VANCOUVER – The B.C. government is stepping up its efforts to address public-health risks of gambling with a new plan that outlines how the Province and B.C. Lottery Corporation will work to address problem gambling and improve programs and services aimed at promoting responsible gambling.

The Plan for Public Health and Gambling, released today, contains 21 commitments focused on four main themes: problem gambling prevention among youth, encouraging responsible gambling, problem gambling treatment, and research.

The plan takes into consideration a range of research on the of impacts of gambling on individuals and communities in B.C., including the 2014 Problem Gambling Prevalence Study, the provincial health officer’s report on gambling, online gambling research and other relevant data on gaming, health and education.

The key elements of the plan include:
•Improving the delivery of problem gambling prevention programs for youth with an increased focus on problem solving, critical thinking and building resilience.
•Adding customized responsible gambling messaging on PlayNow.com, B.C. Lottery Corporation’s on-line gaming portal.
•Expanding the successful GameSense Advisor model to community gaming centres, in addition to what is already in place in casinos.
•Increasing co-operation between the ministries of Finance and Health to improve continuity of care for clients who face multiple, related problems such as gambling, substance abuse and mental-health issues.
•Investing in research to understand problem gambling among online players and to determine the impact of reducing high-risk features on electronic gaming machines.
•Government and BCLC will monitor the progress and achievements of the Centre for Gambling Research at the University of British Columbia. Funding of $2 million over five years has been provided for the centre.