Last week, we released Atlantic Lottery’s 2021-22 Annual Report, highlighting a record-breaking year in which we returned $438.1 million to the Atlantic Canadian provinces.

This has been an incredible year for our corporation. We’re proud to deliver our highest profit ever, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated employees and the continued support of our players, retailers and shareholders. This is a positive sign that Atlantic Lottery is on the right path, as we continue to evolve into a digital-forward company with an increased focus on innovative experiences to better meet the needs of our players.

We’re especially proud to be able to give back to Atlantic Canada. We return 100 per cent of our profit to the four Atlantic Canadian governments, money that’s invested in essential services and programs that we all use, including health care, education and infrastructure.

It’s important to note that 92 cents of every lottery dollar stays right here in our region. In addition to profit for the four provinces, our revenue goes to Atlantic Lottery winners; the nearly 4,000 retailers who earn income selling our products; operations in Atlantic Canada; and salaries and benefits for our 630 employees. Our taxes provide more funds to governments to support essential services for Atlantic Canadians.

As part of our commitment to building a stronger Atlantic Canada, we’re always thrilled to support community festivals, exhibitions and events that celebrate the culture and diversity of our region. We contribute to community organizations, fundraisers and volunteering efforts throughout the year, and with plans for more in-person activities to take place in 2022-23, we look forward to being present in more spaces and places across the region.

Some Atlantic Canadians are not aware that Atlantic Lottery is the only 100 per cent legal and government-regulated provider of online gambling and sports-betting products in our region. You’ve likely already seen ads for these unregulated gambling sites, but you might not realize they are illegal under Canadian and provincial laws. Recent industry data has found that about $140 million leaves Atlantic Canada every year due to play on illegal gambling websites – money that could be supporting services in our communities.

Unlike these sites, Atlantic Lottery is accountable to government regulators and all of our profit stays in our region. We’re also set apart by our commitment to healthy play and responsible gambling, providing tools and information to help our players make informed decisions. In the past year, our commitment to responsible gambling at Red Shores and alc.ca was recognized with the RG Check Accreditation – the most comprehensive responsible gambling accreditation in the world – by the Responsible Gambling Council.

In the year ahead, we aim to continue achieving impressive results through responsible growth. As always, Atlantic Lottery looks forward to providing our players with fun games they can enjoy as a form of entertainment, building partnerships by supporting more community events and causes, and contributing meaningfully by investing in healthy play.