Frequently Asked Questions

See what the SMART Programs training requirements are to work in Alberta's liquor, gaming and cannabis industries.

All SMART certificates are valid for 5 years from the date of certification. You may need more than one SMART Programs certificate for the work you do.

Contact SMART Programs to get help accessing your account. Toll-free in Alberta, call 1-877-436-6336, Mondays through Fridays, from
8:15 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. You can also send us an email.

• Check the Spam, Junk, Bulk or All Mail folders of your email account.
• Allow additional time to receive the message. Contact us if you don't receive it within 12 hours.
• Purchase receipts are saved to the Order History page of your SMART Programs account. Sign in to see them.

Click on the "Forgot Your Password?" hyperlink on the Sign In page to retrieve your password. Follow the on-screen instructions. If you don't remember the email address assigned to your account, please contact us.

Visit smartprograms.aglc.ca and click on Create Account. Enter your information into the correct fields on the Account Registrations page. Check each field to make sure the information is complete, correct and up-to-date. Then, click on the Submit button.

If you are a registered gaming worker at a licensed facility, see the AGLC-issued approval letter for your number.

Registered gaming worker positions are:

• Bingo coordinator or satellite game controller
• Bookkeeper or cashier
• Cash cage, count room or hall advisor
• Casino facility operator representative
• Casino, games, hall or pull-ticket manager
• Caller, seller or checker
• Director or manager of security or security guard
• Pit boss, pit supervisor or dealer
• Slot attendant, cashier, manager or operator
• Slot count room attendant

If your job is not listed here, the RGW field on your account can be left blank.

You can update the information fields on your Personal Information page, except the Name and Date of Birth fields. Sign in to your account to update your information. Click on the [Edit] hyperlink beside the information you want to change, update and save your changes.

To update your account after a legal change of name, follow these steps.

If the date of birth needs to be corrected, send an email to info@protect.aglc.ca. Include your legal name and 12-digit SMART Programs Registration Number in the subject line. Include your date of birth with your request. SMART Programs will make the update for you.

Please use a personal email address on your account. Do not use one that belongs to someone else or an organization. Free email accounts are available from Gmail, Yahoo!, iCloud, Microsoft and other providers.

To update your account after a legal change of name, follow these steps.

Send an email to info@protect.aglc.ca. Include your legal name and 12-digit SMART Programs Registration Number in the subject line of your email. Include your date of birth with your request. SMART Programs will make the update for you.

There is no charge to take the ProTect program.

No. After you're certified, the program's content can be reviewed until 60 days before your certificate expires. Sign into your account to see it.

No. ProTect program content belongs to AGLC and is protected by copyright. Our logo and name are trademarked. Material may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of AGLC.

Yes, you do. ProTect program content belongs to AGLC and is protected by copyright. Our logo and name are trademarked. Material may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of AGLC.

• Operating system: Windows XP or newer or Mac OS 10.3 and newer
• Browser: Mozilla Firefox 12, Google Chrome 18, Safari 5, Edge v.87, Opera v.72 and newer
• Adobe Acrobat Reader, free download

Sound card, speakers and a stable, high-speed Internet connection are recommended.

Note: Restrictions placed on public or corporate systems, applications or mobile devices may restrict learners' access to program or exam content, or limit some functions on the SMART Programs' websites. Contact your IT professional for assistance or use a computer or device without these restrictions.

Browsers not listed above may not display content correctly.

Sign in to your online account at smartprograms.aglc.ca. If you don't remember your password, retrieve it here.

Click on "Program Options" from the menu bar. Choose "Online Training" from the drop-down menu. Read through the information, noting the date and time your program access ends. Plan your time so you can get certified before your access ends.

When you're ready to begin, click on STEP 2: View Course.

You must successfully complete your program within 30 days of the date and time of registration.

Sign in to your account at smartprograms.aglc.ca. If you don't remember your password, retrieve it here.

• Click on Program Options from the menu bar. Choose Online Training from the drop-down menu.
  • If you haven't registered for the program, click on the "Register" button. Follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your account. Return to the Online Training page to take the program.
• Read the information on the Online Training page carefully. Note the date and time access to your online program ends. Plan your time so you can get certified before your access ends.
• Click on STEP 2: View Course. All of the program exercises and questionnaire must be completed before you can take the exam.
• When you're ready to take the test, click on STEP 3: Take Exam.

You must successfully complete your program within 30 days of the date and time of registration.

You must successfully complete your program within 30 days of the date and time of registration. Check the Online Training page of your SMART Programs account to see when your program access ends.

Incomplete programs will be dropped from your account. Previously completed work will not be saved.

No, you may enter and exit the program, sign in and out of your account, etc. as often as you like within 30 days from the date and time of registration. Your program access ends after the 30th day.

The online exam is timed. The clock cannot be stopped once the exam begins. If you accidentally close the test window, can reopen it if the time limit has not expired. Completing the test in a single sitting is recommended.

