We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – Social Responsibility is one of our core values at Atlantic Lottery. That’s why we have a robust Responsible Gambling (RG) strategy: to educate our players and to support them in making informed decisions. When players know the facts, they play for fun and entertainment.

In the first installment of our three-part series on responsible gambling at Atlantic Lottery, we discussed the features in place for our online platform, alc.ca. In the second installment of the series, we looked at the RG features used in our retail and destination lines of business.

In this third and final installment of the series, we will discuss the RG features used at our Red Shores locations.

Red Shores Charlottetown offers the only casino on P.E.I., with over 150 slots, blackjack, UTH, baccarat, and a private poker room. A second Red Shores location in Summerside offers a gaming floor with VLTs. Both locations are home to major harness racing events, a long-celebrated and important piece of Island heritage.

Our Red Shores locations have a robust RG program with many features falling into the three categories we’ve previously discussed in this series: education, action and awareness.

Education

Both Red Shores locations are very proud to have a dedicated PlayWise Information Centre onsite to provide information on healthy play, educational tools and links to community resources. This area is an inviting location where guests are encouraged to sit back and take a break from play. Trained PlayWise Advisors are also onsite to provide information on gambling facts, healthy play habits and support to players, employees and guests.

Beyond the Information Centre, PlayWise materials are also available throughout both Red Shores facilities and a scrolling banner promoting the toll-free gambling support line is shown on each terminal for players who are interested in receiving free and confidential support.

Every Red Shores employee receives training on the PlayWise resources available onsite, their role and responsibilities related to RG, and guidance on how to support a player who approaches them with a gambling-related concern.

Other educational resources include a slot tutorial program that informs players on how the slot machines work, explaining odds and randomness, and a M.A.R.G.I. kiosk. M.A.R.G.I. stands for Mobile Access to Responsible Gambling Information and offers four interactive activities for guests and information on gambling and community support.

Action

When it comes to guests, Red Shores facilities are committed to doing our part to create a healthy, fun and entertaining experience for those who’re 19 years of age or older. Guests of all ages are welcome at Red Shores locations, but only those who are 19+ are able to participate in gambling activities. In the same vein, guests who show signs of intoxication will not be permitted to remain onsite. Just like in our destination line of business with VL terminals, players are not permitted to receive credit for gaming or cash any type of cheque.

For those who feel like they need a break from play, Red Shores offers a Self-Exclusion programs where players can voluntarily ban themselves from the gaming floor for periods of 6, 12, 24 or 36 months. To regain access to the gaming floor, a reinstatement request form must be submitted. A PlayWise Advisor will set a reinstatement meeting to walk the player through the mandatory reinstatement tutorial. Once these actions are completed the player will be able to re-enter the gaming floor after a 30-day waiting period.

Awareness

Red Shores offers Rewards Club members access to their Player Account Statement. The statement displays frequency of visits and money a player spent on slots while their Rewards Club card was in the machine. Similarly, Red Shores Summerside offers the Player Service Management System, where players can keep track of time spent, money played and even set personalized limits.

PlayWise gaming floor announcements are played on regular intervals across the sound system at Red Shores. These messages are intended to provide a short break in focus, allowing and encouraging players to stop for a moment and think about the time and resources they are dedicating to game play.

Finally, every electronic gaming device (EGD) has a Stop Button sticker that reads, “Stopping play does not affect game outcome.” This sticker intends to dispel the myth that the stop button or the way the machine is played can have an effect on the outcome of the game, which is always randomly determined.

 

If you take a look back at all three installments in this series, you will see the strength of Atlantic Lottery’s commitment to Responsible Gambling. That’s why Atlantic Lottery achieved Level 4 Recertification under the World Lottery Association (WLA) Responsible Gaming Framework – the highest level available to a lottery under the framework, which the corporation has achieved and maintained for more than a decade.

Atlantic Lottery remains deeply committed to this effort and will continue to seek out new opportunities and keep up with global best practices to ensure continuous improvement of our Responsible Gambling program.

This article is Part III in a three-part series focusing on Atlantic Lottery’s RG efforts. Atlantic Lottery reminds players that PlayWise materials and other helpful resources are always available on alc.ca and at retail and destination locations for anyone who wishes to access them.