Casinos in Alberta - Alberta Gambling Research Institute - University ...
Casinos in Alberta - Alberta Gambling Research Institute - University ...
Casinos in Alberta - Alberta Gambling Research Institute - University ...
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1975 – 1980 – Proliferation of Temporary Charitable Cas<strong>in</strong>o Gambl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
In 1975, the Attorney-General’s department of the <strong>Alberta</strong> Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Government began<br />
to grant multi-day cas<strong>in</strong>o licenses <strong>in</strong> order to assist charitable organizations with the<br />
generation of revenue. It is believed that one particular four-day cas<strong>in</strong>o event <strong>in</strong> Calgary<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1975 marked the first major <strong>in</strong>terpretation of a section <strong>in</strong> the Crim<strong>in</strong>al Code allow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
organizations to manage a lottery scheme (Campbell, 1981; Beare, Jamieson, & Gilmore,<br />
1988). Start<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 1976, the cas<strong>in</strong>o licens<strong>in</strong>g system was based on “cas<strong>in</strong>os be<strong>in</strong>g an<br />
alternative fundrais<strong>in</strong>g activity by eligible community organizations, which were required<br />
to be accountable for the use of proceeds and the conduct and management of cas<strong>in</strong>o<br />
gambl<strong>in</strong>g be<strong>in</strong>g the responsibility of the charity” (<strong>Alberta</strong> Gam<strong>in</strong>g and Liquor<br />
Commission, 2001). Dur<strong>in</strong>g this period, commentators have suggested that cas<strong>in</strong>os had<br />
undergone a transformation from an enterta<strong>in</strong>ment-oriented <strong>in</strong>dustry to one that was<br />
motivated by fund-rais<strong>in</strong>g (Campbell & Pont<strong>in</strong>g, 1984).<br />
1981 – 1990 -- Establishment of Permanent Charitable <strong>Cas<strong>in</strong>os</strong><br />
<strong>Alberta</strong>’s first permanent, privately-operated charitable cas<strong>in</strong>os were opened <strong>in</strong> Calgary<br />
(1980 – Cash Cas<strong>in</strong>o) and <strong>in</strong> Edmonton (1981 – Cas<strong>in</strong>o ABS). Random draws were held<br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 1981 to determ<strong>in</strong>e the dates when an eligible charity could hold a cas<strong>in</strong>o<br />
event. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the 1980’s, a series of small changes were made to how charitable cas<strong>in</strong>os<br />
were permitted to operate (e.g., allowable cas<strong>in</strong>os per week <strong>in</strong>creased to eight from four,<br />
number of blackjack tables permitted per cas<strong>in</strong>o <strong>in</strong>creased, bett<strong>in</strong>g limited raised to $50,<br />
etc.).<br />
1990 - 2000 – Significant Growth & Expansion of Cas<strong>in</strong>o Gambl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Even before the <strong>in</strong>troduction of slot mach<strong>in</strong>es to <strong>Alberta</strong> cas<strong>in</strong>os and rac<strong>in</strong>g enterta<strong>in</strong>ment<br />
facilities <strong>in</strong> 1996, the number of permanent cas<strong>in</strong>o facilities was <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g. In 1994,<br />
there were three permanent cas<strong>in</strong>os <strong>in</strong> Calgary and well as <strong>in</strong> Edmonton (Ocean, 1996).<br />
By 1995, the number of prov<strong>in</strong>cial facilities had <strong>in</strong>creased to 11 full-time cas<strong>in</strong>os and<br />
three that operated on weekends (<strong>Alberta</strong> Gam<strong>in</strong>g and Liquor Commission, 2001). Also<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the late 1990s, the cas<strong>in</strong>os themselves were transform<strong>in</strong>g from basic gambl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
parlours to larger and more sophisticated dest<strong>in</strong>ations. Examples of these changes<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded allow<strong>in</strong>g the doubl<strong>in</strong>g of the maximum number of slot mach<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> cas<strong>in</strong>o<br />
facilities, for liquor to be served on the gam<strong>in</strong>g floor, and an allowance to operate on<br />
Sundays. The profitability of slot mach<strong>in</strong>es no doubt helped spur this growth post-1996.<br />
Interest<strong>in</strong>gly, Campbell (1997) had accurately predicted that cas<strong>in</strong>o management<br />
companies and prov<strong>in</strong>cial governments <strong>in</strong> <strong>Alberta</strong> and British Columbia would not be<br />
able to resist the allure of larger “urban” cas<strong>in</strong>o-style gambl<strong>in</strong>g that was be<strong>in</strong>g developed<br />
<strong>in</strong> other Canadian prov<strong>in</strong>ces.<br />
Another important development <strong>in</strong> the development of cas<strong>in</strong>o-style gambl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Alberta</strong><br />
was the 1996 <strong>in</strong>troduction of slot mach<strong>in</strong>es to the Edmonton Northlands horse rac<strong>in</strong>g<br />
facility as part of an <strong>in</strong>itiative to revitalize the horse rac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
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