Council open to hiking number of tables, slot machines at city's two casinos
Vancouver city council voted this week to allow for applications to increase the number of slot machines and tables at the city's two casinos, on the condition they be accompanied by an assessment of their social and economic impacts.
The request to amend the city's 2011 gambling moratorium was made by the B.C. Lottery Corp., which told council the city's population has increased 22 per cent in the past decade and that the amendment is a first step to allow BCLC to look at ways of expanding its two facilities — the Parq casino in Yaletown and Hastings Racecourse in East Vancouver — rather than building more casinos.
Parq is allowed 600 slot machines and 75 table games, while Hastings Racecourse can have 600 slot machines, but no table games. City staff said the amendment allows BCLC to submit a rezoning or development permit application for construction that includes gambling expansion. It was not clear from the meeting how many more slots or tables BCLC is seeking.
Critics said the meeting over a staff recommendation to amend the 13-year-old moratorium seemed rushed.
“People don't really know about this,” Sandy Garossino, a former Crown prosecutor and community advocate, said before the meeting.
In 2011, public hearings involving thousands of people and months of study led to council adopting a moratorium on any applications for expanding gaming venues in the city until BCLC conducted a comprehensive consultation on any expansion and implemented industry best practices for preventing and treating problem gambling, as well as protecting against money laundering, fraud and organized crime.
“That's all it has to do to bring on an application, so it's not exactly clear why the city isn't asking for that,” said Garossino, who spoke to council ahead of the vote. “Why are they trying to get out of these very reasonable conditions?”
Council voted 5-3 in favour of amending the moratorium and allowing applications for gambling expansion to be received as long as they “include an assessment of the health, social and economic impacts of the proposals.”
Councillors Adriane Carr, Pete Fry and Christine Boyle opposed the move, saying there needs to be more public engagement and consideration of impacts.