British Columbia Lottery’s new campaign stresses community support
The initiative warns that other gambling websites in British Columbia are illegal.
Canada.- The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has launched a new advertising campaign. With the slogan “What’s played here stays here”, the initiative reminds players that the BCLC’s net profit stays in the province to help fund critical services like education, health care, and community programmes. The campaign also stresses that all other gambling websites in British Columbia are illegal.
According to the lottery, it generated $1.5bn in net income for the Province of British Columbia in 2024. Of the total, $1bn went to fund public programmes and services, $140m to BC’s Community Gaming Grants programme, $147.3m to the Provincial Health Special Account to support health initiatives, and $94.5m to local BC governments and First Nations that host a gaming facility – a ten per cent share of the net revenue those facilities generate.
Pat Davis, BCLC president and CEO, said: “Across BC and Canada, we’ve seen incredible groundswell around the importance of buying and supporting local, and that’s no different for British Columbians who choose gambling for their entertainment. We want our BC players to know they can find a world-class gambling experience in their own backyard, whether it’s at one of our 33 casinos, 3,400 lottery retailers, or online at PlayNow.com, and that the proceeds from their play with BCLC make a positive impact at home in their community.”
BCLC said it faces competition from Washington State and Las Vegas casinos, “all of which aggressively market to BC residents.”
Davis said: “BCLC continues to raise awareness that these gambling options do not support B.C.’s economy and take away funds from vital provincial and community-based programs and services. In a time when British Columbians are standing united, we want to reinforce that playing together with BCLC helps make B.C. even better.”
