19-Dec-06. B.C. to investigate winnings of lottery retailers. National Post, A9.

The ombudsman of British Columbia has launched an investigation into the B.C. Lottery Corp. following revelations in the Vancouver Sun last week that lottery retailers win prizes at several times the rate of the general public.

15-Dec-06. Lotto 6/49 turns 25 as folks scratch, quick pick and roll up the rim. Red Deer Advocate, B5.

This article provides a summary of Canadians' gambling-related activities and behaviours. David Hodgins, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Calgary says that the attitudes of Canadians have shifted over the past 25 to 30 years. Many forms of gambling were considered immoral or illegal but now it is not only legal but actively promoted by provincial governments. Garry Smith of the Alberta Gaming Research Institute was troubled by a recent survey that suggests 20 per cent of respondents count on the lottery as part of their retirement planning.

17-Dec-06. Casino plea from top Catholic. Edmonton Sun, 8.

Departing Edmonton Archbishop Thomas Collins says it's wrong for Edmonton Catholic schools to use money raised at casinos to fund programs and buy equipment. Edmonton's 84 Catholic schools raise more than $3-million a year through gambling.

18-Dec-06. First Nation gambles on new casino outside Whitecourt. Edmonton Journal, A1.

The Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation are building a $63-million casino, hotel and truck stop on their reserve which is six kilometres west of Whitecourt, Alberta. Chief Cameron Alexis hopes the Eagle River Casino and Travel Plaza, which is to open in January 2008 at the junction of highways 43 and 32, will spur First Nations band members to move to the now uninhabited Whitecourt reserve. Like the Enoch Cree near Edmonton, the Alexis Sioux partnered with Las Vegas-based Paragon Gaming to build their casino complex.

16-Dec-06. Russia approves special gambling zones for 2009. Globe and Mail, B7.

Russian lawmakers approved yesterday a draft that will allow casinos only in four special zones from 2009, and toughen rules for gambling halls with slot machines. The law will also get rid of many of the small gambling halls that are ubiquitous in Russian cities.

16-Dec-06. Casino Windsor to be part of Caesars. National Post, A20.

Harrah's Entertainment, which operates Casino Windsor with Hilton Hotels as well as Caesars casinos throughout the United States, announced yesterday that Casino Windsor will become part of the Caesars brand in early 2008 when the $400-million renovation and expansion is finished.

14-Dec-06. B.C. lottery clerks big winners. Edmonton Journal, A5.

Internal B.C. Lottery Corporation documents obtained by the Vancouver Sun indicate that British Columbia lottery clerks win larger prizes and more often than the general public. It notes that about seven-tenths of one percent of B.C.’s adult population works at lottery outlets, yet retailers have won 4.4 per cent of all lottery prizes over $10,000. Reports of “insider wins” in Ontario in October raised fears that lottery retailers in that province may be stealing customers’ winning tickets.

13-Dec-06. Program curbing problem gambling a hard sell. Lethbridge Herald, A7.

A year-long review by Edmonton’s Capital Health Region found the Gambling Decisions program developed in Alberta can help reduce average monthly losses by problem gamblers from $832 to $69. Recruiting problem gamblers take part in the program proved difficult and only 21 of 50 participants were able to tracked for the entire study. Results of the trial are to be submitted to the Journal of Gambling Studies for review.

13-Dec-06. Quebec auditor says millions squandered. Globe and Mail, A4.

According to a provincial auditors report, government-appointed officials who managed Quebec’s horseracing industry squandered millions of dollars in public funds in questionable ways. The “questionable” practices were conducted mostly under the watch of the former Parti Québécois government. Former PQ leader Bernard Landry was finance minister and then premier between 1999 and 2003 and reportedly had close ties to the horse-racing industry.

13-Dec-06. Addicts don’t take chance on program. Calgary Sun, 12.

A recently released report indicates that a treatment program aimed at problem gamblers can help them cut their losses by hundreds of dollars per month. A year-long review by the Capital Health Region in Edmonton found the Gambling Decisions program developed in Alberta can reduce average monthly losses from $832 to $69. Health officials noted that is was difficult finding program participants.

8-Dec-06. Deck stacked against casino workers: union. Edmonton Journal, B4.

The union representing striking workers at the Palace Casino wants the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission to take action in a dispute that is now three months old. At a press conference Thursday, Labour critic Ray Martin said the commission is helping the casino avoid negotiating a first contract by failing to crack down on alleged violations of the casino’s operating guidelines.

7-Dec-06. Gamblers prone to more health problems. Edmonton Journal, A17.

Research appearing in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine reports that people who gamble are more likely to suffer from a variety of health problems, including heart and liver disease. Benjamin J. Morasco led the study when he was at the University of Connecticut in Farmington. Researchers drew on information gathered in a national health survey of more than 43,000 people.

5-Dec-06. Casino in China seems a safe bet. National Post, FP9.

Casino operator Melco PBL Entertainment Ltd. has filed a preliminary prospectus to list the company on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Melco PBL is focused on the fast-growing gaming industry in Macao, the only area in China where casino gambling is legal. The region lags slightly behind Las Vegas and is well ahead of Atlantic City in terms of gaming revenue generated in the first nine months of this year.

30-Nov-06. Alleged lotto scam surfaces. Calgary Sun, 18.

The Gambling Watch Network filed a letter with the Province of Ontario’s ombudsman complaining that scratch tickets are being sold even after the top prizes have been won. Brian Yealland, the group’s spokesman, said retailers should stop selling tickets if the buyer has no chance of winning the jackpot.

27-Nov-06. Natives get upper hand, say casinos. National Post, A1.

Alberta’s first native casino, the River Cree Resort and Casino, is located just west of the Edmonton city limits. Competing hospitality operators claim that the province has created a fierce competitor for them because of the advantageous gambling licencing terms of Alberta’s First Nations Gaming Policy. Unlike traditional casinos in the province, most slot money and all table-game income at first nations casinos stays on the reserve.

24-Nov-06. Problem gamblers suing N.S. over gaming losses. Lethbridge Herald, A9.

A man who claims he lost $500,000 at a Nova Scotia casino says he’s set to sue the province for negligence. The former coal miner claims he was never approached by staff at Casino Nova Scotia in Sydney, even though provincial law requires them to bar problem gamblers. The suit would name the Nova Scotia Gaming Corp., the province’s attorney general, and others.

24-Nov-06. AADAC bilked by gambler. Edmonton Sun, 9.

Between January 2004 and September of this year, former senior civil servant Lloyd Carr pilfered $634,000 from the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, using most of the money to support his gambling addiction, the province’s auditor general found in a new report.

24-Nov-06. Auditor reveals massive fraud at AADAC. Calgary Herald, A1.

Alberta’s auditor general released a report Thursday documenting fraudulent activity in government, including the case of a senior bureaucrat with the anti-addictions unit stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund his own gambling problem. Fred Dunn noted that shoddy monitoring and contracting practices at the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission allowed a senior employee, Lloyd Carr, to divert $634,250 through false contracts to himself and other parties.

24-Nov-06. Massive scam revealed. Calgary Sun, 5.

A report by Alberta Auditor General Fred Dunn identifies Lloyd Carr as having set up five fraudulent contracts worth $634,250. Carr, a former employee of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, reportedly took $91,000 for a down payment on a new house, $60,000 for a vehicle loan repayment, and withdrew $156,000 in cash from ATMs in casinos. Carr admits he has a gambling problem.

24-Nov-06. Anti-smoking money funded gambling habit. National Post, A13.

Alberta’s Auditor General Fred Dunn reported yesterday that a former senior bureaucrat with the province’s anti-addictions agency created $634,000 in false contracts to spend most of it on his own gambling. Lloyd Carr, former executive director of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission’s tobacco-reduction unit, told the auditors he had a gambling problem.

23-Nov-06. New lottery suspicions are raised. National Post, A12.

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. president Duncan Brown is downplaying the latest news report that suggests retail insiders such as store clerks are winning a disproportionate number of prizes on scratch-and-win games. Mr. Brown was responding to a report on CBC’s The Fifth Estate that suggested retailers have been winning as many as 10 per cent of the major prizes available.

22-Nov-06. Lottery retailers’ wins tied to extra purchases of instant tickets. Globe and Mail, A7.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. says that retailers appear to win a disproportionate number of instant-scratch ticket prizes because they purchase more lottery tickets on average that the general public. A recent survey of ticket retailers conducted by Decima Research concluded that they spend approximately twice as much on lotteries as do members of the public. The research was commissioned in response to the CBC-TV program “The Fifth Estate” which reported last month on the overall number of insider wins in Ontario in the past six years. Ontario is the only lottery corporation in Canada that tracks insider wins and investigates any win by an insider of $50,000 or more.

22-Nov-06. Clerks winning lots of scratch-and-win lotteries: CBC. Lethbridge Herald, A15.

CBC-TV’s “The National” reports one in ten Ontario scratch-and-win lottery prizes were claimed by a clerk. The CBC quotes internal lottery documents obtained by the “Fifth Estate” detailing how clerks could lightly scratch a ticket with a pin to determine if it was a winner. Toronto statistician Mohan Srivastava also found a way to decode which tickets were winners.

22-Nov-06. Gamblers get help through South Country. Lethbridge Herald, A4.

The South Country Treatment Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta was launched a decade ago and remains the only residential program for gambling addicts in the southern half of the province. Though gambling problems may affect a significant number of individuals, waiting lists for the three-week gambling program are short. South Country operates a 21-bed facility near the Lethbridge Research Centre, under contract with the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC).

22-Nov-06. OLGC fraud extends to scratch-and-win tickets, TV news show expected to report today. National Post, A15.

The CBC-TV investigative program The Fifth Estate is expected to report today that the Ontario’s scratch-and-win lottery games are plagued by a similar type of insider fraud as the province’s weekly lottery. The show will report that store employees account for as many as 10 per cent of instant-win tickets.

17-Oct-06. Smoking bans cause short-term pain for casinos. Red Deer Advocate, C4.

A panel of experts at a conference in Las Vegas told attendees that smoking bans are reducing casino revenue, but more marketing and investment can lure customers back. A smoking ban imposed in May in public places in the Province of Ontario contributed to a revenue drop of 10 to 20 per cent for border casinos. A similar smoking ban at three Delaware racinos also had a similar negative impact on slot machine revenue according to Richard Thalheimer.

21-Nov-06. Gambling addiction off radar. Edmonton Sun, 11.

The author of this column notes that gambling has become less of a contentious issue in Alberta but that the effects of problem gambling on individuals remain high. Robert Williams of the Alberta Gaming Research Institute has found that the total number of gaming machines per capita in a jurisdiction is one of the best predictors of problem gambling prevalence.

19-Nov-06. Casino is smokin'!. Edmonton Sun, 16.

This editorial column concerns the ban on smoking in casinos located in the City of Edmonton. The River Cree Resort and Casino on Enoch Cree reserve land is not subject to restrictions on smoking and has attracted smokers to the facility. The columnist says that there was plenty of evidence that the city's July 2005 smoking ban bylaw would negatively impact business.

19-Nov-06. Bars don't buy Hancock on VLTs. Edmonton Sun, 11.

Keith Frederickson, general manager for Jox Sports Bar and Grill in Edmonton says video lottery terminals (VLTs) are a definite draw and getting rid of them would result in lost revenues. He was resonding to comments made Friday by Alberta Tory leadership candidate Dave Hancock. Hancock told supporters the province should not be funding itself through gambling revenue.

18-Nov-06. Get VLTs - 'worst tax' - out of bars: Hancock. Edmonton Sun, 30.

Alberta Tory leadership candidate Dave Hancock says he wants to get video lottery terminals (VLTs) out of neighbourhood bars. He says that casinos are the most appropriate place to locate the machines.

19-Nov-06. Graham Hicks: They love gambling. Edmonton Sun, 6.

This brief item indicates that the Century Casino on Fort Road in northeast Edmonton was packed on Friday for the first day of its opening. The author of this column also states that he is concerned that the growing number of casinos may be lowering the moral standards of society. He notes that the government is addicted to the over $1-billion in revenues produced by gambling in the Province of Alberta.

