Province Cuts Red Tape With Amendments to Casino Regulations

The province will maintain high levels of security, improve efficiency and cut red tape by having government staff perform security checks on prospective casino employees and suppliers.

Amendments to casino regulations will allow trained alcohol and gaming division staff, instead of RCMP officers, to perform checks. Potential casino employees in Halifax and Sydney will undergo the same level of security clearance as they do now.

"Having alcohol and gaming division staff do security checks will maintain a high level of security, while cutting costs for suppliers and the province," said Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell.

Also, any company that has been approved to supply goods or services to a casino in another Canadian province will not have to have another time-consuming and expensive security check in Nova Scotia.

Currently, casino suppliers must be interviewed in person no matter where they are located. This can take more than a month, and suppliers must pay travel and other costs.

The change will not take effect until alcohol and gaming division staff are fully trained over the next several months.