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A simple look at number shows that the government of Alberta Canada
has not been exactly unbiased when it comes to slot machines and the
Video Lottery Terminals. Over the last 14 years, the number of slot
machines in the province has continued to grow while the number of video
lottery terminals has remained capped at 6,000.
The limit for video lottery terminals was set back in 1996. Around
the same time slot machines were introduced to the province and to this
day no number has been set on how much are allowed in operation.
According to the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, Alberta currently
has 12,386 slot machines in operation at various venues across the
province.
Government coffers and charities have benefited from the billions of
dollars generated by the increase in slot machines. It is hard to
criticize slot machines when they are producing that sort of turn out.
Even gambling opponents must admit to preferring slot machines in
casinos over the video lottery machines that linger in the corners of
local bars. However there is little difference between slot machines
and video lottery terminals when it comes to tempting problem gamblers.
Gary Smith, a veteran researcher with the Alberta Gaming Research
Institute, theorizes that the Alberta government has an addiction of
their own to slot machines.
“I think they just did it to recover the lost revenue over capping
the VLTs,” said Smith.
“The government (officials) are not disinterested bystanders, which
they should be. If you're regulating something, you shouldn't have a
stake in it, as well.”
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