Alberta is seeking organizations to expand gambling-treatment services as the province adjusts to its regulated online gaming market. Final applications are due on September 10, 2026.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction is seeking qualified organizations to design and deliver coordinated outpatient and virtual support for Albertans affected by gambling-related harm. The process is an expression of interest and qualification. It is not a final contract award.

Alberta is building treatment capacity alongside a new online gambling system, but the provider, funding level and final scope remain undecided.

Application deadline

Applicants who signed the required non-disclosure agreement could submit questions until August 31, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time. The ministry said anonymized questions and answers would be shared with all eligible applicants.

Completed application packages must arrive by September 10, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time. Late or incomplete submissions will not be evaluated in this competition. Alberta said late applicants may be considered for future opportunities.

Services Alberta wants to fund

The proposed program would create a provincial access pathway for people seeking help. It would also support family members and other loved ones affected by gambling-related harm.

  • Outpatient and virtual treatment.
  • Recovery support for people with different levels of need.
  • Assistance for affected family members.
  • Connections to addiction and mental-health services.
  • Outcome measurement and ongoing evaluation.

Applicants must describe their service model, geographic reach, staffing, partnerships, implementation plans and expected costs.

Successful applicants would enter grant agreements with the ministry. Final funding and project scope would be subject to negotiation after evaluation.

Funding follows the July market launch

Alberta launched its regulated iGaming market on July 13, 2026. The model allows approved private operators to offer online gaming under provincial oversight alongside the government-backed market structure.

The Alberta iGaming Corporation oversees the market. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis regulates gaming activity and advertising. The province says registered operators must follow rules on player protection, responsible gambling and safeguards for vulnerable groups.

Alberta’s government has said about 70 per cent of online gambling activity was taking place through unregulated offshore platforms before the launch. Its strategy aims to move more activity into a system with formal oversight and player-protection measures.

Key decisions remain open

The province has not announced which organization will receive the treatment funding, how many providers will be selected or the final amount available. Those decisions will follow the application and evaluation process.

Alberta’s iGaming framework allocates 3 per cent of gross gaming revenue to First Nations and social-responsibility initiatives, according to the Alberta iGaming Corporation. The province has said this funding includes research into gambling addiction and support for mental-health treatment programs.

The application process will test whether treatment capacity, family support and measurable outcomes can expand alongside Alberta’s new online gambling market. The deadline gives providers less than two months from the market launch to seek a role in that system.