Maybe the US should take a lesson from our neighbors from the north!

[The Judge]

Gambling worth $2.3 billion to Alberta
Gaming funds many programs, but national study downplays dark side
By: Florence Loyie
The Edmonton Journal
Wednesday, April 09

EDMONTON - Alberta gamblers contributed $2.3 billion to the province's economy in 2006, of which more than $1.6 billion went into government and charity coffers, says a study released Tuesday.

Of that figure, $1.3 billion went into the Alberta Lottery Fund, which used the money to fund thousands of volunteer and community-based initiatives and programs across the province, said Lynn Hutchings-Mah of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.

"It goes into things like environmental issues. I've seen it used for funding field trips, purchasing playground equipment and funding things like libraries, book fairs, festivities to world seniors curling. Every community in Alberta benefits," she said.

The study, released by the Canadian Gaming Association, looked at the economic impact of Canada's gaming industry. It found that the industry's total revenues across Canada hit $15.3 billion in 2006 from $6.4 billion in 1995.

Of the $15.3 billion, governments and charities received almost $8.7 billion. The remaining $6.6 billion went to sustain gambling operations.

An Ontario problem gambling researcher slammed the gaming association study as a "public relations move" designed to downplay the dark side of gambling.

"Clearly, it is a public relations exercise, and perhaps a very good one," said Judith Glynn, director of grants operations at the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre. "When you're looking at economic impact, you have to look at social and economic impact and it's difficult because some of the things you can measure in numbers and dollars and some of them are more qualitative in terms of changes in the character of a community and people's sense of safety, sense of pride in their community.

"Even if you're just looking at the economic impact, this study does not identify the opportunity costs, and that is, what would happen if the money that people in the local community spent on gambling was spent elsewhere."

The Canadian Gaming Association represents gaming industry operators, manufacturers and suppliers.

The study also found more than 267,000 Canadians are employed full-time in the gaming industry and the businesses which it supports, resulting in $11.6 billion in salaries, wages and other income in 2006.

The study marks the first time that detailed analysis of the employment and economic impact of the country's gambling industry has been broken out by province. Ontario leads the pack with 102,236 jobs, followed by Quebec with 51,636, Alberta with 43,342 and B.C. with 32,246. The numbers include those employed directly in the industry, in gambling-related government and charitable organizations, and jobs that service and support gambling.

"Gaming has grown significantly over the past decade to become an essential pillar of the entertainment industry in Canada," said Bill Rutsey, president and CEO of the gambling association. "It is now demonstrably clear how the majority of spending in the industry goes directly back to Canadians in the form of paycheques, construction in communities and revenues for programs and services and charities that we value."

Rutsey said between half a per cent to 1.5 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers.

"People that have a problem with gambling, that is a very serious problem for them, but I think you need to contextualize that," he said. "Here in Canada, we spend more money than any other jurisdiction in the world on the research and treatment of people with problem gambling -- $90 million a year."

Glynn said the actual rate of problem gambling is much higher. "I find it interesting the association uses the smaller figure which most of the research community doesn't use," she said. The research community identifies 3.8 per cent of the population as having moderate to severe gambling problems, she said. "You can't say that a tiny percentage of the population develops problems," added Glynn. "We're talking about a problem that has a serious impact on a large circle of people around them."

Robert Scarpellie, the gaming association study's author, said the breadth and depth of the industry is significant.

"We've always known that employment in gaming operations was robust, but the impact of the industry surprised us. We now, for the first time, have a picture of the industry's full impact across the country," he said.

In addition to revenue generated for government and charities in 2006, the industry also invested nearly $10 billion in building new facilities and buying equipment, the study says.

About 85 per cent of adult Canadians gamble in one form or another, a figure which is reflective of worldwide norms, the study says.

[Dr. Jack]

That would make to much sense though

[Wellahiya]

lol, i don't know about other countries, but in Germany the lottery was invented (and made a monopol for the government) to pay the zoos and orphanages with the money they earn.