16-Nov-06. Charges laid in Internet gambling operation. Edmonton Sun, 34.

Criminal charges have been brought against more than two dozen people and corporations in four U.S. states in connection with a billion-dollar-a-year gambling web site. A spokesperson for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the arrests by the DA’s office and the New York Police Department represent the first time that Internet gambling charges have been brought since President George W. Bush signed into law last month the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

15-Nov-06. Graham Hicks: Roll out casinos. Edmonton Sun, 6.

This Friday will be the “soft opening” of the $35.8-million Century Casino on Fort Road in northeast Edmonton. The facility is the old Fort Hotel and Celebrations Dinner Theatre, bought two years ago by the 37-casino owner-cruise line operator Century Casinos of Vienna, Austria. The facility, which also includes a hotel, restaurants, and dinner theatre, will have its grand opening a week from this coming Friday.

15-Nov-06. Lottery probe launched. Edmonton Sun, 28.

This newsbrief reports that suspicions about the possible mishandling of winning lottery tickets by some retailers in Atlantic Canada have prompted a probe by the Atlantic Lottery Corp. The corporation received the complaints after a recent program on CBC-TV’s The Fifth Estate about lottery fraud involving retailers in Ontario.

14-Nov-06. Gambling on a hot streak. National Post, FP1.

The Global Gaming Expo is an annual casino industry convention and trade show that is taking place this week in Las Vegas. This article reports that U.S. gambling companies are celebrating an extremely profitable year due to rising hotel room rates, increased non-gambling sales, and brisk levels of play. Domestic and international expansion plans unveiled by companies such as MGM Mirage are among the most ambitious yet.

10-Nov-06. The house always wins. Calgary Sun, 52.

McGill University researcher Alissa Sklar says teen gambling has become a huge problem over the past five or six years. The university’s International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors has set up a new website http://www.gamtalk4teens.org/ that offers teens a chance to chat anonymously with trained counsellors about how to help themselves or their friends with gambling problems. Research studies reveal 70 per cent of underage youth – those under 18 – report gambling of some kind in the last year.

10-Nov-06. Lottery beefs emerge. Calgary Sun, 29.

Ontario’s ombudsman has received 300 complaints from lottery players who say they’ve been cheated of their winnings since the provincial watchdog launched its probe two weeks ago into the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. The investigation opened following allegations in a recent CBC report that lottery retailers were coming up winners in disproportionate numbers.

10-Nov-06. Teens betting high stakes. Edmonton Sun, 67.

McGill University researcher Alissa Sklar says teen gambling has become a huge problem over the past five or six years. She pointed to the increased incidence of gambling on television, and cited ESPN’s sports poker as an example. The university’s International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors has set up a new website www.gamtalk4teens.org that offers teens a chance to chat anonymously with trained counsellors about how to help themselves or their friends with gambling problems.

10-Nov-06. 300 Ontarians allege lottery fraud. Calgary Herald, A10.

Ontario’s ombudsman said Thursday that three hundred Ontarians allege they were cheated out of their lottery winnings by dishonest ticket retailers. Andre Marin said all complainants have come forward in the two weeks since he announced he would investigate allegations in a CBC Fifth Estate documentary that an unusually high number of inside winners such as ticket retailers or clerks have collected major prizes over the past seven years.

10-Nov-06. Lottery security tightened after insider jackpots. Globe and Mail, A10.

Duncan Brown, chief executive officer of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp (OLGC) yesterday apologized to customers and promised to implement new security measures to guard against fraud. The OLGC said it will install devices at every ticket outlet that will allow customers to check their own tickets and determine instantly the value of their prize. The move comes two weeks after a CBC television program alleged that more than 200 ticket retailers or clerks have won prizes of more than $50,000 in the past seven years.

9-Nov-06. Like it or not, gaming is an issue. Lethbridge Herald, A6.

This editorial examines Alberta’s growing gaming industry and suggests that a public debate on gambling policy is more than 15 years overdue. It notes that an AADAC policy statement on gambling issued earlier this year stated that about five per cent of Albertans have moderate to severe problems related to gambling. The author writes that the provincial government’s allocation of less than half a per cent of its gaming revenue to prevention, research and treatment does not absolve it of its responsibility to mitigate social damage.

9-Nov-06. ‘Reached limit:’ casino boss. Edmonton Sun, 12.

Barry Pritchard, VP of Casino ABS, which operates Yellowhead Casino in Edmonton, says business has been notably affected by the opening of the River Cree Resort and Casino. He notes that River Cree has benefited from opening an attractive new facility and by allowing smoking. Pritchard also expects the local casino market to quiet down after next week’s opening of a new casino on Edmonton’s Fort Road.

8-Nov-06. Worth the gamble? Lethbridge Herald, A1.

University of Lethbridge Native American Studies professor Yale Belanger maintains the economic benefits of casinos to First Nations outweigh any costs incurred in problem gambling. Belanger makes the case in his new book entitled Gambling with the Future. He notes that First Nations communities are statistically not as well off as mainstream communities and casino development can result in increased employment opportunities, economic diversification, upgraded community infrastructure and more funding for social programs.

8-Nov-06. Young Ontarians flocking to poker. Globe and Mail, A14.

A poll of 1,000 Ontarians conducted by Ipsos-Reid for the Responsible Gambling Council found 24 per cent of people aged 18-34 play poker at least once a week. Jon Kelly, head of the non-profit council, said the surge in poker’s popularity has stemmed largely from Internet gambling sites and stands in direct contrast to an overall drop in gambling participation.

1-Nov-06. Demand should dictate gambling’s rate of growth. Calgary Herald, A4.

This article reports on comments made at a Medicine Hat, Alberta forum for provincial Progressive Conservative leadership candidates. One of the questions at the forum related to the proliferation of gaming in Alberta and the associated social ills. The remainder of the article discusses the responses to this gambling-related question by various candidates as well as the author’s personal recommendations.

27-Oct-06. Lottery changes coming. Lethbridge Herald, A1.

Improvements to West Canada Lottery Corporation’s network of terminals next year will make it easier for consumers to know if they’re holding a winning ticket. The new terminals will sound an audible tone when a winning ticket is scanned. Other upgrades will include customer display units so consumers can see the results as their tickets are checked.

29-Oct-06. Candidates shy away from gambling debate. Calgary Herald, A4.

This article notes that there are now 19 casinos in Alberta and that the province has the distinction of having more casinos per capita than any major city in North America next to Las Vegas. Contenders for the province’s Tory leadership contenders have varying opinions on whether gambling – particularly VLTs – should be a major issue debated during the leadership campaign. Several candidates want to see VLTs restricted to gambling houses while others see no problem with the proliferation of casinos.

29-Oct-06. Extortionists invading online gambling: study. Edmonton Journal, A5.

This newsbrief reports on a new study led by criminologist John McMullan which examined extortion in the online gambling industry. The Saint Mary’s University study, entitled Fear and Trembling on the Internet: Hacking and Cyber-Extortion at Online Gambling Sites, reported that organized crime networks are demanding ransoms from offshore gambling websites, using the threat of shutting them down to extract payouts.

28-Oct-06. Britain to press nations to regulate Web gambling. Globe and Mail, B10.

This newsbrief reports that Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, South Africa and other nations will meet on October 31 in London to attempt to agree on a code of conduct for companies that offer gambling online. U.S. officials were invited to the meeting but declined to attend.

28-Oct-06. Online gaming crackdown America’s new ‘Prohibition’. Calgary Herald, C8.

Britain’s culture secretary Tessa Jowell warned that the U.S. ban on Internet gambling would make unregulated offshore sites the modern equivalent of speakeasies that opened in 1920s America when alcohol was banned during Prohibition. Earlier this month U.S. Congress added a provision to an unrelated bill that would make it illegal for banks and credit-card companies to settle payments for online gambling sites. U.S. officials have declined to participate in an international summit on Internet gambling that is taking place next week in London. Legislators from 30 countries will discuss ways to regulate the industry, including the protection of minors and keeping the industry free of crime.

27-Oct-06. Gala launch of River Cree casino a bubbly affair. Edmonton Journal, B3.

The $178-million River Cree Resort and Casino held a private event for 1,500 invited guests on Wednesday. Bob Westbury, Enoch Paragon management board chairman, introduced speakers at the reception and praised the vision of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein. Klein had envisioned what he termed destination casinos on First Nation people’s lands. Enoch Chief Ron Morin was also honoured for spearheading the drive for a casino resort.

27-Oct-06. Review of lottery winners pondered. Calgary Herald, A7.

The Western Canada Lottery Corp. (WCLC) may review recent lottery winners to reassure the public that ticket retailers have not been collecting an outsized share of prizes. The WCLC does not keep track of precisely who is winning Alberta lotteries but winners are extensively interviewed and questioned on the circumstances of their ticket purchase. A survey of recent 10 lottery winners in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba showed there was only one case that involved people who sell tickets and they were part of an office pool.

27-Oct-06. Ontario’s ombudsman launches lottery probe. National Post, A3.

Ontario’s ombudsman has launched an independent probe into how the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation protects the public from theft or fraud related to winning lottery tickets and how it responds to potential theft or fraud involving winnings. The announcement comes one day after the CBC’s Fifth Estate alleged an unusually high number of inside winners, such as ticket retailers or clerks, have won major prizes over the past seven years.

27-Oct-06. Ombudsman to investigate ‘insider’ lottery wins. Globe and Mail, A8.

The Ontario ombudsman will investigate allegations about “insiders” winning a disproportionate number of lotteries to restore public confidence in the province’s lottery corporation. He said he had received few complaints from lottery-ticket buyers but said he was concerned with the lottery corporation’s initial defensiveness and by the government’s refusal to appoint an independent investigator.

27-Oct-06. Ombudsman to investigate ‘insider’ lottery wins. Globe and Mail, A8.

The Ontario ombudsman will investigate allegations about “insiders” winning a disproportionate number of lotteries to restore public confidence in the province’s lottery corporation. He said he had received few complaints from lottery-ticket buyers but said he was concerned with the lottery corporation’s initial defensiveness and by the government’s refusal to appoint an independent investigator.

27-Oct-06. Ontario lottery scandal may spark Alberta review of winners. Edmonton Journal, B5.

The Western Canada Lottery Corp. (WCLC) may review recent lottery winners to reassure the public that ticket retailers have not been collecting an outsized share of prizes. Ontario’s ombudsman said yesterday that he will investigate allegations that lottery ticket retailers have been winning more than their fair share after a CBC documentary report aired suggesting otherwise. The WCLC does not keep track of precisely who is winning Alberta lotteries and retail clerks do not fall under the corporation’s ‘insider win’ policy. A spokesperson said that the corporation’s current records don’t exist that would not allow a statistical analysis similar to the one undertaken in Ontario.

27-Oct-06. Ontario lottery ripoff raises questions here. Edmonton Sun, 7.

The Western Canada Lottery Corp. may review recent lottery winners to reassure the public that ticket retailers have not been collecting an outsized share of prizes. Ontario’s ombudsman said yesterday that he will investigate allegations that lottery ticket retailers have been winning more than their fair share after a CBC documentary report aired suggesting otherwise. A quick survey of recent 10 lottery winners in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba showed there was only one case that involved people who sell tickets and they were part of an office pool.

26-Oct-06. Another lottery gamble. Globe and Mail, A20.

This editorial discusses the legal dispute between the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC) and 82-year old Bob Edmonds which was profiled in a CBC-TV Fifth Estate documentary. Edmonds claimed that he was defrauded in 2001 out of a winning lottery ticket by a variety store owner and was largely ignored by the OLGC until he went to police. The OLGC fought Edmonds until 2005 and settled with him just as a civil jury was about to pronounce on the case. The author states that the Ontario government should allow details of the settlement to be publicly available and notes that lottery fraud is not necessarily isolated to this single case.

26-Oct-06. Macau supplants Las Vegas as top gambling location. Globe and Mail, B10.

Leisure industry consultancy Globalysis Ltd. estimates that casino revenues from Macao have now overtaken those of Las Vegas, Nevada. Gambling earning have boomed in Macau since 2001 when the government ended tycoon Stanley Ho’s 40-year monopoly on casinos in the city and allowed foreign operators. Growth has been fuelled by a rise in tourism from China.

