3-Nov-09. Disputed $17M lotto prize released. Calgary Herald, B1.

A judge has ordered that lottery prize of $17-million be turned over to a  Calgary man after a challenger dropped his claim for a portion of the prize. Seguro Ndabene says he’s bitter lottery officials made him wait for eight months despite what he insists was a frivolous claim. He plans to sue the lottery corporation for interest on the money.

28-Oct-09. $17M lottery dispute goes to court. Calgary Herald, A1.

A $17-million lottery prize is now in the hands of the Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary as it tries to sort out the righful winner of the money. The ticket is held by a man who has previously collected four major lottery prizes, including a $1-million win last year. The man was part of a group-buying agreement arranged out of the same kiost where the winning ticket was bought and it is possible that others may stake a claim to a share of the prize.

24-Oct-09. Gambling 101. Lethbridge Herald, A1.

To recognize Alberta’s Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, this feature article examines problem gambling prevention efforts in the Province of Alberta. University of Lethbridge professor Dr. Robert Williams says that these is little evidence that educational techniques have a big impact on preventing problem gambling. It does, however, have the potential to be effective with adolescents before they develop superstitious gambling beliefs and behaviour. Williams says little education about gambling is provided in schools around the world, unlike for smoking, drinking and safe sex.

24-Oct-09. Improving odds in fight to curb problem gambling. Lethbridge Herald, A8.

This editorialist says that additional prevention efforts need to be directed at youth in order to stem gambling problems later in life. University of Lethbridge professors Robert Williams and Robert Wood have developed a five-session curriculum for use in schools that has proven effective in preventing problem gambling. At present, all that is available to Alberta schools on the issue of gambling addiction is a one-hour session from AADAC that schools must request.

19-Oct-09. Gambling against city charities. Calgary Herald, A12.

In this editorial, the author discusses urban-rural issues confronting the committee that has been formed to review casino proceeds to charitable organizations in Alberta. Liberal MLA for Calgary Buffalo Kent  Hehr says the Tories have a long history of diverting money from the cities to rural areas.

15-Oct-09. Casino changes threaten charities. Calgary Herald, B1.

Leslie Evans, the executive director of the Federation of Calgary Communities, will argue today that the Province of Alberta should not change how casino proceeds are distributed to charitable organizations. An MLA committee reviewing casino proceeds for charitable organizations will soon be meeting in Calgary for round table talks to ensure proceeds are distributed equitably. At present, there are sharp earnings differences between regions. In Calgary, between April and June, the charitable proceeds per event were $76,109, according to the commission, versus $18,246 in Medicine Hat.

10-Oct-09. Odds favour more help for gamblers. Red Deer Advocate, A2.

Problem gamblers in Alberta who have signed up for voluntary self-exclusion bans from casinos will be subject to fines of up to $250 if they’re found inside gaming establishments, starting November 1st. Gaming regulators are also looking at the possibility of forcing all casino-goers to produce photo identification cards to weed out problem gamblers. University of Calgary gambling researcher Dr. David Hodgins says no magic bullet exists in taming gambling addictions but lauded efforts to reduce them. He notes that the real proof of success in such campaigns are shrinking gambling revenues collected by the province – something that’s rarely been seen in Alberta in recent years.

9-Oct-09. Gamblers face fines for violating deals. Calgary Herald, A7.

As of November 1, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will penalize voluntary self-exclusion program participants if they are caught gambling at a casino or racing entertainment centre. The fine was one of 22 recommendations made in a 2007 evaluation of the province’s voluntary self-exclusion program, which allows people to take a break from gambling by self-imposing a ban on themselves from casinos and racing centres. The evaluation was based on a survey with program participants, casino management and security staff, gambling researchers and gambling treatment professionals. The 1,600 Albertans enrolled in the program agree to have their names and photos distributed to gaming facilities across the province.

29-Sep-09. New foundation to assist fundraising. Calgary Herald, A1.

School district officials say the Catholic Education Foundation of Calgary, expected to begin in December, won’t be a replacement for the $2-million raised annually for schools through casinos and bingo events. The district two years ago announced a ban on all casino and bingo fundraisers, effective March 2010, following a public feud between Bishop Fred Henry and Catholic school board trustees. Other Catholic school boards in the province are also struggling with the issue of gambling fundraisers and how to move away from them according to Ted Paszek, president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.

29-Sep-09. Redistribution of charitable casino dollars sparks battle. Calgary Herald, A4.

The Alberta government earlier this month appointed a committee of government MLAs to review Alberta’s charitable gaming model and make recommendations for how to revamp rules regarding the pooling of casino dollars, wait times for holding an event and the number of volunteers needed. The province has been hearing concerns that groups in rural Alberta are receiving less in charitable casino revenues – about $18,000 each per event in Medicine Hat – compared to about $76,000 in Calgary. Leslie Evans, executive director of the Federation of Calgary Communities, which represents 143 Calgary community associations, is concerned that urban charities could lose funding to rural charities.