15-Jun-09. Aboriginal radio coming, and there’ll be bingo. Edmonton Journal, A1.

Radio bingo is coming to Edmonton airwaves this summer as rural-based aboriginal radio station CFWE-FM expands. Radio bingo is a side program for CFWE-FM that began in 1996 as a way for the station to finance capital projects like the Edmonton transmitter. Most bingo players buy their cards from a network of rural corner stores, pizza places and native friendship centres. If a player wins, they phone in and give their card number which is then checked automatically when the verifier punches the code into a computer.

13-Jun-09. Casino operator downgraded. Edmonton Journal, E3.

Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, which owns the Baccarat and Palace Casinos in Edmonton, had its rating lowered to negative Friday by Moody’s. Burnaby,  B.C.-based Gateway is struggling with continuation of significant leverage, earnings challenges related to weak gaming demand trends, a slow ramp-up of its Grand Villa Burnaby expansion, and increased competition among existing casino operators, Moody’s said.

22-Feb-09. Gaming fundraisers to continue. Edmonton Journal, A6.

Edmonton’s Catholic schools will not stop fundraising through bingos and casinos, despite  moves by St. Albert’s school district to phase out the practice. The Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools District this month moved closer to eliminating fundraising from casinos, lotteries and bingos. Edmonton’s 84 Catholic schools raise about $3-million per year through casino fundraising. The money goes towards field trips, athletics, transportation and computer equipment.

5-Feb-09. Gambling business has two faces. Edmonton Journal, B1.

This article provides details about the current state of Alberta’s gambling industry. Staff at the Baccarat Casino in Edmonton say that the economic downturn has not had a major effect on business at the casino. The provincial government’s second-quarter forecast notes that gambling revenue is actually beating the estimates in last year’s budget and that the province should bring in $1.536-billion this year, up from a forecast of $1.516-billion. Garry Smith of the Alberta Gaming Research Institute cautions that the industry isn’t recession-proof and that most forms of gambling in the province have either stagnated or gone down slightly – with the exception of video lottery terminals (VLTs).

24-Oct-08. Lottery issues plea for boost in ticket sales. Edmonton Journal, B4.

Organizers of Edmonton’s Caritas Hospitals Lottery are making a last-ditch appeal for the public to support the fundraising initiative. About 20,000 tickets, or 46 per cent, remain unsold this fall with the November 9 deadline looming. Caritas health care facilities are government funded, but lottery proceeds have been used to pay for extras such as minimal invasive surgical suites, intensive care equipment, and upgrades to palliative care and labour and delivery facilities.

20-Jul-08. Public cool to new arena. Edmonton Journal, A1.

A new public opinion study indicates that a plebiscite over using civic funds to build a new downtown arena in Edmonton would fail if it were held right now. The study was co-authored by University of Alberta sports business professor Dan Mason and conducted in late 2007 and early 2008. The study interviewed more than 900 Albertans from both Calgary and Edmonton and was funded by the Alberta Gaming Research Institute.

21-Dec-07. Enoch Cree buck smoking legislation. Edmonton Journal, B4.

The Enoch Cree Nation is fighting new  provincial smoking legislation with a bylaw that will allow patrons of its River Cree Casino to smoke. The new bylaw is modelled after one on the Tsuu T’ina reserve near Calgary that will allow the new casino to be exempt from the Tobacco Reducation Act, which will prohibit smoking in all work and public places as of January 1, 2008.

31-Jul-07. Bingo thief blames gambling addiction. Edmonton Journal, B3.

The manager of a Sherwood Park bingo hall is blaming her gambling loss of thousands of charity dollars on an addiction to slot machines.  Lisa Ann Heidebrecht was caught after embezzling nearly $190,000 from teh Riviera Bingo Association, and has pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000.  She has apologized to the charitable association, but has refused counselling.

20-Jul-07. Saturday night’s all right for fighting. Edmonton Journal, B8.

The River Cree Resort outside of Edmonton will begin hosting “ultimate fighting” matches to draw people into the casino.  The first match will be held July 21, with other matches to follow every four to six weeks.  Because the casino is outside city limits, the band council had to form its own regulatory body for the sport - the River Cree Combative Sports Commission.

4-Jul-07. Bookmakers lose bar, not court case. Edmonton Journal, B8.

Kim Seppola and Doug Munro, owners of an Edmonton bar, had their criminal charges stayed in the matter of illegal sports betting.  The problems with the court case revolve around innaccurate recording of the investigators notes, making a guilty verdict unlikely.  Mo’s Sports Bar remains closed, however, as its liquor licence was revoked in 2006.