26-Oct-06. Stores say lotto flaw in report. Calgary Sun, 4.

Variety store owners condemned allegations by the CBC’s Fifth Estate that 100 unknowing winners had tickets stolen by clerks over the past seven years. The report alluded to a disproportionate number of the province’s 10,500 lottery retailers having “insider” knowledge that let them claim wins above $50,000 and averaging $500,000.

26-Oct-06. Unscrupulous lotto ticket clerks accused of ripoff. Calgary Herald, A6.

Ontario lottery officials said the province has gone to great lengths to prevent fraud, installing electronic equipment such as in-store ticket checkers, terminals that play music for winning tickets and investigating retailers who turn up as winners. A CBC Fifth Estate documentary, which aired Wednesday, found a disproportionate number of “insiders” in Ontario have won prizes of $50,000 or more since 1999. A statistical expert said it was virtually impossible to account for that by simple luck.

26-Oct-06. Insider-jackpot probe draws scorn. Globe and Mail, A1.

The Ontario government is allowing the province’s lottery corporation to conduct its own review of allegations that an extraordinary number of “insiders” have won prizes of $50,000 or more since 1999. The CBC TV program The Fifth Estate has alleged that more than two-thirds of these wins may have involved the deception of a customer who bought the ticket. New Democrat MPP Peter Kormos said the government should ask the provincial auditor to conduct an independent probe of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

26-Oct-06. The price of easy money. National Post, A22.

This editorial-style comment by Father Raymond J. De Souza discusses the fact that gambling has seemingly purchased new credibility with the public. He notes that gambling revenue is being regarded as a solution to problems such as urban renewal, First Nations development, tourism development, and school fundraising. He says that there is something ignoble about using it as an all-purpose means of fundraising, and as a replacement for revenues previously provided by taxation or charitable giving.

26-Oct-06. Lottery deceit? Lethbridge Herald, A1.

Ontario lottery officials said the province has gone to great lengths to prevent fraud, installing electronic equipment such as in-store ticket checkers, terminals that play music for winning tickets and investigating retailers who turn up as winners. A CBC Fifth Estate documentary, which aired Wednesday, found a disproportionate number of “insiders” in Ontario have won prizes of $50,000 or more since 1999. A statistical expert said it was virtually impossible to account for that by simple luck.

26-Oct-06. Alberta’s 18th casino opens today. Lethbridge Herald, A2.

When it opens today on the Enoch reserve at the western fringe of Edmonton, the River Cree Resort and Casino will be the 18th casino in the Province of Alberta. Gary Smith, who studies gambling at the University of Alberta and the Alberta Gaming Research Institute, believes the province is likely close to its casino saturation point. Stephanie Francis of the provincial gaming commission said casino proposals are being put on hold for the next 10 months while the commission researches the impacts.

25-Oct-06. 214 lottery ‘insiders’ won big bucks. Globe and Mail, A1.

The CBC television program The Fifth Estate alleges that more than two-thirds of 214 lottery “insiders” who won prizes of $50,000 or more in Ontario since 1999 may have involved the deception of a customer who bought the ticket. A statistical analysis of the number of insider wins by University of Toronto professor Jeffrey Rosenthal concluded that few than 60 insiders, such as ticket retailers or clerks, should have won major prizes during the period that was investigated. The Ontario Lottery Corporation is disputing the conclusions of the program. They have, however, been embroiled in a lengthy legal dispute with an Ontario senior citizen over this same issue.

25-Oct-06. Economic potential main topic of meet. Edmonton Journal, G1.

Today’s Canadian Indigenous Business Association economic development conference in Edmonton will include key sessions on gaming and the energy sector. The gaming panel will outline opportunities in the gaming sector and include representatives of First Nations casino resorts in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan and Ontario.

22-Oct-06. Living the dream. Edmonton Journal, E6.

This lengthy article profiles the lives of several of the 17 Albertans who shared in Canada’s biggest lottery prize one year ago. Some of the winners said that their good fortune has brought familial stress and hard feelings with co-workers. A few winners quit their jobs although many indicated that their lives had not changed significantly with the exception that they are now financially secure for the future.

23-Oct-06. Enoch sees lucky break in casino. Edmonton Journal, A1.

The River Cree casino and resort on the Enoch Cree reserve west of Edmonton opened its doors for a community open house on Sunday. About 200 First Nations people have been hired to fill jobs at the resort complex which represents one-third of staff. The Enoch Cree partnered with Paragon Gaming of Las Vegas to undertake the project which is intended to spearhead economic development on the reserve.

23-Oct-06. River Cree Casino beats odds, opens early. Edmonton Journal, A17.

The River Cree Resort and Casino will open on October 26th on the Enoch Cree Nation reserve west of Edmonton. The Enoch Cree partnered in the $178-million development with Paragon Gaming of Las Vegas. Ledcor Construction and other partners were able to move the casino's opening forward by two months thanks to expert planning and favourable weather.

21-Oct-06. Native casino rules loosened. Calgary Herald, B4.

The Alberta government has revamped the list of areas where First Nations can spend their charitable gaming revenues. In an announcement on Friday, the government announced that this revenue can now be used for addictions treatment, community safety programs, cultural events, elders support, on-reserve housing, and infrastructure and life-skills training. Six First Nations in Alberta have casinos under construction or nearing final approval. Gambling revenues from native casinos will be split several ways, with First Nations keeping most of the profits and a portion going to Alberta lottery funds.

21-Oct-06. Brighter days ahead? Lethbridge Herald, A1.

A list of new policies adopted by the Alberta government will allow First Nation charities to spend gaming proceeds in ways that directly benefit their communities. Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development says provincial gaming policies and funds will focus on education, finding adequate housing and promoting proper governance on the reservces. In 2004, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission approved its first on-reserve casino on the Enoch Cree Nation after two years of planning.

21-Oct-06. Gov't revamps gaming spending. Edmonton Journal, B11.

The Alberta government has revamped the list of areas where First Nations can spend their charitable gaming revenues. In an announcement on Friday, the government announced that this revenue can now be used for addictions treatment, community safety programs, cultural events, elders support, on-reserve housing, and infrastructure and life-skills training. Six First Nations in Alberta have casinos under construction or nearing final approval.

21-Oct-06. Biggest bookmaker on the block protecting its turf. Globe and Mail, A15.

This subject of this editorial is the Ontario government's proposal to ban advertising on Internet gambling because it is concerned about young people becoming addicted. The author suggests that the ban could not be a true moral crusade again gambling because the government itself has been directly responsible for much of its growth over the past 30 years. He says that the message the Ontario government's ban is really sending is that it does not want any competition from Internet gambling.

20-Oct-06. Racing official wants to compete on level field. Globe and Mail, S4.

David Willmot, the chairman and chief executive officer of Woodbine Entertainment Group has told the Ontario government that they should either throw the field wide open for the domestic industry to participate or enact legislation that handicaps foreign-based online gambling operators. Proposed legislation before the Ontario legislature would ban advertising for online gambling operations. Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips said on Wednesday that both the study warning about youth gambling activities and a fall in horse race track revenues had influenced the proposed legislation.

20-Oct-06. Ontario’s outfit protects its turf. National Post, A14.

This editorial discusses Ontario’s proposed legislation that will forbid media companies from accepting advertising for cash-based gambling web sites. The author argues that the provincial government is attempting to unfairly suppress Internet gambling while generating huge profits from its own casino and lottery operations. In addition, the author cites a survey by the Responsible Gambling Council that actually found that moderate-to-severe problem gambling declined slightly amongst 18-to-24-year-olds between 2001 and 2005.

19-Oct-06. Ontario moves to end illegal Web gambling. National Post, A2.

Gerry Phillips, Ontario’s Minister of Government Services, will table a bill of amendments to Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act, including a section aimed at banning media organizations from running ads by gambling Web sites. A ministry spokesperson said all Web sites that take money bets from Canadians are illegal under the Criminal Code because the provinces have exclusive authority over all forms of gambling. Legal experts say recent U.S. actions and those of Ontario are similar in that neither government has made Internet gambling illegal outright, but both have put a damper on the industry through indirect actions against it.

19-Oct-06. Catholic board to seek non-gambling funds. Calgary Herald, B4.

The Calgary Catholic school district voted to seek fundraising alternatives other than gambling despite the objections of two trustees. The plan to wean Catholic schools off money raised through casinos and bingos by the fall of 2007 was announced jointly by chairwoman Cathie Williams and Bishop Fred Henry last month.

19-Oct-06. All bets are off, if Ontario has its way. Globe and Mail, B5.

The Ontario government is expected to introduce consumer legislation today that will ban advertisements of illegal Internet gambling web sites. The law will mean that media companies will have to closely examine all advertisements to make sure they don’t include indirect web links to illegal sites. Gerry Phillips, Ontario’s Minister of Government Services, said the province wanted to act because of studies that show an increasing number of young people are gambling on the Internet. He also said that he has been under pressure from the province’s horse racing industry which is concerned about a decline in business because of Internet gambling.

18-Oct-06. Smoking ban will kick in Jan. 1. Calgary Herald, A1.

Calgary aldermen voted Tuesday to move up the date of the city's smoking ban to January 1, 2007. An exception to the revised bylaw allows establishments that have already built ventilated smoking rooms to continue offering a smoking environment in 2007. Bingos and casinos were also given a one-year repreive. All businesses will have to abide by the bylaw beginning in 2008.

18-Oct-06. Sports Select caters to a casual crowd. Calgary Herald, D1.

A sports betting expert and consultant says that serious bettors prefer wagering on Internet gambling sites to provincial sports lottery games. He says that the provincial games offer poor value because gamblers are forced to combine winning predictions from three games which gives the house a huge edge. According to Randle the Handle, a typical offshore betting operation has a profit margin of around four per cent while the Western Canada Lottery Corporation clears about 30 per cent annual on sports wagering.

18-Oct-06. Betting on horses leaves the track. Calgary Herald, D3.

Betting on horse racing in Alberta has largely moved from the clubhouses of horseracing tracks to HOT (horses off track) shops according to this article. Live mutual handles at racing locations have represented just 25 per cent of total betting in Alberta during recent years as HOT accout for the majority of bets. Wagering and attendance at horse racing events fell off in the early 1990s at about the time video lottery terminals were introduced. During the past few years, wagering has levelled off at approximately $150-million and has shown slight increases over the last three years.

17-Oct-06. Absolute insanity. Calgary Herald, F1.

This detailed article profiles a sports gambler named Gary who is currently seeking treatment for his gambling-related problems. Gary discusses his all-consuming passion for sports wagering and relates the various ways that it has affected his life over the past fifteen years.

16-Oct-06. The future of Internet wagering? All bets are off. Calgary Herald, C3.

This article examines the future of Internet gambling by interviewing several experts on the subject. Dr. Robert Wood, a professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge, says that prohibition of Internet gambling will not work and that laws governing gambling in Canada are outdated and based on early-20th, late-19th-century society. The author suggests that Canadian and American governments have three options with respect to online gambling: turn a blind eye to the activity, regulate the industry, or shut it down completely.

16-Oct-06. Smoke-free fight mustn’t stop here. Calgary Herald, A16.

This editorial by smoke-free activist Robin Hauck discusses the City of Calgary’s amended smoking bylaw which moves the implementation date for a smoking ban to January 1, 2007. The Calgary Pub and Bar association as well as bingo managers are hoping city council will approve amendments to the bylaw so that smoking on patios and smoking rooms will be allowed. Hauck cites various studies that say charitable gaming revenue declines pre-date smoke-free ordinances.

15-Oct-06. The new drug of choice. Calgary Herald, A3.

Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse counsellor Ria Meronek believes that the gradual rise in problem gambling treatment services for poker players is due to the growing popularity of the game in casinos and online. She and other cousellors are predicting that, in 10 to 15 years, the Internet gambling will replace the VLT (video lottery terminal) gambling as the most commonly treated problem gambling format.

15-Oct-06. Casino ready to roll. Edmonton Sun, 57.

