Criticizing Casino 101
Ad for event that teaches people basics of gambling tabled in legislature on April 2
Opposition Leader Hal Perry is wondering how a Casino 101 event planned for this weekend at the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino in Charlottetown, which promotes instruction on “how the slot machines work,” falls in line with the province’s efforts to promote responsible gambling.
Perry raised the event during question period on April 2, as part of a series of questions about gambling addiction in the province. Perry noted that a provincial gambling study prepared by the province in 2021 suggested nine per cent of P.E.I. residents are at risk of harm due to problem gambling.
An ad for the Casino 101 event, planned for April 6, was tabled by Perry in the legislature. The ad notes the event is free and encourages attendees to “learn to play our casino games.”
The ad urges players to “learn all the basics of blackjack, how the slot machines work and how to keep your play healthy and fun.”
"The gambling casino appears to be going all out with this little training session for gambling," Perry said during question period.
"So, minister, is this part of your gambling strategy? Teaching people how to use slot machines?"
"No, that's not part of our strategy," Finance Minister Jill Burridge said in response.
Burridge also said she understood that Red Shores and the Atlantic Lotteries Commission have been promoting “healthy play,” which emphasizes limits on bets and on play-time.
Burridge said she had not been aware of the Casino 101 event until she was asked about it. She also outlined the challenge for regulating gambling in P.E.I.
“While there are people that are in this gambling space (for whom) it may not be healthy for them, there are also a great population out there that want to engage – and engage in healthy way,” Burridge said.
“It's a social interaction for them. So there is a place for that."
Nonetheless, Burridge said she would find out more about the Casino 101 event.
“Now that I know about it, I can certainly make a call to learn more about what they're trying to do there,” she said.
VLT QUESTIONS
During his questions, Perry also asked about the province’s plans to curb the use of video lottery terminals in the province.
The P.E.I. Lotteries Commission, which falls under the jurisdiction of Burridge, released a responsible gambling strategy in August 2023. One of the priorities of the strategy calls for the province to “limit access to video lottery terminals.” It also calls for advertising campaigns
to “consider player/citizen protections” and to consider a model of advertising that avoids ads for “games shown (to) be higher-risk.”
Public health experts have criticized video lottery terminals for years due to their tendency to promote continuous, uninterrupted play by gamblers.
But Perry noted that a significant portion of the Red Shores revenue comes from video lottery terminals.
He also noted that the Atlantic Lottery Corporation’s most recent report showed a dramatic increase in revenue from P.E.I.
“You've heard the stories and so have I. A mother goes into a bar after work, just got paid, ends up sinking a couple hundred dollars into a VLT, seeking temporary relief from a financial trouble that she might be in,” Perry said.
"As responsible people given the job of leading this province, really, how can we continue to allow this scourge to hurt so many people?"
Burridge said the province’s responsible gambling strategy has focused on educating Island residents about the harms of gambling as well as healthy play options.
“There are people who want to gamble. And it's our job to ensure that they're gambling in a responsible way using healthy play,” Burridge said.