24-Apr-07. U.S. may lose bet against gambling. National Post, FP1.

On March 30, a World Trade Organization tribunal handed down a potentially significant finding against U.S. restrictions on Internet gambling. The panel was set up at the request of Antigua and Barbuda, who complained that the United States had not complied with an earlier WTO decision to change the way that it regulates gambling over the Internet.

6-Apr-07. New owners improve odds for revamped Baccarat. Edmonton Journal, E6.

Baccarat Casino in Edmonton could expand more quickly after being bought by New World Gaming Partners Ltd., which is also expected to buy the Gateway Casinos Income Fund. The Baccarat, on the northwest corner of 101st Street and 104th Avenue, is owned and operated by the managers of the income fund, but has remained outside the fund.

5-Apr-07. Australian high roller tries his luck in Canada. National Post, FP1.

New World Gaming Partners Ltd., a joint venture between James Packer’s Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd. and Australia’s Macquarie Bank, yesterday offered to buy Gateway Casinos Income Fund for $800-million. Gateway has seven casinos in British Columbia and Alberta and provincial regulators in those provinces will both have to approve the deal.

5-Apr-07. Australian group gambles on Gateway. Globe and Mail, B3.

An Australian consortium is buying Gateway Casinos Income Fund for $800-million. The partnership, which has been named New World Gaming Partners Ltd. will also but related private development and operating businesses, with a combined enterprise value of $1.37-billion. New World will be picking up nine Canadian casinos.

5-Apr-07. Many lottery questions, few answers. Globe and Mail, A8.

The revelation that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. allowed unscrupulous retailers to collect $100-M in fraudulent prizes since 1999 has dominated the legislature for eight sessions.

6-Apr-07. $11M Alta. lottery fund red flagged for lacking guidelines. Edmonton Journal, A7.

The Alberta Liberals assert that an obscure $11-M government lottery fund known as the Other Initiative Program has no guidelines associated with it and is an invitation for corruption. The Other Initiatives Program is designed to provide funding for projects that fall outside other existing government programs.

6-Apr-07. Liberals keep up lottery grants attack. Calgary Herald, A4.

The Alberta Liberals assert that an obscure $11-M government lottery fund known as the Other Initiative Program has no guidelines associated with it and is an invitation for corruption. The Other Initiatives Program is designed to provide funding for projects that fall outside other existing government programs.

4-Apr-07. Police to assist in lottery probe. Globe and Mail, A9.

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino has asked the Toronto Police Service to investigate the potential conflict of interest posed by one of his own officers formerly serving as head of security at the province’s embattled lottery corporation.

2-Apr-07. Are casino boards a stacked deck? Edmonton Journal, A6.

The men chairing the boards of two new Alberta First Nations casinos are reported to be political veterans. Bob Westbury heads the seven-member River Cree Casino board and Peter Elzinga is the chairs the Alexis board. Liberal solicitor-general critic Mo Elsalhy said the appointments don’t pass the “smell test” because Westbury and Elzinga have access to political power and decision-makers that most Albertans don’t have.

2-Apr-07. Caught in the grip of the ‘almighty VLT’. Globe and Mail, A7.

The second part of the government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s VLT reduction strategy began yesterday and involved reduced operating hours, a slower rate of play, and 105 fewer machines. By the end of the five-year plan, the number of VLTs is to be reduced by 15 per cent.

2-Apr-07. Chief ready for change. Edmonton Journal, A6.

This article profiles band chief Cameron Alexis of the Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation near Whitecourt. The band is currently partnering with Paragon Gaming to develop the Eagle River casino.

2-Apr-07. Competing casino bids split native tribes. Calgary Herald, D15.

Two neighbouring First Nations – Samson and Louis Bull – are competing to build a casino near Hobbema, north of Red Deer, Alberta. The band that ultimately builds the project will gain jobs and revenues that will fund social programs in the community. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will allow only one casino near Hobbema, and has urged the two bands to build the project together.

2-Apr-07. The woman who brought Las Vegas to Edmonton. Edmonton Journal, A6.

Diana Bennett of Paragon Gaming first began her involvement with Enoch Cree’s plans to develop Alberta’s first aboriginal casino six year ago. The $178-million River Cree Casino opened last year and now Paragon is also building Alberta’s second-biggest First Nation casino, the Alexis Nakota Sioux’s $63.5-million project near Whitecourt.

31-Mar-07. WTO rules against online betting ban. National Post, FP1.

The United States ignored a ruling that found it discriminates against foreign gambling companies by banning payments to gaming Web sites while allowing bets on its own soil, the World Trade Organization’s highest judges said.

31-Mar-07. Gambling experts succumb. Calgary Herald, B2.

This article reports on a two-day conference on gambling-related harm that has attracted more than 100 experts on gambling addictions. The conference is being hosted by the Alberta Gaming Research Institute, a collaboration of the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta and the University of Lethbridge. A five-year institute-funded longitudinal study, one of the most thorough undertaken anywhere, is currently following a group of 1,800 Alberta gamblers.

