Gambling revenues up in Alberta
Revenue from gambling operations has increased for the first time since 2015, driven by a growth in VLTs.
Canada.- The latest annual report from Alberta Gaming, liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has revealed that revenue from VLTs, casino slot machines and electronic bingo has totalled US$1.7 billion for the fiscal year, the first increase since 2015.
The results follow two straight years of decline, with 2018’s numbers increasing by US$4 million. Driven by video lottery terminals, the 2018 numbers were slightly up from the 2017 results, which set a low point for lottery revenues in the Canadian province.
The AGLC said that the activity peaked in 2015 at US$1.9 billion but decreased the following two years due to an economic downturn in the country.
Out of the three modalities of gaming that Alberta operates, VLTs experienced the biggest jump, with revenues up 1.9%. Electronic bingo revenues increased 0.4%, while slot machines registered a 0.6% fall.
AGLC spokesperson Chara Goodings explained that VLTs tend to do a better job of capturing the changes in the economy because they are more of an interest to the younger demographic.
