AGLC extends higher 17% slot commission for casino operators to 2029

Alberta casino operators will keep a larger share of slot machine revenue for three more years after the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) extended a temporary commission increase to March 31, 2029.

Gamehost Inc., a casino operator listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, announced the decision in a news release issued from Red Deer on January 19, 2026. The commission applies to slot machine net sales at licensed casino facilities.

The increase raises the slot commission paid to operators from 15 per cent to 17 per cent. According to Gamehost, the AGLC's stated purpose is to "encourage investment in marketing and site improvements."

A repeated extension

The higher rate first took effect on April 1, 2023 and was due to end on March 31, 2025. It was then extended by one year to March 31, 2026. The latest decision adds a further three years.

When it announced the first one-year extension in December 2024, Gamehost said the AGLC would keep monitoring whether the higher commission grows gaming proceeds by letting operators expand promotions or reinvest in their facilities. The January 2026 release did not include comment from company executives.

Gamehost's properties

All of Gamehost's operations are in Alberta. It runs the Rivers Casino & Entertainment Centre in Fort McMurray and the Great Northern Casino in Grande Prairie. In Grande Prairie it also owns the Service Plus Inns & Suites and Encore Suites hotels and a strip mall. It also operates the Deerfoot Inn & Casino in southeast Calgary.

In Alberta, the province conducts and manages casino gaming through the AGLC. Licensed operators are paid a commission on slot machine revenue at their facilities.

Without the extension, the rate would have dropped back to 15 per cent at the end of March 2026. Operators will now keep the extra two points for three more fiscal years.