Provincial gaming gains, Sydney online casino traffic up

Gains from the province’s regulated gaming trade improved 1.6 per cent in 2017 18 over the outdated fiscal year, a year that additionally saw a marked boost in traffic at Sydney casino Nova Scotia area.

Universal, better earnings were pushed by using boom in wagering in online casino traffic and VLT betting, but a significant reduce in charitable lotteries.

Figures released Thursday by using the Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. exhibit its price to the province for the year was $146.9 million in comparison to $100 and 44.6 million in 2016 17.

“The sustainability of Nova Scotia’s regulated gaming business depends upon it being managed in a socially accountable manner,” Bob MacKinnon, president and CEO of the Crown organization, noted in a news unlock.

total gaming wagering improved in 2017 18 through 2.5 per cent to $1.39 billion, with prizes of $1.040 billion up from $1.008 billion the old yr. VLT gaming wagering was up through 1.6 per cent, with casinos up with the aid of 7.5 per cent and wagering via Atlantic Lottery turned into up by using 2.3 per cent.

Charitable lotteries saw a lesson in pastime by way of 15.9 per cent, whereas bingo changed into down by way of 3.6 per cent.

The share of total wager accounted for by way of VLTs became 43.2 per cent in 2017 18, down from 43.6 per cent in 2016 17. The share of complete wager for casinos turned into 33.4 per cent, up from 31.9 per cent in 2016 17. The share of total wager spent on ALC lotteries represented 16.2 per cent of complete wager, whereas bingos and charitable lotteries accounted for 2.9 and 4.2 per cent respectively.

On the Sydney online casino, there have been $109.1 million in bets placed in 2017 18, in comparison to $100 and 1.6 million a 12 months earlier. The amount of revenue to the province was up by way of $800.000.

The variety of guests accelerated to 418,610 up from 330,546 a yr. previous.

The variety of employees on the Sydney casino held consistent at 126.

At $464.7 million, the wager at Nova Scotia’s Halifax and Sydney casinos this 12 months changed into up 7.5 per cent from $432.5 million in 2016 17. Casino wager accounted for 33.4 per cent of the whole provincial wager in 2017 18, compared to 31.9 per cent the 12 months earlier than. Prize payouts at the casinos elevated 6.6 per cent to $387.5 million this 12 months, representing 83.4 per cent of the whole casino wager. Provincial salary from casino operations rose 11.6 per cent to $29.5 million in 2017 18, from $26.4 million in 2016 17.

The gaming industry in Nova Scotia employs more than 500 people.

The gaming business for 2017 18 saw $38.7 million in commissions for 1.335 small enterprise homeowners; $6.6 million for the prevention, training and medicine of issue playing; $7.8 million to fund essential community based courses, together with recreation, way of life and the humanities.

The business enterprise’s program Support4Sport software raised $3 million this yr. to assist athletes of all expertise. A further $4 million turned into raised through the Support4Culture application for Nova Scotia arts, tradition and heritage, up from $2.3 million ultimate year.