NeoPollard Interactive (NPi) has announced the signing of a deal with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) that will see the building and maintenance of the province’s long-delayed legal online gambling platform.
Powered by lottery mainstays Pollard Banknote and NeoGames, which currently offer state lotteries in Michigan, New Hampshire and Virginia, NPi’s deal with the commission will run on an initial seven year basis. However, an extension of up to 12 years has been included within these original negotiations.
NPi GM Liz Siver said her company was “honored” to have been selected by AGLC and expressed confidence that the online partnership “will help generate incremental revenues to benefit all Albertans.”
Having been looking to move into digital operations for the past five years, Alberta, which admitted earlier in the year that its online offering isn’t likely to debut until mid 2021, has been beaten to the virtual platform by neighbouring regions such as British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Ontario and the four Atlantic provinces.
Discussing the eventual launch of its online site, the AGLC stated that customers should expect a “suite of casino style games and live table games, full sportsbook, poker, bingo and lottery.”
Regarding its sportsbook product, it remains to be seen as to whether or not AGLC will implement the current three-game-minimum parlay system or whether Canada’s federal government will authorize single-game wagering.
In fact, both the British Columbia and Ontario provincial gambling monopolies have already come out in favor of the authorisation of single-game wagering, with Alberta now expected to follow suit.
In terms of its current operations, Alberta recently became the first province in the region to deem it safe to restart land-based gambling following the COVID-19 shutdown, which cost around C$430m in gaming revenue, clearing its land-based casino and video lottery terminal operations to reopen.