Gambling Information Sources

Government Involvement in Gambling

  • Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC)
    The AGLC issues licenses to conduct charitable gaming. It also conducts and manages the province's VLTs. Ticket lotteries are conducted and managed by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). Falls under the purview of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction.
  • Horse Racing Alberta (HRA)
    A not-for-profit corporation that manages and regulates the horse racing industry in Alberta under the authority of The Horse Racing Alberta Act.
        
  • Alberta Health Services
    Agency funded by the Government of Alberta to provide treatment services for addictions (assumes services provided by Alberta Alcohol & Drug Abuse Commission).
  • Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan
    LGS is a commercial Crown corporation that was established to oversee all lotteries and gaming in the province. LGS provides management oversight for commercial gaming in Saskatchewan, ensuring that lotteries, casinos, VLTs, and online gaming are operated in a socially responsible manner.
     
  • SaskGaming
    SaskGaming operates Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw under the authority of the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA). Ticket lotteries are conducted and managed by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC).
     
  • Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA)
    SIGA operates the First Nations casinos in the province as well as the official provincial online gambling website.
     
  • Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
    The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) is a Treasury Board Crown Corporation. SLGA is the provincial regulator of liquor, gaming and cannabis and the wholesale distributor of liquor in Saskatchewan. 
     
  • SaskLotteries
    Sask Lotteries is part of a network of provincial and territorial organizations that distribute and market regional and national lottery products produced in conjunction with the Western Canada Lottery Corporation and the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation.
  • Liquor, Gaming & Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA)
    The LGCA is the regulator for liquor, gaming, cannabis and horse racing in Manitoba. On April 1, 2014, the regulatory services previously provided by the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and the Manitoba Gaming Control Commission were brought together.
     
  • Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
    Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (originally known as the Manitoba Lotteries Commission when created in 1971) is a Crown corporation of the Province of Manitoba. It conducts and manages gaming in the province (Club Regent and McPhillips Street Station casinos, VLT network, PlayNow.com, breakopen tickets, bingo paper, and distribution of lottery tickets for the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) and the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation). Agreements also in place with provincial First Nations casinos.
  • Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)
    AGCO is responsible for the regulation of the province's casinos, charity casinos and slot machine facilities.
     
  • iGaming Ontario
    Established in July 2021 as a lottery subsidiary corporation of the AGCO. iGaming Ontario is responsible for conducting and managing igaming when provided through private Operators.
     
  • Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG)
    The OLG was created in 1975 as the Ontario Lottery Corporation. It is responsible for the operation of lottery products, charity and aboriginal casinos, commerical casinos, and slots-at-racetracks (racinos).
     
  • Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (Greo)
    A goverment-funded agency with a mandate of knowledge translation and exchange.
     
  • Responsible Gambling Council
    The Council acts as an information clearinghouse, provides awareness and prevention services, and conducts research.
  • Loto-Québec
    Loto-Québec was created in 1969. It operates three casinos and provides related restaurant and lodging services. It also administers a video lottery system and network bingo activities.
     
  • Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux
    Regulates horse racing, lotteries, video lotteries, and publicity contests in the province.
  • New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC)
    A business entity that is responsible for the conduct and management of all provincial gaming. The NBLGC manages the service provider agreement with the casino operator and acts as the New Brunswick shareholder in the ALC. In addition, the NBLGC, in partnership with other stakeholders departments, is responsible for the development and implementation of the province’s responsible gaming initiatives.
  • Gaming Control and Licensing Services (Branch) Justice & Public Safety
    Responsible for the regulation and control of provincial gaming as well as the regulation, control and licensing of charitable gaming in the province.
  • Department of Justice and Public Safety
    Responsible for regulating lottery schemes (e.g., bingos, raffles, casino nights, 50/50 draws, etc.) in the province.
     
  • Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission
    The Commission does not directly operate lotteries or video lotteries but is a shareholder in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and in the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (ILC). The Atlantic Lottery Corporation is a jointly owned corporation of the four Atlantic provinces.

Responsible for regulating lottery schemes (e.g., bingos, breakopen tickets, 50/50 draws, etc.) in the province.

The Province of Newfoundland & Labrador does not directly operate lotteries or video lotteries but is a shareholder in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and in the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (ILC). The Atlantic Lottery Corporation is a jointly owned corporation of the four Atlantic provinces.

  • NWT & Nunavut Lotteries
    The Western Canada Lottery Program (WCLP)  operates under the name Northwest Territories and Nunavut Lotteries. 
     
  • Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) - Licensing
    MACA licenses and regulates charity bingos, Nevada tickets, casinos and raffles under the Lotteries Act, which covers gambling permitted under the Criminal Code of Canada. Lottery licensing authority now rests with 12 NWT communities. Ticket lotteries are conducted and managed by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC).
     
  • Sport North Lottery Authority
    The Lottery Program is responsible for funding Sport North programs and acts as the marketing organization for lottery retailers across the NWT and Nunuvut.
  • NWT & Nunavut Lotteries
    The Western Canada Lottery Program (WCLP)  operates under the name Northwest Territories and Nunavut Lotteries.
     
  • Department of Community and Government Services
    The Department is responsible for regulating the conduct and management of lotteries through the Lotteries Act. Ticket lotteries are conducted and managed by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC).
     
