"Current Government gaming policy provides for moderate growth in revenues. BCLC's projections for revenue growth are based on current Government policies."
BC Lottery Corporation Service Plan

BC Lottery Corporation blames the government for its growth projections while Solicitor General Rich Coleman says that the corporation is free to expand to the extent of the market. Who is telling the truth?

If you were going to spend several million dollars on government advertisements, would you choose to promote the 6-49 lottery, promote casinos or encourage the installation of anti-auto-theft prevention immobilizers. Those concerned about gambling addiction would add the option of spending at least as much money on advertising programs for gambling addiction as is spent to "expand the market" for gambling.

The last annual report for the Lottery Corporation states: "The Corporation continued with its strategic objectives to rebuild and transform the lottery business, including implementing more effective marketing techniques to reach new players and strengthening lottery brands through advertising." Later in the report it states: "Our marketing and advertising strategies were recognized with several provincial, national and international awards. Among them, the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association named BCLC Marketer of the Year for 2003, the highest award given by the association." What you won't find in any of the publications, service plans or annual reports from BCLC, is the exact amount they spend on advertising. Not that it would be an accurate number; lottery retailers and casinos amplify the corporation's ad buy with their own advertising.

The service plan for the BC Lottery Corporation states that $4 million is dedicated "to fund special programs and treatment services to address problem gambling." Anyone who watches TV and sees the award winning BCLC lottery advertisements has to know that more is spent on encouraging people to gamble than is spent on the entire program for problem gambling.

What would happen if some of that money was spent for socially useful objectives? Car thieves couldn't drag people to death, or do smash and grab robberies, if automobiles were not so easy to steal. A campaign, as was done in Manitoba thorough public automobile insurance, to encourage the installation of immobilizers would cut insurance costs, reduce crime and save lives. Spending as much on problem gamblers as is spent to expand the market would also save lives. In British Columbia the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Rich Coleman, is responsible for both gambling, gambling addiction and ICBC. Coleman and the Campbell government have chosen to put their advertising bucks behind expanded gambling. They've got their priorities backward.