Bye Bye Bingo, Hello Community Gaming Centre

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 08:16 PM

The Province wants to keep the dabber busy, and appealing to a whole new generation of potential gamblers. Bingo’s appeal is dwindling, so in order to keep the cash flowing, there is a new idea, a Community Gaming Center. That was the subject of a public forum in Prince George Tuesday night.

The “Community Gaming Center” or CGC, features, traditional paper bingo with dabbers, electronic bingo, and what the Lottery Corporation calls “other games” that , according to the information handed out at the public forum, may include Keno, a variety of lottery products, off track horse-betting and yes, slot machines.

The Municipal government has to approve the decision to add slot machines to the city. In this case, the “gaming center” planned for Prince George would have 50 slot machines.

Fred Feddema of BC Lottery Corporation says they have to change the concept of the Bingo Hall, and create an evening out for people. The appeal of Bingo is dwindling, and Bingo needs a new face to get "new young blood", although he admits the Good Time Bingo Hall in P-G is the third largest volume hall in the province, and that it is NOT losing money. In fact, The good time Bingo Hall is a money maker. Feddema says its just a matter of time before it starts declining.

Kelowna and Kamloops each have approved community gaming centres allowing slot machines in their bingo halls, (50 slots in each city) while Williams Lake has 100 slots, Dawson Creek has 75.

In order to permit this gaming center, City Hall would have to change the gaming policy and the zoning bylaw as the only site approved for gaming at this point is the site of Treasure Cove. The current by-law also sets out the number of tables and slot machines that would be allowed, so it too would have to be changed. City Planner Dan Milburn assured the members of the public that this is not a done deal, that there would need to be public consultation and a public hearing.

John Major, owner of the Treasure Cove Casino, and The Good Time Bingo Hall, (referred to as “gaming service provider”) for Prince George, says he envisions a new building downtown that would be closer to the hotels.

How much money would be available for local charities? B.C. Lottery Corporation spokesman Fred Feddema says he can’t answer that, that would be up to the Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch, but there are no guarantees a gaming center would mean more money for charities. Yet, Fred Feddema could tell the people that it would be estimated the city would take in just under 300,000 dollars per year.

There is a major concern , that while the amount of money from gaming is pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into government coffers, the charities are not able to fulfill their obligations to the community because they aren’t getting a big enough piece of the pie. There are more than a hundred charities in Prince George that rely on bingo proceeds. One charity rep claims years ago, charities got 25% of the Bingo take, but now that’s been cut to 3% and dwindling.

Is there a benefit? Well not if you check with Kelowna, which is noting its “gaming center” is reporting a loss in bingo gaming, and an increase in slots. So the problem is, slot money is not supposed to go to charities. Dawson Creek also saw a huge drop in its bingo revenue (25%) B.C. Lottery Corporation rep Fred Feddema believes once people have tried the other types, they will head back across the floor to the Bingo hall where they get more “bang for their buck”.

Mayor Kinsley was not at the session, so he may be surprised to hear the B.C. Lottery Corporation refers to the gaming centers as “entertainment".

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Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 08:16 PM in News by Elaine Macdonald

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Comments

Posted by: spanky on July 19 2005 9:32 PM

IMO sounds like more crap for the welfare clients of old pg. oh well, i bet BARNEY can stop it.

later.............

Posted by: Big_B on July 20 2005 9:17 AM

I disagree with having any type of gambling, be it bingo or a casino.

It is quite well known that for every $1 we take in for gambling revenue, we have to pay out $3 in social costs.

Sadly, gambling was set up to prey on people who come from generational poverty, and sadly it holds them in that generational poverty.

Posted by: gypsy on July 20 2005 12:35 PM

WRONG, Big B. Generational poverty and be damned, although many people on welfare are the consistent Bingo players. They are not the ones who frequent places like the Treasure Cove. Go look at the class in the Bingo Halls, then go to the Treasure Cove and have a look and determine whether they are middle to upper. The upper class can lose a couple grand and walk away still with a smile. The middle class can lose a couple grand, or their paycheque, and they are almost agonizing, as they were in need of that money to cover their living expenses and bills. What these slots do is destroy the middle class, which seems to be what the governments want. Poor people can be controlled, so try and get the majority poor. Rich people do not become too antagonistic-just leave them rich and they create no problems.
I hear constantly, and have heard over a number of years, that we are gradually doing away with our so called "Middle class" and we shall have only two classes-the "rich" and the "poor." NO SIR, we will still have 3 classes. The "rich", the "poor", and the "destitute". Governments will have total control over the poor and destitute. They have clearly shown they care not if charities remain in existence. Imagine, more than 100 charities in this city alone. No wonder I run for my phone and a stranger on the other end is asking for something. Just one gimme after another. I would prefer if they left me alone, and I do not need the door knockers either. So it is now recognized that many people feel it is an invasion when others have the freedom to bother them at will. Better they obtain their take at a Bingo Hall, taking from the needy to give to the needy. How foolish this all is.
You can pour a lot more money into a slot in a very short time than they spend at Bingo. Money does last longer in the Bingo Hall. The governments want it all the way around the board.Many people will leave a so called "entertainment" centre without a dime.
There is no such thing as "bang for the buck."
What a world we live in!!

Posted by: Big_B on July 21 2005 1:07 PM

Uh Gypsy,

My point is that I don't like gambling be it rich folks or po' folks doing the gambling.

They all contribute to a much greater social cost.