VICTORIA – Gaming in B.C. will
operate in a more efficient, accountable manner as a result of restructuring
announced today, said Solicitor General Rich Coleman.
"Currently gaming is overseen
by five agencies," Coleman said.
"We're improving the framework with two strong, cohesive bodies that will
eliminate duplication while ensuring strict accountability."
Coleman said gaming management
previously involved too many agencies and commissions. The new streamlining
will result in millions of dollars in administrative savings for taxpayers and
an improved regulatory environment.
The five agencies previously
responsible for gaming - the Gaming Policy Secretariat, the B.C. Gaming
Commission, the B.C. Racing Commission, the Gaming Audit and Investigation
Office, and the B.C. Lottery Corp. - will be consolidated into two. These
agencies will be the gaming policy and enforcement division under the Ministry
of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and the B.C. Lottery Corp. The Racing
Commission board is being replaced with three senior government staff, chaired
by acting deputy solicitor general Alison MacPhail.
Responsibilities
of the gaming policy and enforcement division will include policy, standards,
regulation, licensing and enforcement for all gaming sectors. The B.C. Lottery
Corp.'s responsibilities will be to conduct and manage lotteries, casinos,
bingo halls and horse racing.
Coleman said the restructuring
respects the important role charitable gaming plays in supporting programs and
services throughout the province. "We will all be better served by the
professional management that will result from this streamlining - charities,
communities, gaming businesses, those who enjoy participating in gaming, and
taxpayers."
To support the new framework,
government will introduce comprehensive gaming legislation in 2002.
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Media Contact:
Kate Thompson
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 387-5008
BACKGROUNDER
GAMING RESPONSIBILITIES
Gaming Policy and Enforcement Division:
- Advising
the minister and cabinet on policy, standards and regulatory issues.
- Developing,
managing and implementing government's gaming policies and legislation.
- Establishing
industry-wide public interest standards for gaming operations.
- Managing
distribution of gaming proceeds according to government policy.
- Managing
applications from charities for direct access funding.
- Registering
gaming service providers and workers.
- Auditing
standards and integrity of audit process, and use of proceeds.
- Investigating
allegations of wrongdoing.
- The
broad regulatory environment.
- Licensing,
decisions and appeals.
- Gaming
facility locations and relocations.
B.C. Lottery Corp.:
- Conducting
and managing casinos, lotteries, and commercial bingo halls in a socially
responsible manner.
- Establishing
operational standards of all gaming facilities.
- Ensuring
facilities operate according to government and corporation standards.
- Managing
all contracts with service providers.
- Ensuring
contract compliance of all service providers through audits and
inspections.
- Transferring
net proceeds to government.
- Ensuring
there are problem gaming programs in casinos and commercial bingo halls.
- Rules
of play in all facilities.
- Operational
and business aspects, and analysis, of gaming facility locations or
relocations.
WHAT CHANGES TO GAMING WILL MEAN
Benefits include:
- More
professionally managed gaming facilities.
- Elimination
of overlap and duplication.
- Better
enforcement, audits and inspections.
- Millions
of dollars in savings estimated in the first full fiscal year.
- More
viable and stable commercial bingo and horse-racing industries and
improved standards of operations.
- Charity
revenue protected.
As well:
- More
effective and efficient commercial bingo halls will produce more revenue
directed to charities and community organizations.
- Charities
will not need to manage halls or deal with administrative aspects of
commercial bingo halls. However, charities will still be able to be
involved at halls and receive proceeds.
- Current
service providers/associations will have the first right to provide
services at commercial bingo halls.
In the case of charity associations at self-managed halls, the same
opportunity exists.
- If an
existing charity association does not wish to be involved, the B.C.
Lottery Corp. will contract with an alternate service provider.
- Existing
agreements with charities and municipalities will remain intact.
- Greater
support will be available for problem gambling (programs in casinos will
be expanded into commercial bingo halls).
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FACTSHEET – GAMING IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA
The gaming industry in British Columbia includes lotteries,
community and destination casinos, commercial bingo halls, charitable gaming
(bingo, ticket raffles, social occasion casinos, fairs and exhibitions),
racetracks and teletheatre outlets.
British Columbia has the lowest per capita wagering in
Canada at $140 per year. The national
average is $320. (Selected provinces:
Alberta $380, Manitoba $445, Ontario $330) (Statistics Canada, Spring 2000)
Between 1992 and 1998, the average adult expenditure on
gaming increased in all provinces except British Columbia. While many provinces recorded a doubling of
expenditures, B.C. recorded a decrease. (Source: Statistics Canada, Spring
2000)
Facilities
- Casinos:
17 community casinos (16 in operation, one under construction) and up to
seven destination casinos (two in operation, one under construction, four
pending approval). B.C. casinos
are restricted to a maximum of 300 slot machines and 30 gaming tables.
- Bingo
halls: 39 operating commercial bingo halls
- Horse
racing: Seven horse-racing tracks and 21 operational teletheatre outlets
Revenue (2001-02 - estimated)
- The
gaming industry generates about $2 billion in revenue annually, including:
$523 million from
casino gaming (after prizes)
$300 million from
bingo and ticket raffle gaming (gross)
$210 million from
parimutuel betting on horse racing (gross)
- Gaming
activities will generate $585 million in net revenue to the provincial
government from the following sources: $290 million from lotteries, $287
million from casinos and $8 million from electronic bingo.
- Provincial
gaming revenue will be disbursed as follows:
$99 million to
charities (revised estimate)
$32.5 million to
municipalities
$7.4 million to
the federal government
$6.8 to local
economic development
$4 million to
problem gambling
$3.4 million to
regulation and administration
- The
remainder of the province's gaming revenue - about $432 million - supports
health, education and social programs. Of this amount, $144.5 million goes
to the Health Special Account to provide dedicated funding for health
care.
- Over
5,000 licensed charities will receive an estimated $148 million in gaming
revenue
- Earned - $18 million raised through licensed
ticket raffles
- $31
million raised through gaming and bingo halls
- Government
- $40 million provided through a funding guarantee (top-up) at each bingo
hall
- $59
million provided through direct access
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