The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) board has declared Bede Gaming suitable to hold a conditional one-year iGaming Goods or Services Supplier licence when the province opens its regulated gambling market later in the year.

As one of the first international platform providers to be granted approval from the regulator, Bede is now ready to offer its services to operators targeting Alberta when the newly-regulated province officially goes live, creating a range of commercial possibilities for the company moving forward.

Fully SOC 2 certified, the established software provider is well-equipped to help partners secure a quick and hassle-free entry into Alberta, and its suite of in-house products and 150+ third-party integrations provides the perfect toolset for businesses to scale both efficiently and sustainably.

Having begun accepting registrations in January 2026, Alberta is expected to see growth on par with the regulated Ontario iGaming market over the longer term, making it an enticing destination for international operators looking to expand their global outreach; and Bede is honoured to be among the first licensed providers in the run-up to the province officially opening for business.

Colin Cole-Johnson, Chief Executive Officer at Bede Gaming, said: “Bede is delighted to receive conditional regulatory approval to work in Alberta, putting us in a great position to support operators with their upcoming expansions in the province.

“We have a longstanding investment in the Canadian iGaming industry, and I’m eager for the exciting opportunities ahead in this new market. As one of the first applicants to be formally recognised by the regulator, Bede offers a truly localised service to its partners, and the fact that we’re SOC 2 certified will allow them to hit the ground running as soon as they’re ready to launch.”

With America being a complex but opportunity-rich set of jurisdictions for iGaming businesses to target, we sat down with two industry experts to get their thoughts on navigating the notoriously tricky U.S. market. In the following roundtable discussion, senior figures from platform solutions provider, Bede Gaming, and innovative fast-betting brand, BETER, will give us their insights on entering the U.S., the importance of balancing speed-to-market with proper due diligence and the key differentiators that will allow aspiring challengers to stand out from the competition.

Participants:

Jessica Marrs, VP Product Marketing at Bede Gaming (JM)

Jessica is a proven product leader in iGaming. As former Lead of Bede Gaming’s Account portfolio, she led a team focused on delivering innovative payment solutions, improving player onboarding, streamlining player management and omnichannel capabilities across Bede’s international customer base. Now VP of Product Marketing, Jessica plays a key role in shaping the company’s strategic positioning and global partnerships. Her expertise lies in bridging product strategy and innovation across areas to drive growth and operational efficiency. 

George Arabatlian, Head of Commercial Partnerships at BETER (GA)

George is a senior iGaming executive with over 12 years of industry experience and in-depth knowledge of sportsbook data feeds, casino aggregation, and betting content acquisition. Having previously overseen BETER’s dynamic team of account managers, his contribution to the company’s growth led to his appointment as Head of Commercial Partnerships in 2025. Now responsible for identifying new strategic opportunities, managing relationships, and delivering outstanding ongoing value to BETER partners, his passion for staying ahead of the latest trends has played a crucial role in the company’s recent success.

What factors make the U.S. an attractive market for companies like yours at this current time in its evolution as a regulated market?

JM: The U.S. is a huge collection of markets, all of which are growing rapidly and show no signs of slowing down. At Bede, we feel the demands of U.S. customers, operators and regulators will be familiar to us, as we see many similarities to the other markets we’re active in, in terms of its fast growth and unique compliance requirements. With the flexibility and agility Bede provides via our open-API, single-codebase model, we believe our technology and expertise will help us support U.S. operators succeed – especially those that are focused on casino, slots, lottery, sports and omni-channel experiences. With Bede, it’s easy to integrate whatever you need for your specific state, whether it’s a content aggregation or a full end-to-end platform solution. Our speed-to-market capabilities also empower businesses to respond to changing requirements quickly, which is key to staying ahead of the curve and maintaining strong relationships with regulators.

GA: The U.S. market is vast, with a growing number of states now operating under well-defined regulatory frameworks. As several states are also likely to regulate in future, there remain substantial opportunities for growth. Together, these factors create a stable environment where innovative, compliant businesses can thrive. Within these markets, we see a strong and rising demand for fast-betting content – which is something BETER specialises in delivering at scale.

Competitive sports are part of the American DNA. Even with such a wide variety, one constant in the market is the appetite for fast-paced content that keeps bettors engaged and entertained 24/7. We’ve seen this firsthand in states such as New Jersey, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana and Florida, where BETER’s exclusive esports and sports content was approved last year. What we’ve learned since is that regardless of the discipline, if it’s exciting and impactful, the U.S. audience wants it.

