gambling in alberta - Research Services - University of Lethbridge

Bingo
Charitable and religious groups have provided bingo in Alberta since the 1920s, using their
exemption under the Criminal Code to conduct small raffles. The main changes concerning
bingo in terms of legal regulation and provision have been as follows:
1920s Courts rule that bingo constitutes a violation of the prohibition against ‘common gaming houses’,
as the operator receives a financial gain from its provision.
1938 Criminal Code amended to clarify that a place is not a ‘common gaming house’ if it is
‘occasionally’ used by charitable or religious groups and the proceeds from the games go to
charitable or religious causes.
1969 Criminal Code amendment to permit the operation of lottery schemes by the federal government
or provincial governments either alone or in combination with other provincial governments.
Provincial governments, in turn, could issue a gaming licence to charitable or religious
organizations, agricultural fairs or exhibitions, or any individual. However charitable/religious
organizations are permitted to operate lottery schemes only if proceeds used for charitable or
religious purposes, tickets cost no more than 50 cents, and the prize does not exceed $100.
1979 Dedicated bingo halls begin operation (3 in Edmonton).
1982 With the creation of dedicated bingo halls it becomes a requirement that groups of charities have
to form ‘bingo associations’ so as to coordinate bingo events in these venues. In subsequent
years the large majority of bingo revenue derives from ‘Association’ bingo.
1985 Criminal Code amendment eliminates the monetary limits on raffle prizes and tickets operated
by authorized charitable or religious organizations.
1993 Alberta government grants permission to the Tsuu T’ina First Nation and the Enoch Cree First
Nation to hold super-bingos with jackpots exceeding $10,000.
1996 Linked Satellite Bingo is introduced into some bingo halls by a private provider.
2000 AGLC implements the majority of recommendations from the Bingo Review Committee: creation
of a provincial bingo manager, explicit criteria for granting bingo licences, clearer definition of
‘charitable organization’ and ‘charitable purpose’, 16 and 17 year olds able to participate in nonassociation
bingo events.
2003 Digital (DIGI) Bingo (hand-held electronic device that replaces paper cards) and electronic Keno
are introduced into bingo halls.
The main indices that speak to changes concerning the actual availability of bingo are the: a)
total number of bingo licences issued each year, as reported in Table 3, with these same figures
adjusted for population increases seen in Figure 3; b) total number of licensed bingo halls each
year as reported in Table 4, with these same figures adjusted for population increases in Figure
4; c) total number of bingo events each year as reported in Table 5, with these same figures
adjusted for population increases in Figure 5.
As can been seen, per adult bingo availability steadily increased until the mid 1990s but has
declined since that time to levels not seen since the 1970s.
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