BetRivers Builds the World’s Biggest Physical Slot Machine in Alberta Mall

In a day and age where every square inch of casino floor space is optimized for gameplay, slot machine cabinets are just becoming sleeker and slimmer. But not the BetRivers Gold Rush-themed record-breaking slot machine. Standing at just over 16 feet tall, this physical slot machine was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest.

It is not just for show either, anyone aged 18 or over in Alberta can head over to the West Edmonton Mall, where this towering slot machine sits and play the game.

Given the strict advertising rules that will play a heavy hand in shaping Alberta’s early iGaming market, which just launched on July 13, this is a piece of marketing genius on behalf of BetRivers. If the regulators have tied your hands with strict rules and conditions about what you can and can’t advertise, then why not go about brand awareness in an altogether different direction? With something as headline breaking or brash as building the world’s biggest slot machine in a massive shopping mall?

BetRivers Record Breaking Slot Machine

The biggest slot machine in the world weighs over 187 tonnes, took 4 weeks to assemble, and sits in the West Edmonton Mall, on the first level, in the Centre Court. For those who haven’t been, West Edmonton Mall is the second-largest shopping mall in North America and attracts around 32 million people each year, with daily visitor counts ranging from 90,000 to 200,000 (depending on the season). This slot machine sits in a high traffic location, a very central area where it will no doubt bring huge publicity to BetRivers, who went live in Alberta from day 1.

The biggest slot machine in the world:

• Is 16 feet tall and weighs 187+ tonnes
• Is styled with Gold Rush slot theme
• Has spinning reels and a gold panning game for players
• Offers prizes including gold coins, hockey tickets and BetRivers merch
• Has a top prize of a real gold bar worth C$6,000
• Is only available to eligible players aged 18+
• Was launched on July 19, soon after the Alberta iGaming launch

Just for a note – this slot machine is the largest playable one in the world. There is a larger slot machine in Fremont Street, Vegas, called SlotZilla Tower, but it is not a slot machine designed with gaming functions.

This slot machine will remain up until December 2006, and you can give it a go during regular mall hours. Guinness World Records adjudicator Tina Shi examined the slot machine to formally certify it as the biggest slot machine in the world.

New Alberta iGaming Market

The buildup to Alberta’s iGaming launch was years in the making. Prior to this launch, Alberta’s iGaming market was a monopoly, dominated by PlayAlberta, the state-run gambling provider. PlayAlberta, a provider of casino games, sports bets, live dealer games, lottery products and arcade games, and now all but the lottery products are part of the open market. The lottery is still going to be the reserve of of the government-run monopoly.

This setup of provincial government monopolies is still the norm across most of Canada, Ontario was the first to break away with its open iGaming market launch back in 2022. When it opened, on April 4, 2022, Ontario had 12 licensed operators. Since then, it has built up a market comprising of 45-50 operators. There have been recent additions like DAZN Bet and back in 2025 AbsoluteBet joined Ontario, but there have also been major players who have come and gone, including William Hill, Coolbet, Unibet and Fitzdares.

Market Size and Black Market

Alberta is starting with a bigger pool of operators, with 35 licensed brands confirmed 2 months prior to the launch, some of those operators having already opened preregistration for Alberta players earlier in the year. Going by figures and the speed at which larger operators have charged at Alberta, this market has great potential. The Alberta licensing fees, taxation, and conditions for operators are similar to Ontario, albeit with slightly higher fees and an extra 1% tax that goes to the First Nations in Alberta. But the market looks to build on solid ground, and use lessons learned from Ontario to hit that ground in a running sprint.

It comes at an important time too, as the Alberta government stated that unregulated operators captured an estimated 70% of Alberta’s total iGaming market under the old monopoly structure. Given that the market is worth around $900 million in annual revenue, those are some serious black market figures.

Rush Street Interactive in Alberta

BetRivers, the operator that built the world’s biggest slot machine, is run by Rush Street Interactive (RSI ), which also owns brands like PlaySugarHouse and RushBet. Founded in 2012, Rush Street Interactive has licensed iGaming brands in 8 markets, as well as online sportsbooks. It also has 8 retail sportsbooks in major US landbased casinos, in Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Virginia, and Indiana. Finally, not to miss out on any of the gambling company’s verticals, it also has a major online poker room, BetRivers Poker, which is quite popular across the US.

Having already established itself in Ontario, aiming for Alberta was the next logical step. Chief Executive Officer of Rush Street Interactive, Richard Schwartz, stated that:

“BetRivers has earned its status as one of Canada’s top-rated and most trusted casino apps through App Store ratings and reviews from Ontario players. Alberta is the next step in that story, and we’re ready to deliver the same best-in-class experience from day one as part of our commitment to making BetRivers the casino destination Canadian players choose first.”

A slots-first casino operator with a comprehensive sportsbook, BetRivers is a well-liked brand in Ontario. As for the main market, in the US, the scene is a lot more difficult for middle-level operators like BetRivers. The US sports betting market is largely dominated by two companies, FanDuel and DraftKings (DKNG ), and even major landbased casino brands like Caesars and MGM struggle to gain a piece of the digital sports betting market. Online casinos, on the other hand, are only legal in 8 states since Maine launched iGaming earlier this year. Similar to Canada, where only 2 provinces have open markets for private iGaming brand operators.

Strict Advertising Laws

To make matters more difficult, Alberta is going to have similarly strict bonus advertising laws for gambling operators as in Ontario. Brands like BetRivers can still promote “gambling inducements, bonuses and credits”, but only on their site or apps. They can’t publicly display these inducements, unlike in America or many European gambling jurisdictions.

Not that it is easier abroad, as in Europe regulators are increasingly tightening the laws on gambling ads. For instance, in Spain operators are mandated to display anti-gambling disclaimers, and now Brazil looks set to adopt similar marketing restrictions. In the Netherlands, gambling promotions and marketing aimed at players aged 18-23 is strictly forbidden, and now the Dutch gambling authorities are considering an outright ban on gambling bonuses.

Alberta iGaming Market Going Forward

Back to Alberta, none of these licensed operators can display their gambling ads or market promotions in public places. Forget the billboards, TV ads, online banners and any other medium. BetRivers has come up with a clever alternative. Without breaking, or even bending, any of the rules, they have brought huge attention to their site, and brand visibility through this record-breaking slot machine. It is quite a savvy move, and definitely casts the spotlight on BetRivers.

But will they be able to compete with the more well-known brands in the market – such as DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel and BetMGM – or the local alternatives such as theScore Bet, Bet99, Sports Interaction and NorthStar Bets. Or, don’t forget, the longstanding PlayAlberta will remain in Alberta and has a good head start on the others with its already existing infrastructure and user base.