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The government of the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick has proposed legislation that would legalize live-dealer online casino games for the first time as it looks to stem the popularity of unregulated offshore competition.
Finance Minister René Legacy from the governing Liberal Party introduced Bill 8 to the jurisdiction’s 49-seat legislative assembly on Tuesday, with the new measure seeking permission to revise the existing Gaming Control Act to establish a regulation-making authority for live digital table games such as blackjack.
New Brunswick Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin revealed that the proposed bill has yet to be referred for committee discussion, but asserted it is part of the government’s ongoing effort to review and update legislation to keep residents safe. The experienced Liberal politician additionally suggested the rise in competition from unregulated offshore iGaming platforms could be costing the province millions of dollars in lost annual gambling revenues and exposing local players to a multitude of risks.
“As gaming continues to evolve, legislation must keep pace to ensure games continue to be regulated and responsible and that rules are effective and clear,” said Gauvin. “With a greater variety of online offerings, live casinos are growing in popularity. Regulating these types of games will provide a safer alternative to unregulated offerings in the province.”
The publicly-owned Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) is the only entity currently certified to offer iGaming entertainment to the residents of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces, which encompass New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Via its domain at ALC.ca, the Crown corporation provides a regulated suite of digital gaming options including online slots, table games, and sports wagering, but not live-dealer products.
For the twelve months to the end of March, ALC recorded a drop of 1.3% year-on-year in its net profit to approximately $350.9 million as associated revenues fell by a little over 0.1% to some $634.3 million. However, the operator’s returns from iGaming for the same period increased by 15.4% to about $95.4 million, propelled by a broader product lineup and a larger share of the regional online betting market.
Legacy explained that New Brunswick currently lacks the statutory authority to regulate live-dealer online casino games, which the ALC has long sought to offer. He disclosed that securing such a mandate via the passage of Bill 8 and introducing regulations at a later date would enable the province of less than 900,000 inhabitants to introduce and maintain robust regulatory protections.
“Modernizing the Gaming Control Act is about keeping up with how gaming is changing,” said Legacy. “These updates will ensure that new gaming options are developed responsibly and continue to meet the needs of players in a safe and regulated way.”
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