Just like every other year, the first days of 2019 are time for consideration, pacing, and weighing the good and the bad things over the past year. This is applicable to gaming revenue on a national and provincial scale, as it gives a better idea of the gaming tendencies in the region. Alberta recently issued its revenue for the past year showing that charitable gaming within the borders of the province saw a decline in revenue in comparison to previous years.
Year-on-year comparison is important when it comes to the gaming industry, as it gives both players and the gaming companies a chance to see how things altered through the years and evaluate them in perspective. Over the span of fiscal 2017-2018 the area witnessed CA$331.2 million generated by charitable gaming. This term sums up a wide array of gaming offerings to the likes of bingo, casino table games, pull tickets, and various raffles.
Slight Surge Witnessed in This Area
It should be taken into account that this type of gaming is often considered less damaging and it does not have the reputation of traditional gambling activities, such as video lottery terminals and slot machines. This is why people are often more prone to giving it a try and using it as a gateway gaming activity or an alternative to other ones. Regardless of the relative popularity, it has among players, the past months saw a slight drop in the revenue generated by this type of gaming.
This is clearly visible when compared to the performance over 2016-2017 fiscal year when gaming companies overseeing charitable gaming saw revenue reaching CA$336.2 million at the end of the time period. This type of charitable gaming is also preferred because it benefits not only the player but also the community and its variety of programs and charitable organizations. Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis decides how to utilize the revenue generated and which organizations are eligible for it.
Said organizations are pinpointed by the gaming regulator on a provincial level, as they meet the requirements and the legal definition of a charitable organization. This means that they could provide a boost to the education system in Alberta, the religious field, or offer support to people facing financial difficulties and poverty.
Detailed Overview of Charitable Gaming Revenue
Benefiting society and boosting various charitable organizations which aim to further improve it is a generous act that keeps on giving. There is a total of 18,013 charitable organizations licensed within the borders of the province. If we take a detailed look into their operation over the said time window, bingo managed to amass some CA$19.4 million over the past year. Even though it is a popular and entertaining offering, it could not reach good old raffles.
Over 2017-2018 fiscal year they witnessed revenue reaching CA$61.6 million, the largest portion of the overall charitable gaming revenue. This comes to show that clearly people are more drawn to the lottery type of gaming, as it provides a wide array of games. The most popular among them are the Lotto MAX and Lotto 6/49, which are able to provide their grand winners with cash payouts of up to CA$60 million.
Pull tickets saw the lowest revenue over this time period – CA$10.9 million. However, it should be taken into account that while charitable gaming saw a slight plunge in revenue, video lottery terminals and slot machines witnessed their first surge since 2015. They bagged a total of CA$1.736 billion, marking a significant CA$4-million jump in comparison to last year’s CA$1.732 billion.
