Newfoundland and Labrador premier vows to vote against online gambling proposal

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The growing trend among Canadian provincial governments to operate online gambling facilities is unlikely to extend to Newfoundland and Labrador if the provincial Premier, Danny Williams, has his way. Williams told CBC this week that he's against internet gambling and threatened to vote against it when it comes before the provincial cabinet for consideration.

Newfoundland and Labrador has been studying a proposal from the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) for the province to close budget gaps by participating in a regulated and strictly controlled online gambling initiative.

The ALC has claimed that Cdn$50 million in potential revenue is flowing out of the province through privately owned and operated online gambling websites, many of them offshore.

Thus far the ALC, Lotto Quebec and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation have the support of their respective provincial governments to go online, whilst it is likely that the Ontario government will approve a similar initiative by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Saskatchewan is reported to be considering the possibility.

Ten Constitutional provinces comprise Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. There are also three territories which derive their mandates and powers directly from the federal government - Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon.

Source: InfoPowa News