The $180-million River Cree Resort and Casino will officially open on October 26 and is located on the Enoch Cree Nation on Edmonton’s western outskirts. Vice-president and general manager Brian Lee notes that it is the first First Nations casino in Alberta as well as Edmonton’s largest casino. At present, approximately 25 to 30 per cent of current casino staff hired are either Enoch Cree Nation or First Nations individuals.

14-Oct-06. Net fuels betting boom. Calgary Herald, A1.

This article is the first in a five-part series of articles entitled Between the Lines: An inside look at sports gambling. Gambling on sports has become increasingly easier and more popular because of the proliferation of online sports wagering web sites. The social costs of sports gambling and online poker are not yet fully understood but experts predict an increase in problem gambling and underage bettors.

13-Oct-06. Enoch casino contracts fire service from Edmonton. Edmonton Journal, B2.

Edmonton’s fire department has started providing fire service to the new casino on the Enoch Cree Nation for an annual fee of $1-million. The $178-million River Cree Resort and Casino is expected to open October 26 on the reserve just west of Edmonton. Four other First Nations, the Tsuu T’ina outside Calgary, the Stoney near Kananaskis, the Cold Lake First Nation in Cold Lake and the Alexis Nakoda First Nation in Whitecourt, have Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission approval to build casinos. Two groups from Hobbema, the Samson First Nation and the Louis Bull-Montana First Nation, are in the final steps of also winning approval.

13-Oct-06. Smoking ban will be reignited. Calgary Herald, B1.

Ratification of a bid to have Calgary’s smoking ban moved up to January is uncertain as some city aldermen are seeking an exemption for bingos. Ray Jones, Dale Hodges and Andre Chabot would like a lasting exemption for bingos as they have reportedly struggled to survive smoking bans in other jurisdictions. Alderman Joe Ceci noted that there has been research that casts doubt on whether the bans have been at the root of diminishing bingo revenues in other cities.

11-Oct-06. Luck is no lady. Edmonton Sun, 26.

In this article, the author claims that most gamblers across Canada believe in superstitions, rituals or some form of luck when it comes to their gambling behaviour. Stuart Vyse, professor of psychology at Connecticut College and author of Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, says that superstitious beliefs promote gambling.

7-Oct-06. Cashing in on betting fever. National Post, FP1.

This lengthy article looks at the global growth in consumer spending on all forms of gambling which was estimated in 2004 at $US 244-billion. Statistics Canada says the growth of Canada’s gambling industry has far outpaced all other industries since 1992. Jason Azmier, senior policy analyst at the Canada West Foundation, noted that trapping the leakage of gambling revenue to overseas or illegal operators has served as effective justification for expansion of legal lotteries and casinos.

7-Oct-06. Regulate gambling or lose the income. National Post, FP2.

The world’s largest computer facilities for online gaming are located on the Mohawk First Nations Reserve, also known as Aswesasne, which straddles the borders of Ontario, Quebec and the United States. Unlike the United States, the Canadian government has not been cracking down on Internet gambling as gambling is a provincial matter and because of governmental fear of enforcing laws on any First Nations reserve. William Rutsey, president of the Canadian Gaming Association, says that provincial failure to crack down, or license, Internet gambling operations exposes the public to needless risk.

7-Oct-06. Gambling on a Web of legal definitions. National Post, FP4.

This article provides an interpretation of the Criminal Code of Canada as it relates to the legality of Internet gambling. John Tuzyk, a specialist in gaming law, says that the legality of the Kahnewake Gaming Commission’s Quebec operations outside of tribal lands is questionable. He suggests that provinces are likely to want to protect the significant revenue they gain from their own gambling operations and may, at some point, prohibit advertising for illegal Internet gambling sites.

4-Oct-06. Demon gambling. National Post, FP1.

This lengthy article by Reuven Brenner and Ira Terk references the U.S. Senate bill that passed yesterday making it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites. The article provides numerous historical examples of opposition to gambling from many groups who are said to have self-serving interests. History has shown that the restriction of gambling activities inevitably fails. Regulation of a particular gambling industry generally occurs after the significant costs and long-term consequences of prohibition become evident.

4-Oct-06. Bill would close offshore NFL betting. Edmonton Journal, D7.

A decision by U.S. lawmakers to make it more difficult for Americans to gambling on sporting events is welcome news for the National Football League (NFL) and Las Vegas sports book operators.

4-Oct-06. WHL shocked at betting website. Edmonton Journal, D4.

Western Hockey League players, coaches and officials were surprised to discover that an offshore Internet gambling web site is accepting bets on their league. WHL commissioner Ron Robison said he would attempt to prevent the site from using the WHL name. Gambling consultant Randall the Handle says the league has no recourse as long as the web site is licensed in their jurisdiction.

4-Oct-06. U.S. law prods CryptoLogic to place its bets elsewhere. Globe and Mail, B13.

The board of directors at CryptoLogic Inc., one of Canada’s fastest growing software firms, made a decision this week to turn its back on the United States online gambling market. The move came shortly after the U.S. Congress passed legislation on the weekend that forbids Internet gambling companies from accepting U.S. financial transactions. CryptoLogic will now configure its software so that none of the companies licensing its technology will be able to take bets from players with U.S. addresses.

3-Oct-06. An old sin and a bad new law. National Post, FP1.

This article is an editorial commenting on a recent bill rushed through the U.S. Congress which would make it illegal for U.S. banks to process payments to illegal offshore Internet gambling operations. Though conservative politicians see this as a major moral initiative, the author contends that a ban on this form of gambling will be nearly impossible to enforce. It is describes as being a case where technology is overtaking lawmakers and the law. In Canada, federal officials do not appear to have plans to crack down on Internet gaming operators.

3-Oct-06. U.S. Congress deals harsh hand to online gaming. Edmonton Journal, F1.

A move by the Congress to ban online gambling in the United States caused $7-billion in stock market losses yesterday and devalued shares in Canadian gambling software company CryptoLogic Inc. In Britain, where many Internet gambling companies trade, the top three companies announced they were pulling out of the United States completely. The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate approved the bill to make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

3-Oct-06. Playing a game with individual liberties. Globe and Mail, A18.

In this editorial, the author discusses the U.S. government’s recent attempt to restrict Internet gambling by making it illegal for U.S. banks to allow their credit cards to be used for online gambling. It is suggested that the new legislation is aimed more at restricting the flow of U.S. currency to gambling companies based in other countries that it is about protecting gamblers. The author recommends that the U.S. needs to regulate rather than ban the practice.

3-Oct-06. Gaming stocks tumble on U.S. legislation. Calgary Herald, D6.

Stocks of Canadian Internet gambling companies were down in the wake of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that effectively outlaws online wagering in the United States. The legislation is part of a port security bill passed by the House and Senate on Saturday. It prohibits the use of credit cards, cheques and electronic fund transfers for online gaming.

3-Oct-06. Catholic board may abandon casino fundraising. Edmonton Journal, B6.

Casino fundraising by Edmonton’s Catholic schools is coming under review by the school board. Trustees and superintendent Joan Carr will discuss the issue with Edmonton Archbishop Thomas Collins at a meeting later this month or in early November. Nearly all of Edmonton’s 84 Catholic schools used casinos to raise $3-million last year.

3-Oct-06. Net gambling cashed out. National Post, FP1.

A move by the Congress to ban online gambling in the United States caused $7-billion in stock market losses yesterday and devalued shares in Canadian gambling software company CryptoLogic Inc. In Britain, where many Internet gambling companies trade, the top three companies announced they were pulling out of the United States completely. The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate approved the bill to make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

3-Oct-06. WHL wagering shocks league. Calgary Herald, F1.

Western Hockey League players, coaches and officials were surprised to discover that an offshore Internet gambling web site is accepting bets on their league. WHL commissioner Ron Robison said he would attempt to prevent the site from using the WHL name. Gambling consultant Randall the Handle says the league has no recourse as long as the web site is licensed in their jurisdiction.

2-Oct-06. U.K. online betting firm set to sever U.S. ties. National Post, FP4.

Online gambling company 888 Holdings PLC is expected to suspend indefinitely business from U.S. customers today. The move comes as the sector braces itself for a reaction from investors to the dramatic U.S. decision to toughen its anti-gambling laws. A U.S. Senate bill passed on Friday which prohibits U.S. gamblers from using credit cards, cheques and electronic fund transfers to make online wagers.

1-Oct-06. Bingos hope to keep smoking. Calgary Herald, B1.

Bingo halls in Calgary are fearful of a city-wide smoking ban that will be implemented next year and are working on a proposal that will allow smoking to continue in specially designated rooms. Similar smoking bans in other cities are cited by local operators as being responsible for reductions in the number of bingo players and the amount of revenues they generate. Calgary city council members do not appear interested in any move to allow smoking rooms in bingo parlours.

29-Sep-06. Gambling jackpot in jeopardy. Edmonton Sun, 7.

The Edmonton Catholic school board, in consultation with Archbishop Thomas Collins, will take another look at the practice raising money at casinos and through bingos after it was banned in Calgary this week. Collins has previously called raising money for schools through gambling immoral. Edmonton’s 84 Catholic schools raise more than $3-million a year through gambling to support additional computers, library resources, field trips and phy-ed equipment.

28-Sep-06. Catholic schools fold ‘em. Calgary Herald, B6.

Calgary’s Catholic schools will start to reduce their use of fundraising via gambling sources after an agreement between the school board and Bishop Fred Henry. Parent school councils that have commitments to fundraise by volunteering at casinos through 2006-07 school year will be allowed to fulfill those promises. A task force will be set up in October to develop suggestions for alternative revenue streams.

28-Sep-06. School to stop moral gamble. Calgary Sun, 5.

The Calgary Catholic School board yesterday agreed to stop using casino and bingo halls as fundraising venues after a fierce dispute and threats of sanction by church authorities. Board chair Cathie Williams said the school district will no longer depend on what she called the morally problematic proceeds of gambling to fund extracurricular programs. The district raises almost $2-million though gambling each year to support such programs.

28-Sep-06. Bishop, school board strike fundraising deal. Calgary Herald, A1.

A deal was reached between the Calgary Catholic school board and Bishop Fred Henry over raising funds by volunteering at local casinos. Parent groups will only be allowed to continue fundraising at casinos through the 2006-07 school year. A task force will be charged with finding other sources of revenue to replace the $2-million collected by the councils at bingos and casinos in a typical year.

28-Sep-06. Upper hand. Calgary Sun, 5.

This editorial-style article discusses the unwillingness f Calgary’s Catholic Bishop Fred Henry to act outside of his strong convictions. Recently, he had demanded the local Catholic school to stop fundraising using casino and bingos because of his belief that the activity is immoral. Yesterday, it was determined that the Catholic school board trustees will formally announce their ban on casino and bingo fundraising on November 1st.

26-Sep-06. CryptoLogic sees greener pastures in Ireland. Globe and Mail, B4.

CryptoLogic Inc., which provides software and electronic payment systems to some of the world’s largest gambling sites, will move its head office from Toronto to Dublin, Ireland. A spokesperson for the company has said that an online gambling crackdown in the United States and arrests of foreign-based industry executives there is purely coincidental. The new headquarters will house only 11 of CryptoLogic’s 400 employees.

26-Sep-06. ‘Online gambing’ mecca beckons CryptoLogic. National Post, FP1.

Toronto-based Internet gambling software developer CryptoLogic Inc. yesterday announced that it will move its head office to Dublin, Ireland in January. The majority of CryptoLogic’s Toronto staff of 250, including its software development team, will remain in the city. A spokesperson said the main driver of the move was the desire to be closer to customers. The company also wanted to move to a gaming-friendly environment.

24-Sep-06. Klein will set the pace in harness racing. Edmonton Journal, A14.

Recently resigned Alberta Premier Ralph Klein will have a horse race in Calgary named for him to recognize his help to the province’s struggling horse racing industry. The industry received a $63-million provincial lottery grant in this year’s budget which is a 45 per cent increase from the $45-million budgeted last year. Horse Racing Alberta chairman David Reid said Klein was instrumental in helping rebuilt horse racing in Alberta by allowing tracks to collect money from slot machines.

