The opposition party in the Nova Scotia Assembly has put the Atlantic Lottery Corp.’s (ALC) promotion of online gaming squarely in its sights.
It’s particularly critical of practices such as ALC’s offer of a $20 voucher when customers sign up for a new online account.
Assembly member Murray Ryan criticized the government’s policy, which he compared to casting breadcrumbs in front of people who wouldn’t normally gamble. “It’s like, ‘Here’s free money, here’s the website to go to,’ ” he declared. “Whereas without that voucher, without that coming in the mail, many Nova Scotians would never go looking for it, would never come across it.”
The government authorized the Crown lottery corporation to create an online casino, a decision that immediately from organizations that treat gambling disorders.
The government counters that it is trying to draw residents away from offshore gaming websites that lack consumer protections.
Ryan is skeptical, insisting that the government is looking at boosting revenues, which, he notes, have plummeted under pummeling from Covid-19, which has forced hundreds of bars, restaurants and casinos to close. He said, “This could have been done years ago if it was truly just, ‘We want to set up something that’s safe, secure and gamblers don’t have to worry because their information is rock solid.’ ”
Opposition Leader Gary Burrill added, “If there was ever a wrong time to be incentivizing a program such as this, this would be it.”
