Alberta funds first treatment centre through new iGaming social-responsibility program
The CA$2.4 million award to Brick House Recovery Centre will expand outpatient treatment and aftercare services across the province.
EDMONTON — Alberta has committed CA$2.4 million to the Brick House Recovery Centre, the first organization to receive funding through the province’s new iGaming social-responsibility program.
The award will expand treatment and recovery services for people experiencing gambling-related harm, linking the market launched on July 13 with support funded by iGaming operators.
Dale Nally, Alberta’s Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, said the government’s approach is to pair legal gambling with treatment for people who experience problems.
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“Gambling can ruin people’s lives and livelihoods,” Nally said. “If you don’t gamble today, you absolutely should not start tomorrow. For Albertans who choose to gamble and are struggling, we have your back, and we’re making sure real help is there when you need it.”
Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, said the province is providing recovery-focused supports intended to help people restore stability, build resilience and work towards long-term recovery.
Program Details
Brick House will deliver a publicly funded, flexible, person-centred outpatient program.
It is structured around four weeks of treatment, followed by up to eight weeks of individualized aftercare, giving participants a period of continued support after the initial treatment phase.
In-person services will be available in Edmonton and Calgary, with virtual treatment offered across Alberta.
The program is intended to address harms that can reach beyond gambling activity itself, including effects on mental health, family and personal relationships, and financial security.
Alberta held an open competition earlier this year for organizations able to provide coordinated outpatient and online gambling treatment and recovery services.
The investment gives the policy a first concrete treatment channel as Alberta’s regulated online market develops.
The province says additional treatment providers will be selected later this fall, which should broaden the pool of organizations funded through the competition.
Funding Source
Under Alberta’s new iGaming regime, 1% of gross gaming revenue will fund social-responsibility programs, including education, research and treatment.
The CA$2.4 million award is specifically for treatment and recovery services; the full one-percent allocation is broader and should not be read as a treatment-only levy.
The province’s online market went live on July 13.
The Alberta iGaming Corporation reports that 33 licensed sites are currently accepting wagers, while the treatment funding is to be paid for by iGaming operators.
The broader test is whether the market’s expansion is matched by accessible, sustained support.
The announcement does not include outcome data showing whether the investment will reduce gambling-related harm.
The effectiveness of the market-and-treatment model will depend on what services reach people and what results can be demonstrated over time.