31-Mar-07. Winner takes all in Hobbema. Edmonton Journal, A1.

Two neighbouring First Nations – Samson and Louis Bull – are competing to build a casino near Hobbema, north of Red Deer, Alberta. The band that ultimately builds the project will gain jobs and revenues that will fund social programs in the community. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will allow only one casino near Hobbema, and has urged the two bands to build the project together. University of Lethbridge native studies professor Yale Belanger notes that teamwork is not encouraged when there is so much potential revenue at stake.

31-Mar-07. First Nations hope winnings will cure a host of social ills. Edmonton Journal, A15.

The Tsuu T’ina First Nation west of Calgary hopes that its $40-million Eaglestone Casino will generate enough revenue to solve the reserve’s housing shortage. Across the province of Alberta, several other Alberta First Nations are anticipating that casino developments will provide economic development opportunities. Alexis Whitecourt, Cold Lake and Stoney Nakoda will all build casinos in the next year following the lead of Enoch’s River Cree development on Edmonton’s western border.

31-Mar-07. Bishop applauds casino fund ban. Calgary Herald, B2.

Bishop Fred Henry, the head of Calgary’s Catholic community, is relieved that the Calgary Catholic School District has banned all gambling-related fundraisers by March 1, 2010. Henry acknowledged it will be difficult for some schools to wean themselves off of the $2-million generated annually by casino and bingos which is why he supported the three-year grace period.

30-Mar-07. Parents can live with school casino ban. Calgary Herald, B2.

Catholic parents on both sides of the gambling controversy are relived the Catholic School District has decide to ban schools from profiting from casino and bingo fundraisers.

29-Mar-07. Catholic board sets deadline to stop gaming. Calgary Herald, B6.

Calgary Catholic school board trustees voted almost unanimously to establish a drop-dead date of March 1, 2010 to prohibit schools raising money through casinos and bingos.

29-Mar-07. Suit demands free lotto tix. Edmonton Sun, 27.

A $1.1-billion class action lawsuit filed on behalf of a Toronto lottery player is seeking a free lottery ticket to compensate ticket-buyers who may have been defrauded by corrupt retailers.

28-Mar-07. Nova Scotia launches probe into Atlantic Lottery Corp. Red Deer Advocate, A6.

Nova Scotia’s government has launched a probe into ticket sales at the Atlantic Lottery Corp., aiming to determine if retailers are collecting some of their customer’s winnings. The province is concerned because of an independent study showing retailers are winning prizes at rates 10 times higher than their statistical odds.

28-Mar-07. Lottery corp. seeks to assure ticket buyers everything OK. Edmonton Journal, B5.

The Western Canada Lottery Corp. says that people who sell lottery tickets in the Prairies are not put through a screening process, but there is no evidence that they are winning more often than they should.

28-Mar-07 Lottery minister resists calls to resign. Globe and Mail, A9.

Ontario cabinet minister David Caplan resisted opposition calls to resign yesterday, insisting he was in the dark about a multi-million dollar lottery scandal until days before it made news in October, 2006.

27-Mar-07. All’s quiet on WCLC ticket front. Lethbridge Herald, A8.

The police have been asked to review the Ontario ombudsman’s report that widespread lottery fraud by lottery ticket retailers has resulted in millions of dollars falling into dishonest hands. The editorialist suggest that, with so many of Canada’s lottery organizations scrutinizing their operations to ensure public confidence, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) should be doing more to show itself worthy of public trust.

27-Mar-07. Ontario knew of lottery fraud. Globe and Mail, A6.

Ontario government officials initially became aware of questions about retailers winning a disproportionate share of jackpots six months before the scandal at its lottery corporation became public last October, according to documents obtained by The Globe and Mail.

27-Mar-07. The lottery system that failed its gamblers. Globe and Mail, A22.

A 69-page report by Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin describes a Crown corporation that turned a blind eye to fraudulent behaviour and failed to protect the public interest. Mr. Marin was comprehensive in his analysis of the failings of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

27-Mar-07. Rampant fraud ignored by lotto officials. Calgary Sun, 4.

In the report A Game of Trust, Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin said that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. ignored the fact that Ontarians were defrauded of millions of dollars in prizes by crooked retailers.

27-Mar-07. Scratch and lose. National Post, A23.

This article comments on Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin’s report on the Ontario lottery scandal. It was discovered that lottery regulators have been lax in requiring retailers to undergo background checks.

27-Mar-07. Study aims to assist gamblers. Metro Calgary, 3.

University of Calgary PhD psychology student Nicole Peden is researching and testing a new approach to helping problem gamblers. The program is called Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT). She’s looking for about 50 close family members and friends of individuals with gambling problems to participate in a research investigation.