Yes, you can! Sign in to your account. Click on Program Options from the menu bar. Choose Online Training, and then click on STEP 2: View Course. Click on the Contents button to get to the section(s) of the program you'd like to review.

If you're retaking the exam, check the Completion Status page of your account to find out which section(s) of the program need more review. Click directly on the test score. Then, go back into the online program and take a few minutes to look through these sections before you try the exam again.

SMART Programs cannot provide feedback on specific test questions.

Sign in to your account at smartprograms.aglc.ca. If you don't remember your password, retrieve it here.

Choose Program Options from the menu and then Online Training from the drop-down menu. Check that you have completed all of the program exercises and questionnaire. Then, click on STEP 3: Take Exam. Follow the on-screen instructions to take the exam.

The exam has 20 questions. You have 30 minutes to complete it.

If you accidentally close the test window, you can reopen it if the time limit has not expired.

No. The ProTect online program is designed so learners can get their certification without the assistance of a third party.

The test is a closed book exam. Use of resources or supporting materials is not permitted.

After submitting your exam attempt, a message will appear on the screen, stating that you have passed or that you did not pass the test.

If you passed, you get proof of your certification right away.

If you did not pass, check the Completion Status page of your account to find out which section(s) of the program need more review. Click directly on the test score. Then, go back into the online program and look through these sections before you try the exam again.

A score of 80% or higher (at least 16 correct answers out of 20 questions) is required to pass.

Yes, you can! You have five attempts to pass the final exam. You may take the test again, but we strongly encourage you to review the program before making another attempt.

To see the details of your last test attempt, sign in to your account and click on the My Account tab. Choose Completion Status from the drop-down menu. Click directly on the test score to find out what sections of the program need more review. Look through these sections before you try the exam again.

SMART Programs cannot provide feedback on specific test questions.

Please note, some test attempts will result in a Fail score if the Internet connection was suddenly interrupted or dropped. Contact SMART Programs to have any lost test attempts restored to your program.

To see the details of your last test attempt, sign in to your account. Click on the My Account tab and then Completion Status. Click directly on the test score to find out what sections of the program need more review. Look through these sections before you try the exam again.

SMART Programs cannot provide feedback on specific test questions.

Details about your test attempt belong to you, the user. Your scores and details about them can be seen on the Completion Status page of your account, after you sign in. Administrators of the SMART Programs and AGLC Inspectors have access to this information to administer the programs, confirm program completion and enforce regulatory requirements.

By law, AGLC cannot share information with third parties without the user's consent. Licensees can check staff's certifications and expiry dates. For more information, please see the Privacy Statement page of this site. To protect the security of your information, do not share your sign in credentials (email address or password) with anyone.

You must also provide proof of your certification to your employer for their records within 30 days of your employment start date and when you recertify. You must also be able to provide proof of your certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector.

Licensee staff must provide proof of certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector.

Proof of certification includes:

• paper printed certification card that has a QR code
• a plastic card that does not have a QR code, or
• clear images of either of the above (i.e., image, photograph or screen shot) saved to the staff member's mobile device

Proof of your certification is saved to your SMART Programs account for 5 years from the date of certification.

Yes, you can! Proof of your certification is saved to your SMART Programs account for 5 years from the date you were certified.

Licensee staff must provide proof of ProTect certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector.

Proof of your certification is saved to your SMART Programs account for 5 years from the date you were certified.

Licensee staff must provide proof of ProTect certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector. Certificates issued by other provincial training programs are not accepted.

SMART Programs no longer issues plastic certification cards, but proof of your certification is saved to your SMART Programs account for 5 years from the date you were certified.

The image on your SMART certification is a QR (Quick Response) code. It is a two-dimensional barcode that includes information arranged in a simple black and white pattern. It can be read by an imaging device, such as a mobile device with a camera and QR code reader. After the code has been scanned, the QR reader changes the code to open a mobile URL, place a phone call or show information.

The QR code on your SMART certification includes information about your certification, which can be read only by AGLC inspectors and administrators of the SMART Programs.

If your responsible liquor service certificate was issued by another Canadian jurisdiction within the last 5 years, you can apply to have it recognized.

Certificates issued by other training programs are not accepted by AGLC Inspectors.

Equivalency will not be granted for responsible liquor service certification that was issued more than 5 years ago. Certification issued outside of Canada will not be recognized. Equivalency is not granted for any other SMART Program at this time.

To find out if your ProServe certificate is recognized in another province, contact that province's program administrators.

Note: Legislation and policies are different in every province. Licensees are responsible for ensuring that their workers understand and follow all Alberta laws and policies that affect the work they do.

Yes, all SMART Programs' certifications are valid for five (5) years from the date of issue.

Workers must renew expiring certification before the expiration date on their certificate(s) if they are still working in a position where the certification is required.

Upon renewal, proof of certification is saved to your SMART Programs account for 5 years from the date you were certified.

Licensee staff must provide proof of certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector.

An email will be sent to the address on your SMART Programs account, reminding you that your certification is due to expire within 60 days. Contact us if you want to recertify earlier.