GPI's Report Acknowledges Progress

The CEO of the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation said a report released today, Oct. 27, by GPI Atlantic on the costs and benefits of gaming will be useful in the current discussion aimed at developing a new gaming strategy for Nova Scotia.

"This report is a compilation of existing literature. It's good to have this as reference as we consider Nova Scotians' input received through the feedback process that's going on now with respect to this province's gaming industry," said Marie Mullally, president and CEO of the gaming corporation. "This information will help us develop programs and strategies to tackle problem gambling over the long term."

Much of the information in The Costs and Benefits of Gaming: A Summary Report from the Literature Review comes from the 2003 Nova Scotia Gambling Prevalence Study. That study also showed that Nova Scotia has the lowest problem gambling rate in the country and that it has not increased in the last 10 years. "This is very encouraging," added Ms. Mullally.

The gaming corporation is focused on finding solutions to gambling related problems. The GPI review says that Nova Scotia is a recognized leader in the field of providing both education and research for responsible gaming and in the prevention and treatment of problem gambling. Specifically, it notes that Nova Scotia was the first to launch an annual Responsible Gaming Awareness Week and has been a worldwide leader in promoting responsible gambling. One initiative has involved putting responsible gaming features on video lottery terminals (VLTs), capping the number of machines in the province, prohibiting youth from playing VLTs, and providing responsible gaming training to VLT retailers.

"With this information, we will continue to build on the good work being done," said Ms. Mullally. "We need to know what Nova Scotians want in balancing social responsibility with the economic reality in order to produce a long-term strategy for gambling in this province. That's what the discussion paper will help us to do, as will this report and other information."

"The GPI report found that there were too many methodological obstacles to do an accurate, credible cost-benefit analysis," concluded Ms. Mullally. "Nonetheless, we will continue to expand and improve our programs for responsible gaming awareness and problem gambling prevention."