888poker Becomes Alberta’s First Legal Online Poker Site as PokerStars Pulls Out

Last Updated on October 15, 2026 by Bala Kumar

Albertans can play regulated online poker for the first time. 888poker switched on an Alberta-only poker site on Tuesday, October 13, making it the first licensed poker room in the province. The same day, PokerStars shut its doors to Alberta players.

The timing wasn’t a coincidence. October 13 was the last day of a three-month grace period that let offshore and “grey market” operators keep serving Albertans after the province opened its regulated online gambling market in July. From now on, any site offering poker in Alberta must be registered with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC). Everyone else has to leave.

What Happened on October 13

Before the deadline, 888poker and PokerStars both let Albertans play on their international, worldwide player pools. That ended this week:

• 888poker removed Alberta from its international site and moved local players to a new ring-fenced Alberta pool. Albertans now play only against other Albertans, not Ontario players and not the rest of the world.
• PokerStars told Alberta customers it is leaving the market. It had already blocked Albertans from its online casino and sportsbook. It hasn’t said whether it will apply to return under the new rules.

888 has done this before. It was also the first poker operator to launch in Ontario’s regulated market in 2022.

Alberta’s Online Gambling Market: Key Dates

Alberta’s market is set up much like Ontario’s. AGLC is the regulator, while the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) runs day-to-day market operations. By launch, AGLC had registered 50 operators, and the province expects the market to bring in around CAD $100 million a year in tax revenue.

The Big Problem: A Small Player Pool

Online poker isn’t like online casino games. You play against other people, not the house. So the size of the player pool decides almost everything: how many tables run, how big tournament guarantees can be, and how soon you find a game at 3 a.m.

That’s where Alberta struggles. The province has about 4.3 million people, roughly a quarter of Ontario’s population. Ontario’s own ring-fenced poker market has struggled with thin traffic since 2022, and Alberta’s pool is far smaller.

For players, expect smaller guarantees, fewer games at high stakes, and quieter tables outside peak hours, at least for now.

Why the Supreme Court Case Matters So Much

The real prize for 888 and its rivals is shared liquidity: letting regulated Canadian sites pool players with other provinces, and possibly with Europe and the United States.

Here’s where that fight stands:

1. November 2025: Ontario’s Court of Appeal ruled 4–1 that pooling Ontario players with international players would be legal under the Criminal Code, as long as Ontario keeps control of the operation.
2. December 2025 – April 2026: four provincial lottery corporations appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada: Atlantic Lottery, BC Lottery, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and Loto-Québec.
3. April 2026: Alberta formally intervened on Ontario’s side. Poker operators including GGPoker owner NSUS and PokerStars/FanDuel owner Flutter filed their own arguments in support.
4. October 7, 2026: the Supreme Court heard nearly three hours of arguments. The justices don’t rule from the bench, and decisions usually take several months.

Separately, Alberta and Ontario officials have said they are working toward an interprovincial agreement to combine their player pools. Even that may depend on how the Supreme Court rules.

If the court sides with Ontario, 888poker could quickly connect Alberta with Ontario and potentially international players. If it doesn’t, both provinces stay ring-fenced, and Alberta’s poker scene stays small.

What It Means for Alberta Players

• To play legally, you need an AGLC-registered site. Right now that means 888poker for poker. Check AGLC’s registered operator list before you deposit anywhere.
• Expect quieter games. Traffic will be limited until the province can share its player pool.
• Watch for new entrants. Other poker brands may wait for the Supreme Court decision before investing in an Alberta-only site.
• Offshore poker sites no longer have a legal place in Alberta. Since the grace period ended, any operator still serving Albertans without registration is outside the regulated system.

Wondering where online poker is legal elsewhere? Our guide to real-money poker laws by country covers the main markets. For more on PokerStars’ North American shift, read our PokerStars on FanDuel review.

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