Another factor elevating the appeal of the U.S. is the rapidly-expanding ecosystem surrounding regulated gaming. Conferences and exhibitions are becoming larger and more sophisticated, helping to build a strong, connected professional community. This gives us a powerful platform to showcase our award-winning fast-betting content and strengthen relationships in the industry.

Any organisation seeking long-term success in regulated gaming and willing to play by the rules needs to establish a presence in the U.S. This is where innovation thrives and both operators and bettors seek new and engaging experiences – precisely the environment in which BETER excels!

How can businesses balance speed-to-market with the need for careful regulatory and cultural due diligence?

JM: The balance between speed-to-market and regulatory compliance must always begin with thorough market research and high-quality, stable platform architecture. Our platform is a single codebase with a modular design, ensuring high agility and unlimited access to the innovations, integrations and configurations that will be essential for cross-market success in the U.S, which involves a lot of state-specific nuance. As being able to adapt to different regulatory requirements and player preferences is so crucial, the fact that even our bespoke, territory-specific solutions are built with configurable options makes it easy for operators to keep on top of compliance while also maintaining their own brand differentiation. In terms of reliability, the cutting-edge technology and third-party automation tools we use ensure continuous stability. By leveraging machine learning and micro-server right-sizing to respond to traffic demands, we’re able to consistently deliver 99.99% availability, ensuring the customer environments can seamlessly handle varying workloads, maintain performance and scale dynamically with live traffic levels.

GA: Speed certainly matters, but in regulated markets, trust is mission-critical.

Winning in the U.S. – or any regulated jurisdiction – isn’t about being first; it’s about being right. The companies that succeed are those that move quickly while still showing full alignment with regulatory requirements, cultural nuance, and industry integrity. This balance is only achievable when businesses leverage strong data, local partnerships, localisation strategies, and adaptive technologies – all foundations that enable fast deployment, while also maintaining compliance.

At BETER, our strategy is to move fast, but with purpose. This means building every expansion on clear regulatory processes, deep local insights, robust integrity measures, and transparent communication with regulators. Our award-winning Integrity Team plays a central role in our U.S. strategy, ensuring that all BETER content that’s approved for regulated markets operates under continuous 24/7 integrity monitoring, total transparency, and the highest standards of fair play.

By following this model, we’re able to understand each state’s requirements quickly, secure the necessary approvals, and go live with partners at speed – all while establishing a foundation of reliability that supports long-term growth.

How complex is it to navigate the state-by-state gaming regulation in the U.S.?

GA: It’s complex, but rightly so. Each state operates under its own regulatory framework, definitions, and evidentiary standards. States want to ensure companies in their markets are reputable, transparent, and capable of meeting the highest operational and integrity standards.

At BETER, we now have several U.S. states under our belt, and this has given us a deep understanding of how to make the approvals process as smooth and seamless as possible. What we’ve learned is that the work begins long before the application is submitted. It starts with proactive communication with regulators to fully understand the procedure required in that state.

One of the most important things is to identify a strong local legal partner who understands state-specific nuances and can help navigate these often-complex requirements. This avoids missteps, reduces delays, and ensures the application moves through the system efficiently. At the same time, maintaining constant dialogue with regulators, providing timely clarifications, and demonstrating transparency in operations all go a long way. This is where our legal team does such a great job. Their work underpins BETER’s credibility, helping us build trust with regulators and partners, and allows us to secure approvals in a timely and compliant manner in every state.

The U.S. iCasino and entertainment market is becoming more crowded; how can businesses really stand out and what considerations must they make for attracting U.S. players?

JM: Casino and entertainment have always been strongly bonded in the U.S., but the recent evolution is the regulation. With such a vast range of content to choose from, offering an enjoyable experience is relatively easy, but for long-term success, we believe it will be critical for operators to develop player safety programmes and features that encourage retention. Operators will need to tailor their strategies in these areas to the demands of each specific market, as understanding the different player preferences will be key to them reaching and appealing to their target audience. For land-based operators looking to break into the digital space, we see a significant difference in expectations around registration between retail and online, so this must be considered when providing any omni-channel/convergence solution. Player behaviour also differs greatly between verticals, so having an innovative segmentation tool like Bede’s can help operators group users accurately and provide better-tailored journeys and offers that feel unique.