Alberta’s gambling industry has always operated differently from other Canadian provinces, straddling that unique balance between government oversight and commercial freedom.
Unlike other provinces, where online gambling has been largely shackled by the authorities, the residents of the Energy province have had the freedom to play online and in casinos. Has Alberta’s free-thinking approach to gambling gone too far though? In this article we attempt to answer just that question, by taking a closer look at the controversial pilot that is going to see 24/7 booze offered to casino going Albertans over a six month period.
The 24/7 Alcohol Service Pilot Program
On July 1, Alberta Gaming, Liquour and Cannabis (AGLC) announced a six month pilot period in which alcohol service hours are to be matched with slot machine operating hours. – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The casinos in the pilot include:
- PURE Casino Calgary;
- Deerfoot Inn & Casino Calgary;
- Ace Casino Blackfoot Calgary;
- Ace Casinos Airport Calgary;
- Grey Eagle Casino Calgary area;
- PURE Casino Lethbridge;
- Cash Casino Red Deer;
- River Cree Edmonton area;
- PURE Casino Edmonton;
- PURE Casino Yellowhead Edmonton;
- Century Casino Edmonton;
- Great Northern Casino Grande Prairie; and
- Rivers Casino Fort McMurray
Naturally, the casinos are bound to a series of regulations and conditions which are designed to keep customers safe, but they do seem quite flimsy. The conditions laid down by the AGLC are:
- No liquor service outside of areas where gaming activity is taking place
- Providers must maintain incident logs between midnight and 9am
- No off-sales are allowed to take place during extended hours
Although they aren’t directly impacted, the online casinos regulated in Alberta will be sitting up and taking notice. According to Liam Blackley of Casino.ca, it’s an exciting time for the industry as a whole. An Alberta online casino can now partner with the province as they are planning on rolling out an Ontario-style iGaming model by 2026. A regulated gambling market means more safe gaming options and better bonuses for locals.
Why is 24/7 Service Being Piloted?
Ostensibly, the thinking behind this move is that it is currently not fair on slot machine players that they can’t enjoy a drink whilst they are spinning the reels at all hours. Slots can be played day and night, around the clock and that is an age-restricted activity.
Why then, the thinking goes, can slots players not indulge in another age-restricted activity at the same time – drinking. The AGLC seem to agree that this is somewhat hypocritical, which is why they are running this trial.
Will 24/7 Alcohol Service Work?
It depends what the parameters for success are. Gambling is a game of chance, but in order to enjoy it properly and not fall into dangerous patterns of betting, it’s a good idea for gamblers to have their wits about them whilst playing.
There’s no doubt that people who are drunk are more likely to take risks, so the casinos should be promoting responsible drinking if they want to do the right thing.
So, what are the parameters on how this trial will be judged?
Problem gambling: This is defined by those who go on to develop an addiction or partake in addictive and irresponsible behaviours when it comes to gambling. Think wagering more than can be afforded and not being able to stop. It’s unclear whether the ‘incident logs’ referenced in the trial will be used to record these behaviours.
Problem drinking: To some people, drinking at 4am in the morning is normal. That might be due to shift patterns or other factors, but for most of us, drinking at that time is either a one-off that leads to a horrible hangover, or signs of a problem. Again, it’s unclear as to whether the trial’s incident logs will be used to monitor for problem drinking.
Antisocial behaviour: There are people who baulk at the idea that alcohol causes antisocial behaviour and instead place the onus squarely at the door of the individual. Studies and data show however, that antisocial behaviour rises in line with alcohol consumption, in every scenario and situation, everywhere on the planet. Incident logs will record this behaviour, but will it be enough to derail the pilot?
This trial seems half-baked. The AGLC has not shown in clear detail how it plans to address even the most obvious of issues that will arise from this trial. The parameters of success on which it will be judged have also yet to be released, which leads us to believe that this is nothing more than a show trial.
Barring big controversial incidents, that make the papers, it’s likely that this trial will sail through and we will see alcohol being served 24/7 in casinos across Alberta in the future. This is a bad thing and it shouldn’t happen, but money talks.