Province Advances Changes to Gaming Corporation

Government is making gaming management more accountable in Nova Scotia through changes to the Gaming Control Act announced today, May 7.

The Crown corporation responsible for managing gaming activities in the province will be renamed and its governance structure changed in keeping with the province's responsible gaming strategy.

"Nova Scotians want gaming to be managed in an accountable and socially-responsible way," said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister David Wilson. "The changes being introduced today provide for a closer reporting relationship and ensure the corporation will function more like a division of a government department."

The changes to the act include:

• a prescribed membership for the board of the corporation which will be made up of senior civil servants representing key departments of government
• the corporation will be named the Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries and Casino Corp.

"The amendments create closer oversight in the rapidly changing and evolving gaming industry," said Mr. Wilson. "With these changes Nova Scotia is maintaining its leadership in responsible gaming and ensuring the revenue received continues to benefit programs and services that are important to the public."

The new structure will take effect once the present board of the corporation finalizes its current fiscal year in the summer.

"Bringing the management of gaming closer to government will serve Nova Scotians well," said Prof. John McMullan of Saint Mary's University. "Emerging issues can be managed in a manner that will be consistent with government policy."

Information about the province's responsible gaming strategy is available at www.gov.ns.ca/cch/ .