24-Sep-06. Gambling-free zone. Edmonton Journal, E2.

This newsbrief notes that the $41-million (Cdn) Kewadin Shores Casino and Hotel in Michigan was built on land where Indian gaming is not permitted. The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is quickly building a $2.5-million replacement casino facility on a nearby site.

21-Sep-06. Horse-racing industry eager to bring Vegas-style betting to Canada. National Post, B12.

The lobby group representing horse racing tracks in Canada has begun preliminary discussions with the federal government about the possibility of allowing the country’s racetracks to operate sports books on their premises. The Criminal Code of Canada current prohibits wagering on individual sporting events with the exception of horse racing. The federal government currently collects 0.8% of every wager on horse racing made in Canada and could be expected to collect at least that much if sports books were allowed.

20-Sep-06. Will U.S. go after online gambling? You can bet on it. National Post, FP2.

The CEOs of two British Internet gambling sites were arrested this summer when they were changing planes on U.S. soil. The act of accepting bets online is legal in Britain but illegal in the United States. The author of the article points to a number of other instances where the U.S. has exerted its cross-border influence on Canadians. Examples cited were alcohol during the U.S. Prohibition years, uranium production during the Cold War, and companies involvemed with Cuban nickel industry in the 1990s.

20-Sep-06. Local bingos are getting smoked out. Edmonton Sun, 11.

This editorial-type article discusses the smoking ban in the City of Edmonton and its negative effect on charitable bingo halls. A study by the Satellite Bingo Association says that there has been a 25 per cent drop in attendance in the first 12 months of the smoking ban as compared to the previous year. Profit from bingos that go to charitable organizations was also down 53 per cent or $6.8-million.

19-Sep-06. Casino fundraising update expected. Calgary Herald, B2.

An update on casino fundraising in Calgary Catholic schools could be released shortly after the school board recently met with Bishop Fred Henry to resolve his ultimatum to ban gambling-generated revenues in schools. Board chairwoman Cathie Williams said the moratorium would be lifted after their final meeting.

19-Sep-06. Another bingo bites the dust. Edmonton Sun, 9.

Edmonton's Crest Bingo, which ran out of the Beverly Crest Motor Inn at 3414-118 Ave., closed its doors on Sunday night. A volunteer worker at the hall said that Crest Bingo was not drawing enough players to continue operating. In the past four years, four Edmonton bingos and one St. Albert bingo have closed down. A former employee of Crest believes the closings are a result of Edmonton's smoking ban.

15-Sep-06. Tsuu T’ina start work on casino. Calgary Herald, B5.

Chief Sandford Big Plume of the Tsuu T’ina First Nation held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for a multi-million dollar casino project on reserve lands adjacent to the City of Calgary. A job fair on the reserve attracted more than 100 band members applying for jobs at the casino, which is expected to open next summer. Infrastructure agreements with the city have yet to be finalized over access roads to the facility.

14-Sep-06. Government holding all the poker cards. Edmonton Sun, 11.

A Fort Saskatchewan company called the Desert Cactus Poker Tour is paid a fee by bar owners to run amateur poker tournaments at bars where people play for entertainment only. The owners of the operation have seen their poker tour flourish in British Columbia where individuals play for fun at a number of bars on Vancouver Island and the Okanagan region. In Alberta, the provincial gaming policy prohibits bar room casino card games.

13-Sep-06. Tsuu T’ina ready to construct casino. Calgary Herald, B1.

The Tsuu T’ina First Nation will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday at their proposed casino site bordering Glenmore Trail in southwest Calgary. Construction on the Eaglestone Casino and Bingo Hall is expected to begin almost immediately. The casino will be Calgary’s seventh and will house 600 slot machines, have parking for 1,100 vehicles and employ 500 staff once fully operational.

13-Sep-06. Charity casinos may be reviled, but they work. Calgary Herald, A17.

This article suggests that it is the revenue-generating abilities of licensed charitable casino events that have made them particularly attractive to Albertan charitable organizations. With as few as 18 volunteers, each contributing four to eight hours of labour, a charity can raise in excess of $75,000. In spite of this, charities are increasingly finding it difficult volunteers to work a casino for a variety of reasons.

10-Sep-07. Casino workers picket while gamblers gamble. Edmonton Journal, A11.

About 25 strikers were stationed at the entrances to the Palace Casino and the West Edmonton Mall on the first day of a strike by casino workers. All of the casino slots and electronic games were still operating, and a limited number of gaming tables and the poker room were being run by management. Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan, who visited the picket line, said the entire labour movement is closely following the strike.

10-Sep-07. Rolling the dice. Edmonton Sun, 8.

Approximately 250 workers at Edmonton’s Palace Casino walked off the job yesterday in a bid to get a first contract. The union also wants to turn the strike into a debate over the way the province runs casinos. United Food and Commercial Workers Union president Doug O’Halloran says the Alberta government should impose a moratorium on the number of casinos in the province and reduce the cut it takes from them in order for employees to earn higher wages. The River Cree Resort and Casino is set to open at the end of October several kilometers to the west on the Enoch reserve.

9-Sep-07. Palace Casino workers vote to walk picket line. Edmonton Journal, B6.

Workers at Edmonton’s Palace Casino will be on strike at 9 a.m. today after 80 per cent voted to reject the latest contract offer from management. Union president Doug O’Halloran said the offer of a three per cent increase each year for three years was unacceptable to members. Casino employees were looking for yearly increases of five per cent, plus three days of sick pay for full-time employees.

8-Sep-06. U.S. nabs chairman of U.K. gambling site. Globe and Mail, B7.

The chairman of British online gambling company Sportingbet PLC has been detained in New York on a fugitive warrant, two months after an executive officer of Betonsports PLC was arrested in the United States on racketeering charges. Peter Dicks was arrested at Kennedy International Airport following his arrival on a flight from England. A warrant issued by the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division charged Dicks with gambling by computer, which is punishable by up to a year in prison.

8-Sep-06. Dragon boat racing may give applicants an edge. Edmonton Journal, B3.

The Enoch Reserve’s $180-million River Cree Resort and Casino is expected to open at the end of October and has already attracted 5,000 applications from job seekers. Brian Lee, vice-president and general manager of River Cree, is a participant and supporter of local Dragon Boat racing clubs. He envisions the resort and casino as helping to create an economic, entertainment and tourism zone that benefits northern Alberta residents.

8-Sep-06. Macau casino operator eyes Japan, Thailand as Asian gaming bans relax. National Post, FP2.

Wynn Resorts Ltd., which opened a U.S. $1.2-billion casino in Macau this week, will explore expanding into Japan or Thailand if they legalize casino gambling according to company founder Stephen Wynn. Singapore ended a 40-year casino ban last year and Asian countries such as Japan are considering lifting similar prohibitions.

8-Sep-06. Casino growth plans rejected. Calgary Sun, 13.

This newsbrief reports that the Calgary planning commission has rejected plans for the relocation and expansion of the Stampede casino. The plan is slated to return before the commission by October 5.

7-Sep-06. Casino neighbours fear congestion. Edmonton Sun, 14.

The River Cree Resort and Casino is tentatively set to open at the end of October, south of Lewis Estates, on the Enoch Reserve west of Edmonton. The $180-million project, expected to generate $100-million in revenue each year, will include 600 slot machines, 40 table games, 12 poker tables and a 255-room Marriott hotel. Rob Sharman of the Lewis Estates community league is concerned about heavy traffic congestion at the intersection of Whitemud Drive and 215 Street.

7-Sep-06. Enoch Reserve thinks big with new casino. Edmonton Journal, B1.

Brian Lee, manager of the Enoch Reserve’s River Cree Resort and Casino, toured reporters and cameramen inside the $178-million complex which is scheduled to officially open in late October. The casino’s gaming room is one-third larger than Yellowhead Casino, currently Edmonton’s largest gambling venue. In the coming weeks, workers will install 600 slot machines and 40 gaming tables in the space. Gaming revenues will be split between the Enoch Cree’s not-for-profit Me’cet Society (15%), co-developer Paragon Gaming (15%), the Alberta Lottery Fund (30%), Enoch Cree Nation general revenue (30%), and Alberta’s other First Nations (10%).

6-Sep-06. Palace Casino plans to stay open if staff strike on the weekend. Edmonton Journal, E1.

The union representing workers at Edmonton’s Palace Casino has served notice that its approximately 250 members will not show for the 10 a.m. opening after contract talks with Gateway Casinos Income Fund stalled. Gateway CEO Dave Gandhia said the company will continue to try to reach a settlement before the weekend. Gandhia says that the current contract offer recognizes obligations to unitholders and the competition from two casinos opening later this year, including the $150-million River Cree resort.

6-Sep-06. Bishop, schools on the mend. Calgary Herald, A1.

Bishop Fred Henry and the Calgary Catholic School District now appear to be working together to create a policy on casino fundraising after threats of blacklisting and defiance of church edicts. He met Catholic board trustees Tuesday night to discuss how the district would address the controversial issue. Henry would not divulge what measures are being considered but he did indicate that progress was being made.

6-Sep-06. Casino strike looming. Edmonton Sun, 13.

Doug O’Halloran, United Food and Commercial Workers local 401 president, says staff at Edmonton’s Palace Casino are threatening to strike Saturday over low wages and poor benefits. He said that the more than 200 employees are struggling to make ends meet at the casino, located in the West Edmonton Mall. A news release from Gateway Casinos said that Gateway’s employees are already the highest paid casino workers in the city.

6-Sep-06. Catholics won’t show hand on gambling. Calgary Sun, 9.

The Catholic school board and Bishop Fred Henry met yesterday to discuss the controversial issue of gambling-based fundraising. While board officials declined to comment on the meeting, Henry left about an hour later seeming hopeful that their differences could be resolved.

4-Sep-06. College life can be hard on dorm dwellers’ health. Edmonton Journal, D1.

This article describes several health risks confronted by new college and university students. Policies regarding gambling on campus vary considerably between universities. Research undertaken by Robert Williams and Dennis Connolly of the University of Lethbridge found that an increase in knowledge and skill was not associated with any decreases in actual gambling behaviour.

1-Sep-06. Gambling battle keeps bishop away from mass. Calgary Herald, A3.

Calgary Catholic bishop Fred Henry refused to attend yesterday's annual opening mass of the Catholic school district. The bishop had previously warned schools who continue to fundraise through casinos and other forms of gambling that they risk being "blacklisted" and could lose the services of parish priests. The dispute has left the Catholic school community divided.

1-Sep-06. Bishop stands ground. Calgary Sun, 2.

Bishop Fred Henry, the leader of Calgary's Catholics, boycotted yesterday's Calgary Catholic school district mass to mark the beginning of the school year. He was following through on a vow he made after trustees allowed local Catholic schools to continue using casinos and bingos for fundraising. Henry has said in the past if the board does not comply with his wishes he could pull priests out of local schools.

1-Sep-06. The changing face of bingo. Edmonton Sun, W18.

Since the introduction of the non-smoking bylaw in July 2006, Edmonton bingo halls have experienced a number of changes. Some halls have closed, some have amalgamated with other establishments, and still others have introduced half-prince and all-you-can-play bingo to attract additional customers. Customer surveys at Fort Road Bingo in April 2006 indicated that most customers preferred full price, full payout bingo.

26-Aug-06. Ban may choke bingo cash. Calgary Sun, 10.

Some Calgary charities are predicting that the city’s January 2007 smoking ban will negatively impact their revenues from bingo operations. In Edmonton, bingo profits for charities dropped 53 per cent in the year after the city smoking ban started in July, 2005. According to Dana Russell, manager of the North Glenmore Park Community Hall, a drop in bingo revenues is a sign of the times due to competition from casinos and VLTs.

25-Aug-06. Under the ‘B’: Burned. Edmonton Sun, 7.

Figures from the first full year of Edmonton’s smoking ban which began on July 1, 2005 indicate that charitable proceeds from these events declined by $6.8-million or 53 per cent. During the past year, bingo profits in the rest of Alberta – where smoking is generally permitted – dropped one per cent. City councilor Michael Phair said the decline in bingo attendance indicates that the province should consider new ways to fund charitable groups.

