The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) in Canada was established over 32 years ago and now employs more than 20,000 people in the province. The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario Government that helps communities through voluntary sector investment and initiatives. Over the time it has been in operation, OLG has generated over $28 billion to support Ontario’s healthcare, sport, recreation and cultural activities.

There are six OLG casinos in Ontario, four resort casinos and slots facilities at seventeen racetracks. The company also runs five Bingo centres and nearly a quarter of all adults residing in Ontario play the OLG Lottery at least once a week. In April OLG distributed $17.1 million to 23 host communities in fourth-quarter non-tax gaming revenue payments. Each municipality hosting an OLG Casino or an OLG Slots-at-racetrack facility receives 5% of the gaming facility’s gross slot machine revenue from the first 450 slot machines and 2% from any additional machines over that number.

Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance, commented, “OLG gaming sites provide numerous benefits for host communities across the province. In addition to job creation and increased tourism, the gaming revenue payments allow municipalities to make significant investments in local priorities.”

Tracks and the horseracing industry also share the revenue generated by the slots program, with 20% of gross slot machine revenue split evenly between the two groups. Since the launch of the programme in 1998, more than $3.08 billion has been shared between racetrack owners and their horse people. 2% of gross gaming revenue from slot machines is allocated by the government to problem gambling treatment, research and prevention, an estimated $39 million in fiscal 2010/2011. The province also will allocate $120 million in gaming revenue to support charities through the OTF. (E-07.28.10)

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