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Recommendation: That the matter of
introducing electronic bingos in the City of London BE REFERRED back to the
City Clerk to report back at a future meeting of the Corporate Services
Committee (CSC) with a proposed course of action based upon the following,
and including the original staff report from the CSC meeting held on May 28,
2013, for reference purposes:
a) public input that has been
received with respect to this matter;
b) further
input from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), including
details as to where the OLG sees the gaming landscape in the next five years;
c) an
assessment of whether the proposed allocation of revenues is acceptable; and
d) details
of the experience of other municipalities that have implemented electronic
bingos;
it being noted that the CSC received a
brief overview regarding this matter from the Manager, Licensing and
Elections;
it being pointed out that the following individuals
made oral submissions in connection with this matter:
- Dale Mackness, Citizens Against
Gambling Expansion – expressing the hope that a full-fledged casino does
not come to London; indicating that he had gambling issues as a youth;
commending staff for the concerns they have noted with respect to the
agreement the OLG is requiring municipalities to sign when implementing
electronic bingo, as he shares those concerns; suggesting that the
agreement conditions leave it open to add other games in the future,
without consulting the municipality, which could see such things as
slots and alcohol in bingo halls; noting that the OLG has not permitted
any municipality to amend the agreement; noting that the City would not
have any power to terminate the agreement, but the OLG would; indicating
he has no concerns with charging back any expenses that are incurred;
pointing out that Nordex Research determined that expanded gambling was
not popular in London, Ontario and that the leading rationale against
expanded gambling included such matters as addictions, family issues,
distrust of foreign ownership; further pointing out that the arguments
in support of expanded gambling did not resonate well with respondents,
who also did not see gambling as a recreational activity, all as
detailed in the attached submission; requesting that a referendum
be held for any proposal for expanded gambling, which he feels would be
the case if the City of London were to enter into the standard agreement
for electronic bingo and that a further referendum be held specific to
the matter of expanded gambling; and further requesting to keep the
bingo halls operating “as is”.
- Dr. Chris Robson, 13-1625 Attawandaron
Road – indicating that he has a good understanding of gamblers and
gambling; noting that the OLG has the largest non-taxable revenue source
through gaming; suggesting that this is the biggest “train robbery” of
the century with implementing electronic bingos and eliminating slots;
stating that the “modernization” is really just a move to end slots and
create more casinos and electronic bingos, the latter of which is really
just like slots; noting that e-bingos are addictive, and are just like
slots, and therefore a bad deal for London and the Province of Ontario;
noting that the “less well off” in society are most likely to play bingo
and are therefore the ones donating to the charities, but it should be
the wealthy that donate to charities; indicating that while he feels the
Western Fair District is responsible, the gambling mentality belongs and
should be kept at the race track as that’s where it is best done; and
stating that owners of bingo get 47% and we are biting off the hand that
feeds us if we go with expanded gambling.
- Wes Bydeweg, 178 Martinet Avenue – indicating
he is not talking on behalf of the OLG or Dearness Drive Bingo
Association, but on behalf of one of the charities running a bingo at
the Dearness Drive Bingo Hall for about eight years; noting St. Roberts
Catholic School has been involved in bingos for about 20 years; stating
he can understand concerns with gambling and gambling addictions, but
much like any form of gambling it can be a form of entertainment when
handled responsibly; indicating his belief that bingo in and of itself
is one of the largest sources of monies that schools can take advantage
of to purchase things above and beyond the school budget; stating that this
is a great revenue source for helping students to enjoy school,
including accessing technological advancements such as smart boards,
iPads, etc.; noting this his school has the highest cultural diversity
of any other school and is in a lower socio-economic area; stating he
sees this as an enhancement to the bingo experience and that the
licensing costs should be set at a level to cover the City’s costs.
- Ken Ross, 15 Tewkesbury Crescent –
representing the Dearness Drive Charity Association as the Chairperson
of the Executive, rebutting most of what said tonight as believes people
are misinformed about what bingos are all about; stating we are not here
to fill the City’s or Province’s pockets, but to fill the charities’
pockets; stating he has been involved in bingos since 1976; noting a
charity he has been involved in some years ago made $250,000 while this
year it only made $9,600; pointing out that there were some cooperative
changes between operators and the City which reduced the number of bingo
halls and the revenue distribution; stating it is difficult to raise the
same kind of funds today; noting there has been a decline because the
demographics of the player is older, not that they are on welfare;
suggesting that lots of the players are older and single and looking for
an inexpensive evening out; totally disagreeing with other’s views of
what the demographic of the players are; noting we need to change the
people that are attracted to the bingo halls; suggesting we need to
attract younger people and younger people like electronics, which is why
e-gaming is a way to go; noting there was reference that if bingo halls
had slot machine-type operations, that less people would go to casinos
but the opposite effect happened when casinos came to Ontario; stating
that when casinos appeared bingo revenues declined dramatically because
people are playing electronically, not with paper; agreeing that the reference
to gambling being an addiction can be true; and pointing out that bingos
happen to be one way of raising funds and if bingos are not there people
will turn to another form of gambling to raise funds because the rich
don’t always give to charities.
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