24-Aug-06. A college survival guide for guys. Calgary Herald, E2.

This article describes several health risks confronted by new college and university students. Policies regarding gambling on campus vary considerably between universities. Research undertaken by Robert Williams and Dennis Connolly of the University of Lethbridge found that an increase in knowledge and skill was not associated with any decreases in actual gambling behaviour.

23-Aug-06. On-line gambling firms seek safer bets outside U.S. Globe and Mail, B7.

Online gambling companies are seeking out new markets after the recent demise of Betonsports PLC in the United States. U.S. actions against the company have caused widespread disarray in the $13-billion (U.S.) industry which relies heavily on American gamblers. The Europe market is also facing regulatory uncertainty after the betting licence of an Austrian company was deemed invalid for Internet gambling.

20-Aug-06. The lure of addiction. Calgary Herald, B1.

This in-depth article describes the experiences of a Calgary woman whose husband committed suicide after struggling with pathological gambling and depression. More than 1.2-million Canadians exhibit at least one symptom of problem gambling, with more than 20 suicides attributed to gambling each year. David Hodgins, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Calgary, says about one per cent of Albertans are pathological gamblers.

18-Aug-06. $40M native casino reined in as costs rise. Calgary Herald, B7.

Proponents of a $40-million casino and resort development in Kananaskis Country say that rising construction costs will mean a reduction in the scale of the development. Trez McCaskill, band administrator for the Stoney Nakoda Nation, said the final cost of the casino itself will determine whether the size and number of accomodation units will have to be reduced.

12-Aug-06. Bets are off. Calgary Sun, 5.

Cathie Williams, the head of Calgary’s Catholic school board say that her board will not be giving Bishop Fred Henry a firm date for when schools will stop fundraising using casinos and bingos. She speaks of a need for dialogue between the board and the bishop in order to come to a common understanding. The article author notes that the church is not a democracy and the bishop has ruled raising money for Catholic schools though casinos and bingos is immoral.

12-Aug-06. BetOnSports folds U.S. gambling service. Globe and Mail, B7.

This newsbrief reports that BetOnSports PLC, the British-based Internet gambling company that has been charged with fraud and racketeering in the United States, will shut down its services for U.S. gamblers.

11-Aug-06. Bishop all-in on gambling ban. Calgary Sun, 5.

Early next month, Calgary Bishop Fred Henry will meet with the city's Catholic school board and inform it that schools must stop fundraising through casinos and bingos because the practice is "morally problematic." The bishop is willing to discuss how long it will take for local Catholic schools to find outher ways to raise money. The bishop will not be presiding at the Calgary Catholic School District mass marking the beginning of the school year.

5-Aug-06. Destination-style casino taking shape on Edmonton’s western edge. Edmonton Journal, E1.

The River Cree Resort and Casino is rapidly taking shape on the Enoch Cree First Nation Reserve west of Edmonton. The sprawling $180-million complex will be open to the public in late October and will be Alberta’s largest destination resort casino. The resort is a partnership between Las Vegas-based Paragon Gaming and Enoch Community Developments Corp. Paragon is also in the process of acquiring the Edgewater casino in downtown Vancouver and has plan to build a third casino in Whitecourt, Alberta – The Alexis Casino and Travel Plaza.

5-Aug-06. Gambling madness: Betting our brain cells away. Globe and Mail, F3.

This article discusses a series of North American gambling-related events and general trends that the author has observed over the past few years. Ultimately, the author says that the most rationale course of action when dealing with the issue of gambling is to ensure that it is well-regulated.

2-Aug-06. Horse track plans embraced in Lacombe. Red Deer Advocate, A1.

At an open house on Tuesday, property owner Robert Allen of Calgary and Max Gibb, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Turf Club in Lethbridge, laid out plans to build a $12-million to $15-million horse racing centre in Lacombe. Horse Racing Alberta has given approval in principle to the pari-mutuel licence but a formal application is required for the plan to move ahead.

31-Jul-06. Gambling deals blow to youth. Calgary Sun, 22.

Several surveys, including a 2005 study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, have found young people are twice as likely to develop serious gambling problems as adults. John Macdonald, a youth specialist with the centre’s problem gambling service, said the numbers are in line with his recent experiences treating young gambling addicts. Robert Williams, a professor with the University of Lethbridge and Alberta Gaming Research Institute said youth are frequently in denial about their problems.

30-Jul-06. Church leaders confront gambling morality debate. Calgary Herald, B6.

This article reports that the morality debate over using dollars from casinos, lottery tickets and bingos to do good works has never been more intense. According to Ernie McCullough, a philosophy professor at St. Mary’s University College in Calgary, the central issue in both a secular morality and a faith-centred morality is the notion of virtue. The gambling morality debate became front-page news in Calgary this spring with the rift between Catholic Bishop Fred Henry and the city’s Catholic school board.

28-Jul-06. Internet gaming addiction on the rise. Red Deer Advocate, C7.

Internet and gaming addiction are on the increase and physiotherapists and psychologists report that the debilitating side-effects are also rising. Physiotherapist Marc Rizzardo estimates that 20 per cent of the business walking through the doors of physiotherapists across Canada might be linked to computer use or misuse. Montreal psychologist Jean-Pierre Rochon specializes in the emotional problems that confront victims of Internet addiction and he says that they account for 70 per cent of his patients.

26-Jul-06. Smoking decision may face appeal. Calgary Sun, 5.

Bar and bingo operators disgruntled with a fast-tracked smoking ban say they’ll be exploring legal avenues to modify the January 1, 2007 prohibition. Dennis Kronberger, general manager of the Bingo Palace, said the ban could see two of the city’s eight bingo parlours go under by next summer.

26-Jul-06. Bodog boss Ayre steers clear of U.S. Globe and Mail, B1.

Last week’s arrest of a British gaming executive in the United States has cast a pall over the online gambling sector, which is largely based in Britain. Internet gambling stock prices have been undercut and there are concerns that Internet sports betting and casino operations could be facing a serious crackdown. An international gambling conference hosted by Calvin Ayre’s Bodog Entertainment Group that was scheduled for Las Vegas was recently cancelled.

26-Jul-06. Online gambling firm fires CEO. Calgary Herald, D3.

Online gambling company BetOnSports PLC said Tuesday it had fired its chief executive after his arrest in the United States on racketeering charges. The sports-betting website operator said it was terminating the contract of David Carruthers and removing him as a director as a consequence of his detention.

23-Jul-06. Odds against U.S. gamblers. Calgary Sun, 12.

Online sports betting firms employing thousands of Costa Ricans could eventually turn away U.S. gamblers after the arrest in Texas this week of a leading industry executive but it remains business as usual at present. Although online gambling is not explicitly illegal in the U.S., the U.S. Justice Department says it is barred under the U.S. Wire Wager Act.

22-Jul-06. Bail hearing postponed for head of online gambling firm. Lethbridge Herald, E6.

David Carruthers, chief executive of BetOnSports PLC, a major online sports-betting operation, remained in custody Friday on racketeering and conspiracy charges after his lawyer asked that a bail hearing be postponed. Carruthers and 10 others, including the founder of BetOnSports, were named in a 22-count indictment unsealed this week be federal prosecutors in St. Louis. The government says BetOnSports fraudulently took bets from U.S. residents by phone and the Internet, and failed to pay excise taxes.

22-Jul-06. Gambling conference postponed after arrest. Calgary Herald, C6.

Due to the high-profile arrest of a British gambling executive in Texas on Sunday, the Bodog.com online gambling conference has been postponed due to concerns from many prospective delegates. Bodog.com is a private company whose gambling operations are located in Costa Rica and it gleans the majority of its business from U.S. residents.

22-Jul-06. Bodog cancels Las Vegas gambling conference. Globe and Mail, B6.

Bodog Entertainment Group, an operator of several online gambling sites, said that it had cancelled an Internet gambling conference set to begin next week in Las Vegas following the U.S. government crackdown on operators of gambling web sites.

20-Jul-06. The chips are down for casinos. Globe and Mail, B3.

The rising Canadian dollar, soaring gas prices and tighter restrictions on smoking are all harming Canada’s casino industry. Yesterday, Casino Windsor cited these factors as it laid off 329 employees due to declining revenues. Other casinos across the country are facing similar issues according to Bill Rutsey, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Gaming Association. Rutsey also cited the rapid growth of on-line gambling as the biggest long-term issue facing the industry.

20-Jul-06. Ayre defends online casino. Edmonton Journal, G2.

Canadian billionaire Calvin Ayre, founder and CEO of Internet casino Bodog.com, said Tuesday the arrest of a U.S. online gambling executive would not threaten his industry and his business will operate as usual. The U.S. crackdown on online gambling prompted concern Tuesday among government officials in Antigua, which has become an offshore haven for the industry.

19-Jul-06. All bets are off! Edmonton Sun, 36.

This newsbrief reports that U.S. federal officials have charged 11 people, including the CEO of a large gambling web site, alleging they committed conspiracy, racketeering and fraud in taking sports bets from U.S. residents. The Justice Department is seeking the forfeiture of $4.5-billion U.S., cars and computers from the defendants.

12-Jul-06. U.S. moving to limit access to online gambling. Lethbridge Herald, B8.

The House of Representatives passed legislation on Tuesday that would prevent gamblers from using credit cards to bet online and could block access to gambling web sites. The legislation would clarify and update current law to spell out that most gambling is illegal online. There would be exceptions for state-run lotteries and horse racing. Passage of the legislation in the Senate is uncertain as Republican leaders have not considered the measure a high priority.

12-Jul-06. U.S. bans Net gambling. Edmonton Journal, G2.

The House of Representatives approved a measure to stifle online gambling in the United States by restricting the flow of money to illegal Internet gaming sites. Credit card companies would be forbidden to collect payments for Internet casinos and financial institutions would have to help law-enforcement shut down money transfers to illegal gaming sites under the measure approved on Tuesday.

10-Jul-06. Married to a card shark. National Post, A11.

In this interesting first-person account, the spouse of a full-time poker player describes her family’s lifestyle and the household’s financial ups and downs.

11-Jul-06. Casino bans gamblers with kids left in cars. National Post, A3.

Internal B.C. Lottery Commission records obtained by The Vancouver Sun indicate that more than 41 customers were banned from British Columbia casinos between 2003 to 2005 for leaving their children along in the car while they go inside. University of Alberta gambling expert Garry Smith said those who leave their children alone are likely gambling addicts, not casual gamblers.

11-Jul-06. B.C. casinos ban gamblers for abandoning kids. Edmonton Journal, A5.

Internal B.C. Lottery Commission records obtained by CanWest News Service indicate that more than 40 people have been banned from British Columbia casinos over the past three years for leaving their children along in the car while they go inside. University of Alberta gambling expert Garry Smith said those who leave their children alone are likely gambling addicts, not casual gamblers.

7-Jul-06. N.J. reaches budget deal. Edmonton Journal, D2.

This newsbrief reports that New Jersey lawmakers reached a deal on the state’s budget Thursday that will allow Atlantic City’s casinos to reopen after they had been forced shut since Wednesday. All 12 of the city’s casinos closed after a budget impasse led to Gov. Jon Corzine shutting down non-essential services.

7-Jul-06. Westerners like a good bet. Edmonton Sun, 4.

A national poll of 1,000 Canadian adults conducted by PokerRoom.com indicates that the national character isn’t as conservative or risk-averse as it’s often portrayed. The survey was conducted by Synovate last January and it found that the further west the respondent lived, the more willing they were to be risk-taking.

6-Jul-06. Casinos hit by state budget impasse. National Post, FP1.

A New Jersey state budget impasse has led to the closures of numerous Atlantic City gambling floors. The closures were ordered when Governor Jon Corzine deemed the 190 inspectors who monitor casino operations “non-essential” state employees. The state’s 12 casinos will lose an estimated $16-million in gambling revenue a day.

4-Jul-06. Casino closings may cost $10-million in wagers daily. Globe and Mail, B5.

The closing of Atlantic City, N.J., casinos will go ahead tomorrow unless New Jersey lawmakers resolve a budget crisis. The shutdown could cost gambling operators more than $10-million (U.S.) per day in wagers. Atlantic City is the second-largest casino market in the U.S. and it took in $5-billion in gross gambling revenue last year.

