for the Alberta platform. The company is using the same poker client in Alberta that it uses in Ontario.

The province's population of 5.1 million makes it difficult to build a strong position in an unshared market. This could change if the Supreme Court of Canada rules in favor of Ontario. The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the province may share liquidity with regulated markets outside the country, including Europe and the United States. The Canadian Lottery Coalition, a group of lottery and gaming organizations, has appealed this decision. Alberta supports Ontario in its effort to share liquidity.

Ontario launched its regulated market in 2022. Today, GGPoker, BetMGM, PokerStars, PartyPoker, bwin and 888poker operate in the province. If liquidity sharing is approved, the Stars and 888 platforms could include players in US markets such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. PartyPoker, meanwhile, shares liquidity with BetMGM and bwin.