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.