British Columbia gambling industry unites forces

BCGIA held its first major meeting last November, aiming to represent itself with partner BC Lottery Corp. (BCLC) and the central government, as well as promote British Columbia’s industry to the public.

BCLC has acknowledged its core casino gamblers are ageing while, in some communities, the public has resisted expansion proposals.

British Columbia’s gaming industry has 17 full-service casinos, 19 community gambling centers and six bingo halls that work in partnership with BCLC. The association says its members employ 8,300 people directly and represent a bigger revenue stream to government than the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, ICBC and forestry and natural gas revenue.

In 2014-15, BCLC delivered a CA$ 1.25bn profit to the provincial government, three-quarters of which came from gamblers losing on slot machines and table games at casinos.

BCGIA’s formation happened amid more consolidation and rejuvenation. Gateway announced before Christmas that it had bought Playtime Gaming’s six properties, expanding Gateway to 18 locations with nearly half the province’s 12,300 slot machines. Great Canadian’s location at the Fraser Downs horse-racing track in Cloverdale was renovated, expanded and rebranded as Elements Casino for a pre-Christmas opening.

B.C. requires casinos to give host local governments a 10pc cut of net gambling income. In 2014-15, municipalities received almost CA$ 96m in payments and 5,000 charity and community organizations got a share of another CA$ 134.8m in proceeds.
Casino royalty revenue paid to the City of Richmond since 1999 is now more than $172 million. There are fewer statistics about the social costs of gambling, which the BC Liberals promised in 2001 not to expand.

The 2014 B.C. Problem Gambling Prevalence Study for the Ministry of Finance’s gaming policy and enforcement branch estimated 3.3pc of British Columbians – 125,000 people – were high- or moderate-risk problem gamblers.

The industry is also seeking to expand, but encountering resistance. In January 2013, Gateway’s bid to expand near the Meridian Golf Par 3 course in South Surrey was thwarted in a 5-4 vote at Surrey city council amid intense public opposition.