BCLC Issues Latest Annual Report
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) issued its latest report, showing its earnings, achievements and highlights for the 2012/2013 period.
According to the BCLC, the group earned $1.128 billion in net income, a sum which went far in funding provincial, community and charity programs in British Columbia and Canada.
The breakdown of the BCLC's $1 billion contribution back to the community was as follows:
- $706.8m to the province for public services.
- $147.3m to the Health Special Account for health care, research, education and the promotion of health issues.
- $135m to 5,000 charities and community organizations across the province.
- $84.5m to 31 host local governments with gaming centers or casinos.
BCLC Highlights for 2012/2013
In the BCLC annual report, several highlights of the year were shown, in terms of achievements, responsible gambling campaigns and partnerships.
For starters, the BCLC launched Lotto Express, which offers local players the chance to buy lottery tickets from a debit/credit PIN pad.
According to the corporation, "this technology is now available at over 700 checkout lanes in 100 select grocery stores across BC."
In addition, the BCLC launched PlayNow.com in Manitoba, offering residents of that province the chance to access an online gambling site powered by BCLC, to purchase tickets and play casino games.
BCLC believes that this will ultimately lead to a new line of revenue stream for the group and is already seeking entry into other jurisdictions.
BCLC Endorses Responsible Gambling
BCLC's 2012/2013 highlights also included Responsible Gambling Awareness Weeks in January 2013. These events educated the public through forums and interactive activities, including gambling "myth busting".
A total of 2,300 conversations with the public in 32 locations were held during these weeks. The BCLC also hosted the New Horizons in Responsible Gambling conference in Vancouver, where important discussions were held with experts.
The group said: "For the first time, the BCLC has bolstered its Corporate Social Responsibility reporting in the annual report. Our objective is to strengthen our foundation of social responsibility, while demonstrating leadership in the education and inspiration of our employees, communities and partners."
The group added that while gambling continues to be a popular form of education in British Columbia, people have many choices for how to spend their entertainment dollars. "BCLC aims to stay relevant and create entertaining experiences for players, while doing so in a responsible manner," it said.