1-Jul-06. Bishop won’t back down on blacklist. Edmonton Journal, B8.

Roman Catholic bishop Fred Henry of Calgary still says he’ll blacklist schools that don’t stop using bingos and casinos to augment provincial education funding. He says there are other ways Calgary’s separate school board should deal with funding shortfalls, including affluent schools sharing resources with poorer ones.

30-Jun-06. Board wants best for students. Calgary Sun, 15.

In this guest column, Calgary Catholic School Board chair Cathie Williams explains the position of the board of trustees on fundraising using gambling events. She notes that, in a 1998 pastoral letter entitled The False Eden of Gambling, the Bishops of Alberta do not indicate that gambling is evil but they do express a concern for compulsive or addicted gamblers. The various recommendations in the board’s fundraising action plan permit schools to fundraise through bingos and casinos while addressing prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.

30-Jun-06. Seemed like a fun wager at the time. Edmonton Journal, I3.

The author of this opinion-style article considers why some people seem to be able to gamble as a form of harmless entertainment while others develop gambling-related problems. Professor Garry Smith of the University of Alberta suggests that there may be a variety of factors which include such things as brain chemistry and learned behaviour. He says that problem gamblers are usually depressed, emotionally distant people who think about gambling all the time and often sacrifice their relationships to their addiction.

28-Jun-06. Holy Spirit board doesn’t fundraise through casinos. Lethbridge Herald, A5.

Recent headlines related to the Catholic church’s stand in southern Alberta on gambling as a source of school fundraising will not have an effect on Lethbridge. In Lethbridge, Holy Spirit Schools board chairman Ken Tratch says that his schools don’t do any casino fundraising. The issue has previously been discussed at the board level and with parents and is was agreed that fundraising of that nature would send the wrong message.

24-Jun-06. Via Rail offers casino car on train to Niagara Falls. Red Deer Advocate, C2.

A summertime rail service from Toronto to Niagara Falls, Ontario includes a “casino car” which is wrapped on the outside to look like a giant slot machine. Passengers in the car can learn to play blackjack and poker from a Fallsview Casino Resort dealer. No actual gambling involving money will take place.

28-Jun-06. Texas hold ’em camp for children folds after B.C. ups the ante. Globe and Mail, A1.

The organizers of a summer camp to teach children to be winning poker players have abandoned the event because of pressure from the Province of British Columbia. Solicitor-General John Les amended the B.C. gaming regulations this week to force businesses that teach children how to gamble to be licensed.

28-Jun-06. Bettor options. Calgary Sun, 2.

Calgary Catholic school board chair Cathie Williams yesterday urged principals and parents to find revenue sources other than casinos and bingo nights but said they may need time to find other fundraising sources. The board will allow schools to continue to hold fundraising events in gambling establishments for the time being.

28-Jun-06. Board extends olive branch to bishop. Calgary Herald, B1.

Calgary Catholic school board chairwomen Cathie Williams says public reaction has been split over trustees’ decision allowing parent councils to raise money through gambling. She also wants to meet with Bishop Fred Henry to find a resolution to the dispute.

27-Jun-06. School board taking big gamble. Calgary Sun, 5.

This opinion piece suggests that anyone familiar with Calgary Bishop Fred Henry would not be surprised with his comment that his prime responsibility as bishop is to confront moral evil. The author says that Henry speaks as someone who knows he is fighting on firm ground. The bishop is demanding that the Calgary Catholic School District board toe the theological line.

27-Jun-06. Bishop raises betting stakes. Calgary Sun, 5.

Bishop Fred Henry says he may bar priests from Catholic schools that continue to defy his demand to stop using gambling revenue to fund classrooms. Henry had previously said he will not preside over the Calgary Catholic School District’s opening mass because of the board’s decision to continue bingo and casino fundraising activities, which generate roughly $2-million per year.

27-Jun-06. ‘I’m asking them to confront a moral evil’. Calgary Herald, B1.

At a press conference on Monday, Calgary’s Bishop Fred Henry said he first asked the Calgary Catholic School District to wean itself from casino gambling seven years ago. Since then, his diocese, his parishes, the Catholic Women’s League, the Knights of Columbus and most Alberta school districts have renounced gambling revenue. Henry said it is his job as a bishop to ask his followers to confront a moral evil. He remained vague on what blacklisting might mean for casino-dependent schools but added that he will personally boycott any school where the parent council insists on raising gambling revenue.

27-Jun-06. Calgary bishop puts cards on the table. Edmonton Sun, 18.

Bishop Fred Henry says he may bar priests from Catholic schools that continue to defy his demand to stop using gambling revenue to fund classrooms. Henry had previously said he will not preside over the Calgary Catholic School District’s opening mass because of the board’s decision to continue bingo and casino fundraising activities, which generate roughly $2-million per year.

26-Jun-06. That gambling fever. Globe and Mail, A14.

This editorial supports the stand taken by Calgary Roman Catholic Bishop Frederick Henry against the Catholic School District using gambling as a source of fundraising for schools. The Calgary board serves 44,000 students and has a proposed budget of $346-million for the next year. The $2-million generated from casinos and bingos help pay for drama, school bands, athletics and field trips.

26-Jun-06. Bishop’s casino stand cheered. Calgary Herald, B1.

Parishioners who attended Sunday morning mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral expressed support for Bishop Fred Henry’s stand against Catholic schools using casinos and bingos to raise money.

25-Jun-06. Catholics like casino bucks. Edmonton Sun, 7.

An Edmonton Catholic school board trustee says that Edmonton parents are not ready to give up casino fundraisers just because the church frowns on gambling. Edmonton Archbishop Thomas Collins says that using gambling to raise school funds is immoral but he hasn’t threatened schools with cessation of Catholic services. Nearly all of the board’s 84 schools host casino fundraisers about once every two years according to Edmonton Catholic board chairman Debbie Cavaliere.

24-Jun-06. Bishop gets our attention. Edmonton Sun, 7.

Edmonton’s Catholic school board will meet next week to discuss the future of school-sponsored casino fundraisers, following recent threats by Calgary Bishop Fred Henry to blacklist schools that continue the practice. Unlike Henry, Edmonton Archbishop Thomas Collins is not threatening schools but is opposed to raising money through gambling. Like problem gamblers, Collins said organizations like schools can become addicted to gambling.

24-Jun-06. Casino-backers’ faith questioned. Calgary Sun, 5.

St. Mary’s Cathedral Rector Father Larry Bagnall said that Catholics who support gambling to fund classrooms are betraying their faith. In defending Bishop Fred Henry’s pastoral letter condemning the board’s decision to allow casino and bingo fundraising, Bagnall said there can be no compromise. Sanctioning gambling, said Bagnall, is akin to enabling alcoholics.

24-Jun-06. Almighty dollar. Calgary Sun, 5.

This editorial suggests that Calgary Catholic school board is unsuccessfully attempting to reap the benefits of fundraising using gambling events without fully considering the moral obligation that it requires. The Board’s attempts to rationalize this activity involve contributing 5 per cent of gambling-related proceeds to the treatment of problem gamblers. The author says that the Bishop has a reputation of standing up for his faith and that he is unlikely to be swayed on this issue.

24-Jun-06. Gambling edict splits schools. Calgary Herald, B1.

As Calgary Catholic schools defy an order from Bishop Fred Henry this week to abolish gambling-based fundraising, Lethbridge schools vow they will continue to follow his edict. Lethbridge is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary led by Henry. David Keohane, superintendent of the Holy Spirit Catholic School District which encompasses Lethbridge and surrounding area, says Henry’s position reflects that taken in a position paper called The False Eden of Gambling, backed by Alberta’s bishops as a group.

23-Jun-06. The bishop’s principled stand. Calgary Herald, A28.

This editorial discusses Calgary bishop Fred Henry’s warning to the Calgary Catholic school board to stop raising funds through casino and bingo nights. The author notes that, though the estimated $2-million in revenue from the fundraisers is useful, it is morally at odds with the teachings of the church. The bishop is also urged to provide leadership in suggesting a creative solution to the cash shortfall that bedevils the Catholic board.

23-Jun-06. Board tests bishop’s ban. Calgary Sun, 3.

Board chair Cathie Williams said that Calgary’s Catholic School Board will move ahead with fundraising using bingos and casinos despite a threat from Bishop Fred Henry to strike schools’ Catholic designation. Yesterday, board officials met with school principals to discuss their decision to go ahead with gambling fundraisers that bring in more than $2-million a year. Williams said the district is not in defiance of Henry’s role as ultimate authority, but insisted the board and students’ parents have a right to make such decisions.

23-Jun-06. Catholic bishop says all bets are off. Globe and Mail, A9.

Calgary’s influential Roman Catholic bishop has issued a damning indictment of the local school board’s decision to continue to use gambling as a source of fundraising for its cash-strapped schools. Bishop Fred Henry sent a letter to each of the 97 schools in the Catholic Schools District this week that threatened blacklisting of schools that engage in this type of fundraising. University of Alberta professor and gambling researcher Garry Smith said the bishop’s position is extreme but his public stand on this issue should be credited as courageous.

21-Jun-06. Gamblers wanted for university research. Lethbridge Herald, A1.

Gambling researchers at three Alberta universities are testing various hypotheses about the nature of gambling as part of a five-year study. University of Lethbridge professors Robert Williams and Rob Wood are two of seven researchers involved in the investigation. The study, which started in January, has signed up 1,000 participants but another 1,000 are needed.

22-Jun-06. Provincewide study to focus on habits of gamblers. Edmonton Journal, B5.

A group of Alberta researchers will be monitoring 2,000 people as part of a study that is described as being a worldwide first. The long-term follow-up study will focus on both social and problem gambling, looking at why people gamble, how much they gambling and what problems their gambling may cause. The findings will be used to formulate a better understanding of gambling, and could be used to find solutions to gambling problems and help develop policy.

22-Jun-06. Gambling researchers commence massive study. Calgary Herald, B5.

A group of Alberta researchers will be monitoring 2,000 people as part of a study that is described as being a worldwide first. The long-term follow-up study will focus on both social and problem gambling, looking at why people gamble, how much they gambling and what problems their gambling may cause. The findings will be used to formulate a better understanding of gambling, and could be used to find solutions to gambling problems and help develop policy.

22-Jun-06. U of C betting study will turn up answers. Calgary Sun, 10.

A one-of-a-kind study of gambling is taking place over the next five years at the University of Calgary. University of Calgary professor David Casey says that 2,000 people will be followed to see how social factors, genetics, family history, upbringing, financial situation, access, cultural context and personal circumstances affect gambling habits.

22-Jun-06. Ban on elder protest extended. Calgary Herald, B7.

A judge has extended a temporary injunction to indefinite against two of three elderly sisters who remain opposed to the construction of a casino west of Calgary on the Stoney reserve. Jamie MacVicar, who has been working with the Stoney residents opposed to the casino, said opponents will continue to protest the venture, but they cannot do it on the site at the junction of Highway 40 and the Trans-Canada.

22-Jun-06. Study aims to find answers on gambling addictions. Edmonton Sun, 34.

University of Calgary professor David Casey explains that a five-year, 2,000-person study will answer questions about gambling which previously has only been conjecture. The study will tackle what role social factors, genetics, family history, upbringing, financial situation, access, cultural context, and personal circumstances play in people’s gambling habits.

22-Jun-06. Go-ahead for casino. Calgary Sun, 10.

Construction on a controversial $27-million First Nation casino-hotel west of Calgary can proceed after a judge granted an injunction preventing protesters from interfering further. A lawyer for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation said that the court’s ruling may have a bearing on development projects for First Nations across Canada. Horner’s ruling makes an earlier court injunction barring protesters from the site permanent.

22-Jun-06. Bishop plays opening hand. Calgary Sun, 5.

Calgary Bishop Fred Henry sent a letter yesterday to schools that expressed his outrage over a Catholic School board decision to ignore his demand to stop using funds obtained from casino and bingo fundraising events. The letter noted that Henry will boycott the year-opening mass and threatened that schools who continue to use this fundraising method will be blacklisted.

