An independent researcher will study the number of video lottery terminals in Saskatchewan and seek to determine whether cutting that number would alleviate problem gambling.
As of March 31, 2005, there were 3,971 VLTs at 697 sites in 324 communities. The province has a cap of 4,000 machines.
The board of the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority has approved the study, which will look at the experiences of other jurisdictions around the world.
Deb Higgins, the minister responsible for SLGA, said some other provinces are looking at reducing the number of VLTs or restricting play.
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“You’ll get a number of opinions,” she told reporters. “Whether it’s restricting them to casinos, restricting their hours of use, adjusting the machines themselves by getting rid of the stop button, limiting the time that they can be in play.”
Problem gambling
Some studies suggest that Saskatchewan has the highest rate of problem gambling to match its high number of VLTs.
There are also nearly 2,000 slot machines in the province’s casinos. The number will increase when two new casinos open later this year in Swift Current and Whitecap Dakota First Nation near Saskatoon.
The government first brought in VLTs in 1993 when the hospitality industry complained that local businesses, particularly in rural Saskatchewan, were suffering because residents were travelling to other jurisdictions to play.
In 2004-05, net income for the province from VLTs was $193.8 million.
Higgins said she hoped a researcher would be hired some time this month and a report done by late summer. She didn’t know if the report would be made public, but noted it was public concern that led to the study, so releasing it would be appropriate.
The provincial Liberal party has suggested the number of VLTs and slot machines be cut by 2,000. The Saskatchewan Party wants a study of the social impacts of gaming.