  • Sport North Lottery Authority
    The Lottery Program is responsible for funding Sport North programs and acts as the marketing organization for lottery retailers across the NWT and Nunuvut.
  • Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) (Division of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
    Regulates and supervises pari-mutuel betting on horse racing at racetracks across Canada. The CPMA is financed through a federal levy of eight tenths of one percent (0.8%) collected from each dollar bet in Canada. This came to $14,478,544.44 in 2003.
     
  • Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (ILC)
    This organization joins together the five Canadian lottery corporations and operates Lotto 6/49, Super 7 and Special Event (Celebration). It was formed in 1976 by the Ontario Lottery Corporation (OLC) and the Western Canada Lottery Foundation (WCL). Loto-québec joined in 1978 and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) in 1979.
    "The ILC makes payments to the Government of Canada as a result of an agreement between the Provincial Governments and the Federal Government on the withdrawal of the Federal Government from the lottery field. The agreement requires the provinces, on a combined basis, to make ongoing payments of $24 million in 1979 dollars annually on an inflation adjusted basis [currently $58.4 million]." - Western Canadian Lottery Corporation Annual Report 2003
     
  • Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC)
    The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) was incorporated in 1976 to conduct and manage lotteries in Atlantic Canada. The four shareholders in ALC are the Lotteries Commission of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation, Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission, and the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
     
  • Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC)
    WCLC is a non-profit organization authorized to manage, conduct and operate lottery and gaming-related activities as agent for its Members, the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut participate as associate members. It was originally formed in 1974 as the Western Canada Lottery Foundation.

National Gambling Studies

Binde, P. (2013). Gambling in Sweden: the cultural and socio-political

By: Binde, P. (2013). Addiction.

Study of Gambling Services in the Internal Market of the European Union: Final Report 

Gambling & Problem Gambling Prevalence Studies

  1. Google Spreadsheet

    Data in a spreadsheet format. 

    Open Spreadsheet

  2. PDF

    Data in a PDF. 

    Open PDF

  1. Google Spreadsheet

    Data in a spreadsheet format. 

    Open Spreadsheet

  2. PDF

    Data in a PDF.

    Open PDF

  1. Google Spreadsheet

    Data in a spreadsheet format. 

    Open Spreadsheet

  2. PDF

    Data in a PDF format. 

    Open PDF

This page is a starting point to locate international studies that examine the prevalence of problem gambling in the following countries:

Australia | Belgium | Brazil | Canada | Cyprus - Northern | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia |Finland | France | Germany | Great Britain | Hong Kong | Hungary | Iceland | Isle of Man | Italy |Lithuania | Macau | Netherlands | New Zealand | Northern Ireland | Norway | Singapore | South Africa| South Korea | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | United States

Additional Information: 

Meyer, G., Hayer, T., & Griffiths (Eds.). (2009). Problem gambling in Europe: Challenges, prevention and interventions. New York: Springer.
doi:10.1007/978-0-38709486-1

Shaffer, H. J. et al. (2004). The road less travelled: Moving from distribution to determinants in the study of gambling epidemiology. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 49(8), 504-516.

Stucki, S., & Rihs-Middel, M. (2007). Prevalence of adult problem and pathological gambling between 2000 and 2005: An update. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23(3), 245-257. doi:10.1007/s10899-006-9031-7

Williams, R. J., Volberg, R. A., & Stevens, R. M. G. (2012). The population prevalence of problem gambling: Methodological influences, standardized rates, jurisdictional differences, and worldwide trends. Report prepared for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

 Calado, F., & Griffiths, M. (2016). Problem gambling worldwide: An update and systematic review of empirical research (2000-2015). Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5(4), 592-613. doi:10.1556/2006.5.2016.073

  1. Google Spreadsheet

    Data in a spreadsheet format. 

    Open Spreadsheet

  2. PDF

    Data as a PDF. 

    Open PDF

Statistical Sources

  • Gambling Research Exchange Ontario Datasets
     Gambling Research Exchange Ontario [GREO] creates and translates knowledge to support evidence informed decision-making about gambling and potential harm of gambling. In line with this mandate, Datasets curated on this Dataverse Archive relate to gambling and gambling related problems.
  • The Transparency Project [Division on Addiction, The Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School]
    Description -- This is the first ever public data repository for privately-funded datasets, such as industry-funded data, specifically related to addictive behavior (e.g., alcohol and other drugs, intemperate gambling, excessive shopping, etc.). The Division on Addiction created this repository to promote transparency for privately-funded science and better access to scientific information. All Transparency Project datasets have been de-identified according to HIPAA regulations.  Transparency Project datasets must be IRB approved for posting in the Transparency Project database repository.The Transparency Project makes available datasets collected by multidisciplinary addiction researchers working throughout the world. The Division on Addiction encourages the external contribution of addiction-related research data for thisproject, and will continue to add its own datasets to the repository.
  • Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) [Statistics Canada] 
    The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is a national health survey that asks Canadians about their health and well-being, the factors that affect their health and their use of health care services. [Problem Gambling was optional content for CCHS 3.1 (2005) and only NB chose it; for CCHS 2010, only NB and AB, Nunavut chose it as optional content.]

Alberta Gaming & Liquor Commission Data Requests from Alberta Gambling Research Institute Researchers:

  • Procedure for requesting information for research purposes from AGLC -- Due to their nature, some research investigations depend on access to information or data held by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). A single point of entry has been established and a process to expedite their response and ensure that the proper authorizations are obtained.  More information about accessing this type of data can be obtained by contacting Matt Becigneul at (780) 447-8952.