Liberals’ actions on problem gambling questionable

Halifax -- A new NDP Freedom of Information request shows that the Liberals’ decision to abandon the My Play program was due, in part, to a “significant drop in revenue.” In emails to Finance Minister Karen Casey, a government staff member admits the My Play system was acting as a disincentive to people using VLTs. Revenues from VLTs increased by $10 million the year following the elimination of My Play.

“When people struggle with problem gambling it affects their whole life and their family. Any decision to change a program that was meant to prevent people from becoming addicted to VLTs certainly shouldn’t have been made so that the province could make more money,” said NDP Finance spokesperson Claudia Chender.

When My Play was cancelled in 2014, the Minister responsible for the Gaming Control Act said it would be “morally wrong to do this, to increase revenue”.

The NDP FOI was filed in response to the controversy in 2018 over the Gaming Corporation’s decision to spend more than $7000 to fly in witnesses to speak in favour of Bill 49 which amended the Gaming Control Act.

“The conversation at Law Amendments Committee to update the Voluntary Self Exclusion program was highly unusual,” said Chender. “The casinos pay fees to the Responsible Gaming Council for accreditation every three years and the council seem to have been the ones who suggested a review of the existing Voluntary Self Exclusion Program. To then have a Crown Corporation spend public money to fly in favourable witnesses is inappropriate.”

This Freedom of Information disclosure was one of two released to the NDP Caucus months after its deadline. Files were supposed to be provided by January 2019 after an extension was granted in November 2018, but the FOI was not received by the NDP Caucus until January 2, 2020.

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