IGP's Gamehost Acquisition Gets Court Approval in Alberta

Indigenous Gaming Partners (IGP) has cleared a major legal hurdle in its bid to acquire Gamehost Inc. The Court of King's Bench of Alberta issued a final order authorizing the transaction. Under the deal, Pure Casino Entertainment Limited Partnership, an IGP subsidiary, will purchase all outstanding Gamehost common shares for $13.65 per share in cash. Shareholders had already approved the deal at a special meeting on June 11. The transaction is structured as a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act of Alberta. Closing is expected before the end of June.

Gamehost's Three Casinos and Two Hotels Join IGP's Lineup

The acquisition will give IGP three Gamehost casinos across Alberta: the Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary, the Great Northern Casino in Grande Prairie, and the Rivers Casino and Entertainment Center in Fort McMurray. Two hotel properties in Grande Prairie are also part of the deal: the Service Plus Inns & Suites and the Encore Suites by Service Plus. Pure Casino Entertainment already operates four Alberta casinos: Pure Casino Edmonton, Pure Casino Yellowhead, Pure Casino Calgary, and Pure Casino Lethbridge. Together, these properties employ more than 1,200 people. Once the Gamehost deal closes, IGP's Alberta footprint will grow to seven casinos and two hotels.

VICI Properties to Acquire Real Estate via Sale-Leaseback

Ownership of the underlying real estate will be handled separately, through a sale-leaseback arrangement with VICI Properties. The agreement expands VICI's Canadian holdings and builds on its existing relationship with IGP, which dates to January 2023.

VICI holds one of the largest casino-focused real estate portfolios in North America, including major Las Vegas properties such as Caesars Palace, The Venetian, and MGM Grand.

The company has owned the real estate tied to Pure-branded casinos since January 2023.

Deal Lands Ahead of Alberta's Online Gambling Launch

The acquisition comes as Alberta prepares to open its regulated online gambling market on July 13. IGP has already applied to operate an online platform in the province through Pure Casino Entertainment. As of this writing, 47 operators have registered for the new market, including bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, and theScore Bet. Alberta Minister Dale Nally has publicly encouraged both land-based and Indigenous operators to enter the online space. "We want to see as many land-based operators in Alberta participating in the online space [as possible]," he said at SBC Summit Canada 2026.