$178 Million Contributed to Government Programs and Services

N.S. GAMING CORP.--$178 Million Contributed to Government Programs and Services

The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation contributed $178 million to the province in support of government programs and services in 2001-02, up from $174 million the previous year.

About $158 million comes from the ticket and video lottery side of the gaming business and $25 million from the two casinos. About $5 million of that total was committed to responsible gaming and other expenses.

Operationally, the year was highlighted by some significant achievements in the area of responsible gaming. New VLTs were introduced with more interactive games and four features designed to discourage excessive use of the machines. Nova Scotia is the first gaming jurisdiction in North America to move forward with this type of responsible gaming initiative. As 2001-02 was coming to a close, the gaming corporation was readying itself to talk about this approach at a responsible gaming conference in Ontario.

"Over the last two years, the gaming corporation has emerged as an industry leader in the area of responsible gaming and has led the way on a number of initiatives, often breaking new ground," said Stephen MacDonald, acting president and CEO. "Our acceptance as presenters at an international conference shows that the rest of the world is very interested in Nova Scotia's progressive approach."

Gaming proved a popular entertainment choice for many people. The two casinos welcomed more than 2.6 million visitors throughout the year, and the largest slot jackpot in Nova Scotia's history was won at the Sydney casino. On the ticket lottery side, more than $106 million was paid out in prizes.

Beyond the revenue that gaming imparts to government, it provides over $52 million in commissions to lottery retailers, many of whom are small-business owners, and accounts for almost 1,200 jobs in Nova Scotia.

njm 12 July 2002 10:17 A.M.