On March 8th, 2009, two advocacy organizations are betting on numbers to help them win a heads-up battle with the Nova Scotia government over electronic keno. The Safe Bet society announced that they have recently joined forces with the Game Over VLTS to fight the decision of the Nova Scotia government to implement electronic keno.
The high-speed electronic keno game was just recently introduced in business establishments in Nova Scotia this week. Around 180 bars and restaurants have gaming agreements in place with the Nova Scotia government to offer the game. Keno players can make $10 wagers on numbered keno tickets every five minutes with a ten minute break every hour. Ken Hanna, the chairman of Safe Bet Society said that electronic keno is a really addictive game. He added that the Nova Scotia government should be ashamed for putting importance to a cash grab ahead of the welfare and safety of Nova Scotia residents.
The provincial government has stated that it would earn between $2 million to $3 million annually on keno. Safe Bet Society and Game Over say that they will utilize their resources all over the province to convince the MacDonald government to stop electronic keno. Safe Bet Society supports tougher control to ensure more responsible gaming.
The Safe Bet Society states that it will soon release the results of its study of a new card-based preventative technology about to be utilized in Nova Scotia. Game Over VLTS has been advocating for the removal of all VLTs from Nova Scotia for the past 6 years. The partnership is currently planning different initiatives and hopes that other organizations who share the same goals will join their partnership.
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John M. Thorpe
