British Columbia spends a smaller proportion of gaming revenue on problem gambling services than any other government gaming service in Canada, according to a recent study.
A report in the Canadian Gambling Digest showed that B.C. spent less than a third of the Canadian average on services such as the self-exclusion program, gambling counseling, and gambling treatment.
The provincial government receives more than $1 billion a year in revenue from casinos and lotteries run by the B.C. Lottery Corporation.
Of that, it spends 0.49 per cent -- less than half of one per cent, or about $5.385 million -- on services for problem gamblers in 2008/2009, the most recent year considered in the study.
On the other hand, Nova Scotia spends 2.85 per cent of its revenue on problem gambling services. Ontario spends 2.11 per cent, and Quebec spends 1.65 per cent.
Saskatchewan spent 1.47 per cent, Manitoba spent 0.97 per cent, and New Brunswick spent 0.69 per cent.
The Canadian average is 1.46 per cent of gaming revenue going to problem gambling.
B.C.'s contributions are underwhelming for a reason, according to one woman who wrote to CTV News.
She said she had joined the self-exclusion program, which is supposed to help people stay away from casinos.
She did well for a short time, but then relapsed and found herself at the casino, where she said staff were all too willing to let her in.
"I joined the program," said the woman. "It does not work. No one has stopped me or questioned me in the two and a half years of a three year term I signed up for."
Once she won a jackpot, her jackpot was seized, she said. That means that she was pouring money into the slot machines as a problem gambler -- and the casino's program to help only kicked in when they had to give any money back.
"They only escort you out if you win," she said. "It's bad for business."
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Mi-Jung Lee and Jon Woodward
