Online gambling linked to risky behaviour, more harms, ALC-commissioned reports say

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Report commissioned by Atlantic Lottery Corporation and obtained by CBC News. Report is one of two commissioned as part of what the corporation has described as "years of planning and independent expert reviews" leading to the development of its iCasino games. New Brunswick finally went all-in last year, allowing ALC to launch a suite of new games for New Brunswickers in August. Nova Scotia and P.E.I. are preparing to follow suit.

Neither of the two ALC-commissioned reports has been made public. The corporation has summarized their conclusions. It found no substantial evidence that the introduction of online casino gambling would have a measurable impact on vulnerable players. However, the RGC report outlined a number of specific risk factors that were "unique" to online gambling. In April 2020 Atlantic Lotto pitched its four shareholder provinces on the iCasino idea. P.E.I. Liberal MLA Robert Henderson said the company "totally disregarded some of those potential risks"

Report says young adults and males are at high risk from online gambling. Atlantic Lotto wants to repatriate Atlantic Canadians who spend $100 million per year gambling on offshore sites. It wants a safe and regulated alternative. It is not irresponsible to do nothing while illegal operators are taking money from Atlantic Canadian citizens.

It's irresponsible to do nothing while illegal operators are taking money from Atlantic Canadians.

ALC has taken steps to reduce risks following the recommendations put forward in the two reports. All staff have received responsible gambling training. Its website features a prominently displayed self-exclusion option allowing players to exclude themselves from the site for a period ranging from six months to three years. ALC is developing a "comprehensive harm minimization strategy" to guide the corporation in how it markets its online games.

All staff at the company have received responsible gambling training. Players can exclude themselves from the site for a period ranging from six months to three years.

ALC-commissioned reports link online gambling to more harms. Province has pledged to earmark proceeds from the new online casino for mental health and addictions programs. Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker wants the government to reverse its decision.