18-Jun-06. U.S. considers restrictions on Internet gambling. Red Deer Advocate, A18.

This article discusses Internet wagering in the United States which is a $12-billion (US) industry in which politics, morals, profits, individual rights and world trade issues merge and sometimes collide. The U.S. House of Representatives is likely to vote this week on legislation aimed at countering Americans’ ability to place bets online via their computers. Meanwhile, the American Gaming Association is urging Congress to study the online gambling issue to see whether there are ways to legalize, regulate and tax this activity.

11-Jun-06. One man’s crusade. Edmonton Sun, 16.

This article profiles anti-gambling proponent Johannes DeViet who is the head of Canada’s Gambling Watch Network. He distributes via email a weekly anti-gambling newsletter to over 1,400 people across the country. The newsletter mainly passes along recent newspaper stories about gambling.

8-Jun-06. Poker player antes up. Calgary Sun, 6.

This newsbrief reports that Daryl Giesbrecht of Medicine Hat pleaded guilty this week to operating an illegal gambling house. He was ordered to pay a $6,100 fine for not having a licence. His defence lawyer said the poker league was set up after the Medicine Hat Casino stopped running poker games.

8-Jun-06. No more casinos in the cards for Calgary. Calgary Sun, 2.

Alberta Gaming Minister Gordon Graydon said that no further Calgary-area casinos are likely to be approved in the foreseeable future. Graydon noted that Calgary, with six operating casinos and plans for a seventh, is at the casino saturation point for a city of its size. He also said that the $44-million Stampede Casino, which will open in 2008, is not considered a new facility as it will replace the old casino.

7-Jun-06. House always wins. Medicine Hat News, A1.

A man pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling house in Medicine Hat Provincial court on Tuesday. Daryl Giesbrecht was ordered to pay a fine of $6,100 for not having a licence for the Medicine Hat Poker League that he and some friends established two years ago to have a place to play Texas Hold’em. Special Crown prosecutor Vaughan Hartigan said although the League wasn’t put in place to make money, it broke the Alberta Gaming laws because the league wasn’t registered with the department.

2-Jun-06. Saskatchewan to ease charities’ gambling rules. Globe and Mail, A10.

This newsbrief reports that the Saskatchewan government will soon allow charitable organizations to raise money by holding poker tournaments and gaming nights. The relaxed rules are part of a strategy to help charities, which have struggled in recent years because of declines in gaming-related revenues.

1-Jun-06. Study focuses on distress of gamblers’ loved ones. Calgary Herald, B7.

University of Calgary PhD student Nicole Peden is testing an approach that will use one-on-one support to improve the lives of problem gamblers’ loved ones. The study is called Community Reinforcement and Family Training. It will compare findings with a study undertaken in 2001 involving self-help manuals. In the current study, half of the 48 participants will receive a self-help workbook and the other half will work with a therapist.

1-Jun-06. Parents left with gambling decision. Calgary Herald, B3.

The Calgary Catholic School District will allow parents at its 97 schools to make their own decisions on whether they should fundraise though gambling sources such as casinos and bingos. Trustees voted 4-2 Wednesday night to leave the choice up to parent councils. Those groups choosing to rely on gambling events will be required to donate five per cent of profits to a charity which deals with the treatment of gambling addictions.

1-Jun-06. Catholic schools keep bets on. Calgary Sun, 4.

Calgary Catholic school board trustees voted 4-2 last night in favour of continuing to use gambling revenues from casino and bingo nights to fund school programs. Last year, Calgary Bishop Fred Henry asked all Catholic organizations in the city to stop using casinos and bingos as a source of fundraising revenue.

1-Jun-06. Study proving to be a gamble. Calgary Sun, 16.

University of Calgary researchers are finding that recruiting family members of gambling addicts for a research investigation is proving difficult. PhD student Nicole Peden noted that posters and classified ads designed to attract 48 test subjects have yet to elicit any interest. The research team has already produced a self-help manual for concerned family members of problem gamblers but feedback suggests more guidance is needed.

31-May-06. No love-in for Cirque’s casino. Globe and Mail, B2.

The Cirque du Soleil’s decision to pull out of a controversial $1.2-billion casino complex in Montreal has caused those involved to point fingers of blame. Cirque has billed itself as a socially progressive business and it is thought that involvement in the casino project might damage its reputation. CEO Guy Lalibere suggested that systematic protest is becoming and trend in Montreal and he feel this is unfortunate.

27-May-06. Windsor seeks gov’t help with smoking ban. Edmonton Journal, A6.

A province-wide smoking ban takes effect in Ontario next week which will prohibit the activity at restaurants, bars and casinos. Critics fear the restriction will take a heavy toll on cities dependent on cross-border gambling revenues, such as Windsor and Niagara Falls.

19-May-06. Casino gets final OK. Red Deer Advocate, A1.

The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission has approved the $1.5-million expansion of the Jackpot Casino in downtown Red Deer after the casino promised to add 101 more parking spaces. Jackpot Casino agreed to lease additional spaces from a company that owns an area parking lot. Residents of the downtown Parkvale neighborhood fear the expansion will create more noise, traffic, parking hassles and litter.

19-May-06. Researcher refutes results of gaming association poll. Lethbridge Herald, A3.

University of Lethbridge health sciences professor Robert Williams says that a Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) study of the gambling industry paints an overly optimistic picture of gambling. The CGA study says a recent poll of Canadian attitudes toward gambling indicates an overwhelming majority view gambling as a fun, responsible and acceptable form of entertainment.

18-May-06. Edmonton an odds-on favourite for casino expansion. Edmonton Journal, G5.

The owners of an Edmonton casino are considering adding to their chain of casinos in Alberta and B.C. Gateway Casino Income Fund operates six casinos in Western Canada, including Edmonton’s Palace Casino and five locations in British Columbia. The City of Edmonton is high on the company’s list of expansion locations according to the fund’s chief executive.

18-May-06. Online operations must tackle cheaters, expert says. Edmonton Journal, G5.

A spokesperson for e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulatory Assurance (eCOGRA) says that online casinos must unite to ban cheaters, restrict underage gamblers and ensure fair gaming if they want to lose their dubious reputation. Andrew Beveridge, chief executive of eCOGRA, spoke at the online gambling convention at Montreal’s Palais des congress on Wednesday.

18-May-06. Defibrillators a good gamble for casinos. Edmonton Journal, A19.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina and the Ottawa Health Research Institute have found that casinos are one of the three most cost-effective places to locate public access defibrillators. Their analysis was based on the cost of setting up the devices in different settings and training people to use them, hospitals’ cost of treating people and how many years of life they estimate the units saved.

17-May-06. Tough rules seen for Net gambling. Globe and Mail, B6.

In the keynote speech at the Global Interactive Gaming Summit and Expo, Stanford University law professor and author Lawrence Lessig said that it is a mistake to bet that the Internet gambling industry will escape the government’s ability to regulate. New technologies being developed by Microsoft and other software firms will soon make it possible to authenticate the identity of a computer user anywhere in the world. The ID technology will, in turn, allow governments to cooperate on a global approach to cyberspace regulation.

14-May-06. Kid poker crosses the line. Lethbridge Herald, A6.

This editorial describes a poker event in Vancouver that is being marketed directly to youth. The author cites a study from the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors that indicates the average problem gamblers starts at age 10. Also cited is the Alberta Youth Experience Survey 2002 that found the best protection for youth against problem gambling and substance abuse is monitoring by their parents. The article concludes by stating that there is also an onus on parents to address the role gambling plays in their own lives.

17-May-06. Don't bet on Internet gambling. Edmonton Sun, 92.

Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig told gambling proponents yesterday that government regulation is coming to the Internet, and the $12-billion industry shouldn't bet on continued unfettered into the future. Lessig told the approximately 1,600 delegates attending an online gambling industry summit that Internet gambling is effective unregulable at present. The U.S. government is, however, mulling an Internet gambling prohibition law aimed at cutting off Americans from most forms of gaming.

13-May-06. Casino plans evaluated. Red Deer Advocate, B1.

Jackpot Casino will find out next week if its parking plans meet conditions set out by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. The downtown Red Deer casino was told last month that a controversial $1.5-million expansion could go ahead if the casino can find more parking spaces nearby.

15-May-06. New casino down on its luck. National Post, A3.

This article describes the plight of the Edgewater Casino in downtown Vancouver which opened in February, 2005. Earlier this month the casino’s owners filed for court protection from creditors barely one year after the casino first opened its doors. It is thought that restrictions on smoking, drinking, and signage have contributed to this poor start. Some gambling analysts also suggest that the casino has struggled because the local market is saturated.

14-May-06. Poker tour targets kids. Edmonton Sun, 22.

Organizers of a two-day poker workshop for young people planned for June in Vancouver claim that the event will develop math and communications skills. It is being planned by Nevada North’s Kids Poker Tour which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The province’s Solicitor General John Les says the Kids Poker Tour is unconscionable.

14-May-06. Poker tour aimed at youngsters. Edmonton Journal, A3.

A Vancouver-based company wants to teach Texas Hold ’Em poker to children from 10 to 18 years of age. The youth will be taught by professional poker players from Las Vegas and participants will learn the intricacies of the game and also play a half-day tournament. Clarence Chan of Richmond Addiction Services said children must recognize gambling can become addictive, similar to cigarettes, alcohol and drugs.

6-May-06. Province opens ‘responsible gambling’ centre in Calgary casino. Edmonton Journal, B4.

On Friday, Alberta’s second on-site responsible gambling information centre opened at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, in partnership with the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, is behind the two year $300,000 pilot projects. The centres are based on similar programs in other provinces and provide information about gambling responsibly, costs involved, and the voluntary self-exclusion program.

6-May-06. Counsellors set up shop in quiet corner of casino. Calgary Herald, B3.

On Friday, Alberta’s second on-site responsible gambling information centre opened at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, in partnership with the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, is behind the two year $300,000 pilot projects. The centres are based on similar programs in other provinces and provide information about gambling responsibly, costs involved, and the voluntary self-exclusion program.

6-May-06. City casino betting gamblers get help. Calgary Sun, 10.

Provincial officials launched the province’s second Responsible Gambling Information Centre yesterday at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. Gaming Minister Gordon Graydon and AADAC chairman Dave Rodney lauded the two-year pilot project as a good step in helping promote responsible gambling.

2-May-06. Hard to hit jackpot with community bingos. Edmonton Journal, B1.

This articled discusses the plight of traditional community bingo events in the City of Edmonton. Only seven Edmonton organizations are still licensed to offer the small-stakes social game and two community leagues are questioning whether to continue. This form of bingo has been a victim of declining interest, shrinking revenues, competition from multi-charity associations that run in facilities with big prizes, and other forms of wagering such as casinos and VLTs.

2-May-06. Daly gambles away millions. Globe and Mail, S2.

Professional golfer John Daly discusses his addiction to gambling in the final chapter of his autobiography titled John Daly: My Life In and Out of the Rough which is to be released next Monday. Daly says that he has lost between $50-million and $60-million during 12 years of heavy gambling.

28-Apr-06. Gambling business struggles to improve image. Edmonton Journal, B14.

The heads of several provincial lottery corporations told a gambling in industry conference in Vancouver that Canada’s $14-billion gambling industry does not yet get the same level of acceptance as the alcohol industry. Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. president Marie Mullally said the industry has to promote more responsible gambling in Canada to minimize social costs and become more readily accepted by the public. Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission chief executive Norman Peterson said that he isn’t sure the industry has done a great job dealing with the issue of problem gambling and it risks a public backlash if it isn’t properly addressed.

28-Apr-06. Gambling industry eager to improve image. Calgary Herald, A9.

The heads of several provincial lottery corporations told a gambling in industry conference in Vancouver that Canada’s $14-billion gambling industry does not yet get the same level of acceptance as the alcohol industry. Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. president Marie Mullally said the industry has to promote more responsible gambling in Canada to minimize social costs and become more readily accepted by the public. Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission chief executive Norman Peterson said that he isn’t sure the industry has done a great job dealing with the issue of problem gambling and it risks a public backlash if it isn’t properly addressed.