Play Alberta Becomes Sponsor of CFL's Edmonton Elks

Alberta’s online gaming site, Play Alberta, has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League.

Ziv Chen

Last updated: May 19, 2025 3:10 PM EDT • 2 min read

Play Alberta Becomes Sponsor of CFL's Edmonton Elks — Pictured: Montreal Alouettes Najee Murray and Dionte Ruffin taclke Edmonton Elks receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. Photo by Perry Nelson via Imagn Images.

Alberta’s online gaming site, Play Alberta, has partnered with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on a multi-year sponsorship agreement, becoming the team's official sports betting partner. As part of the partnership, the playing field at Commonwealth Stadium will be branded "Play Alberta Field" for all Edmonton Elks home games.

The agreement significantly aligns legalized Alberta sports betting operations with one of the state's oldest professional sports franchises. It is the latest in a growing list of alignment deals between CFL clubs and sports betting operators, reflecting the league's growing interest in the newly emerging Canadian marketplace for sports betting.

As noted by Kandice Machado, CEO of Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), operator of Play Alberta, the acquisition highlights the platform's intention to work directly with local communities. Machado noted that both Play Alberta and the Elks are "brands built for Albertans," pointing to the strategic fit between provincial gaming revenue projects and sporting institutions based in communities.

The team sees the partnership as an opportunity to enhance the fan experience inside and outside the stadium. Chris Morris, President and CEO of the Edmonton Elks, said the partnership is not merely a naming rights deal. He described the alliance as an opening for new community-based initiatives and game-day interactive activities to enhance fan engagement.

A new look for the Elks

In the new deal, Elks fans will be exposed to a series of promotions and experiences related to Play Alberta on home-game days at Commonwealth Stadium. They include in-stadium competitions for free game tickets and team merchandise, among other interactive fan events to increase in-stadium excitement and get fans more involved with the team.

Play Alberta has been operating since 2020 as the province's only provincially licensed online gaming website. However, this will not last long, as Alberta looks set to approve its own iGaming regulated market, mirroring that of Ontario.

Yet, until then, Play Alberta will remain Alberta’s only regulated gambling platform, offering lottery products, Alberta online casinos, and sports betting to players. The website is different from offshore sportsbooks and is linked to AGLC's responsible gaming programs, such as GameSense and the Self-Exclusion program.

Financially, Play Alberta also continues to show robust growth. For the 2024–25 fiscal year, the site generated approximately $270 million in net sales, an increase of more than $35 million from the previous year.

AGLC-regulated gaming revenues have contributed approximately $1.5 billion to Alberta's General Revenue Fund.

Written By:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.