AiGC names Dan Keene permanent CEO, Alberta-Ontario liquidity MOU in the works

Dan Keene has been named permanent chief executive officer of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, and confirmed at SBC Summit Canada on May 21 that AiGC is negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Ontario to establish interprovincial liquidity for online poker and daily fantasy sports.

The appointment comes roughly two months before Alberta's regulated iGaming market is scheduled to open. An interprovincial liquidity agreement with Ontario, the country's largest regulated market, could allow players in both provinces to share poker and DFS pools, producing larger tournaments and bigger prize pools than either province can sustain alone.

Leadership confirmed at a critical juncture

Keene told the SBC Summit Canada audience that AiGC is working on an MOU with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. "We'll try and get [liquidity] done as quickly as possible with our friends in Ontario," Keene said, according to an account of the event.

Keene previously served as executive director of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. The AiGC CEO role had been filled on an interim basis since the corporation was established in 2024.

Market preparation and operator interest

Alberta's Minister of Service Alberta Dale Nally told CasinoRankr that 37 operators have paid registration fees for the market and 70 have expressed interest. The revenue split is set at 80/20 operator to government, with 3 percent of gross revenue allocated off the top for responsible gambling programs and First Nations communities, according to Nally.

AiGC plans to launch a centralized self-exclusion platform on July 13, the same day the market is scheduled to open. "There's a number of things happening on the responsible gaming front," Keene said. "Not only is it morally important, but it's critical for operations."

The corporation has said it modeled Alberta's regulatory framework on Ontario's, which launched in April 2022. "We don't have to re-invent where we don't have to re-invent," Keene said. "Ontario set the template."

International liquidity and legal context

The interprovincial MOU is one piece of a broader liquidity picture. The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in November 2025 that international pooled liquidity is permitted under Ontario's current regulatory structure. That case is headed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and Alberta is participating as an intervenor.

Keene expressed support for international liquidity at SBC Summit Canada. A Supreme Court ruling could affect whether Alberta and Ontario can eventually share player pools with international jurisdictions.

What remains unclear

The specific terms of the MOU between AiGC and the AGCO have not been disclosed, and no timeline for completing the agreement has been confirmed. Keene said the corporation will move as quickly as possible but did not provide a target date.

Operator names among those that have registered or paid fees have not been published. The figures of 37 operators having paid registration fees and 70 having expressed interest are attributed to Minister Nally and have not been independently confirmed by CasinoRankr.

AiGC and the province have not addressed how sweepstakes casinos operating in Alberta will be treated under the new regulatory framework.

What happens next

Alberta's regulated iGaming market is scheduled to go live July 13, 2026. The interprovincial liquidity MOU with Ontario is under negotiation. The Supreme Court of Canada will hear the international liquidity case at a date yet to be set, with Alberta participating as an intervenor.