Atlantic Provinces to Soon Get Online Casino Gaming
Atlantic Lottery Corporation, which serves four Canadian provinces, is looking to implement online casino products. Introduced online casino gaming in New Brunswick as a pilot project in August, Prince Edward Island agreed to go ahead with a similar plan in December, and Nova Scotia is expected to follow suit.
Under Canadian law, almost all forms of gambling are legal in principle, but can only be offered by provincial lottery corporations, so the available forms of gambling depend on what the provinces choose to allow them to offer their lotteries. Atlantic Lottery Corporation argues that an online casino could curb online gambling offshore and keep profits in the Atlantic region.
Online gambling in times of pandemic
The Canadian government is rapidly reconsidering and prioritizing its positions on online gambling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian casinos closed around the same time in the spring as their American counterparts. Only Prince Edward Island reopened its only casino over the summer, New Brunswick waited until September and Nova Scotia until October.
Other types of retail gambling, including lottery ticket sales, have been down in most places. However, online casinos and poker rooms have seen a huge rebound as people seek new ways to entertain themselves from home. This situation has prompted a response in Canada at both the federal and provincial levels. The Liberal government has joined opposition parties to try to legalize single-game sports betting.
The road forward
The Atlantic Lottery Corporation has been trying to convince the provinces to allow online casino products for almost a decade. The first province to approve online casinos has been Prince Edward Island.
Although it is a very small province, online casino products are expected to generate a net profit of around $ 750,000 in the first year of operation, after expenses are deducted. If the four provinces were added together, it is estimated that net revenues would eventually exceed $ 10 million per year.
Nova Scotia is the real prize, with approximately 40% of the total population of the region. The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation itself has said that they are evaluating the possibility of online casinos.
Newfoundland seems a step further, it does not have a casino in the first place and its lottery revenues have been the least affected, although a decrease is recognized. On the issue of online casino games, his Finance Minister Siobahn Coady said only that the government has not made any decision on the matter.
Legalize online gambling for the benefit of all
Gambling abroad has been haunting Canada since the early days of online casinos, without strict regulations. Atlantic Lottery Corporation has said that approximately $ 100 million is estimated to have flowed out of the Atlantic provinces due to offshore gambling, without the control of Canada. Having a regulated website is the safest bet when it comes to dealing with gambling issues and regulating the pace of play in the first place.
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