This week, NeoGames’ subsidiary, BtoBet, which is a sports betting provider, announced that it will be making its debut in North America via an Alberta entry. The brand has now agreed to a long-term deal with Alberta Gaming, Liquor, & Cannabis Commission to revamp the latter’s PlayAlberta Sportsbook, which is the only legal online casino platform in the province.
As mentioned, PlayAlberta.ca is the only regulated entity that offers legal online gambling and sports wagering in the province. Some of its offerings include slots, table games, and instants, complimented by plenty of jackpots and lottery winnings to look out for. Proceeds generated from the website are invested in the province’s valued programs and services that are used every day.
Revamping the Sportsbooks Offerings
As part of the long-term agreement, BtoBet will aid in the expansion and upgrade of PlayAlberta’s digital sportsbook. The sports betting provider will utilize its fully managed sportsbook solution, delivering one-of-a-kind sports betting entertainment for local players. It is expected that AGLC will complete the sportsbook migration to the supplier’s technology at some point in Q3 of 2023.
According to the Crown corporation, some of the new features that will be incorporated into the online sportsbook will include player props for all major North American leagues, such as NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA. Players can also expect single-game parlays, additional markets and leagues, additional outright bets, and new promotional options such as boosted odds and parlay multipliers.
The rework of the sports betting platform will enable a world-class player experience will continue for all verticals on the website. However, the fully-managed sportsbook will still utilize AGLC’s responsible gambling programs, such as GameSense and Self-Exclusion, giving players dedicated features which promote healthy playing habits, such as bet, loss, and daily session limits.
In its press, the Crown agency also informed that while the sportsbook undergoes the sportsbook provider migration process, its sports betting services will be suspended. This will happen between August 12, and August 14, 2023. During this time, users will still have access to their account and all other games which are usually available on the iGaming platform.
Working on its Own and Private iGaming Framework
A while back, the Province of Alberta announced its plans to launch a regulated sports betting market for its players, who to this day continue to gamble on grey market websites. However, the local government opted for a limited-operator model of allowing two private operators to join the igaming sector. This model is quite different from Ontario’s open framework.
However, it seems that there have been some delays in the realization of the plan, as there has been no news on it in a while. Initially, the province was on schedule to launch the sector by the end of 2022 but it did not happen and it was delayed. At the time, AGLC explained that it was still working through the negotiation process with operators who applied.
Source: “New and improved sportsbook on PlayAlberta.ca launching in August” AGLC, August 10, 2023
