THE TOP TEN MYTHS

This section of our website is intended to educate the public on the harsh realities surrounding VLTs and to set the record straight.

MYTH ONE

Banning VLTs would lead to an underground market of "grey" machines.

Reality: If the machines are outlawed completely, with no requirement to prove a "payout" at a cash register (as in the past), law enforcement officers agree that prosecution is made much more straight-forward. Unlike illegal drugs, liquor and weapons, these machines are too big to be hidden inside cars, behind sofas or under coats. The government should make a law that bans them and show the backbone to enforce the law with stiff penalties for violations.

MYTH TWO

Reality: Reducing the number of machines does not reduce access to the machines. Every establishment that currently has VLTs will still have them. This will mean more activity on slower machines. If problem VLT gamblers often aren't deterred by the prospect of family breakdown, depression and bankruptcy, it's unlikely they will be deterred by fewer machines in their preferred establishments.

MYTH THREE

VLTs don’t harm very many Nova Scotians.

Reality: There are approximately 15,000 problem gamblers in Nova Scotia. Experts estimate that this translates into between 100,000 and 200,000 secondary victims - friends, colleagues and family members who are hurt indirectly by bankruptcy, depression, family breakdown, and/or suicide.

MYTH FOUR

Banning VLTs would mean a loss of $133 million for education and health.

Reality: According to a GPI Atlantic study, done for the province of Nova Scotia, when the higher costs for health care, justice, social services and lost productivity are accounted for, it "would dramatically reduce the government’s apparent take from gambling". Research out of the United States suggests that this activity may have an overall negative economic impact.

MYTH FIVE

The province can’t afford the loss of VLT revenues.

Reality: In 2004/05 alone, the Nova Scotia government received so much new revenue from the federal government through a new health deal and new equalization that it could have given up all VLT money and still had a huge windfall of new money for health and education in the same year.

MYTH SIX

Banning VLTs is like alcohol prohibition.

Reality: It is deemed appropriate to ban moonshine, while regulating most alcohol. It is deemed appropriate to ban crack cocaine, while regulating tobacco. We seek to ban VLTs, leaving other forms of gambling to be regulated.

MYTH SEVEN

The new government plan makes the VLT problem manageable.

Reality: Under the plan announced by the provincial government on April 6, 2005, Nova Scotia has 3% of the national population, but 7.5% of Canada’s VLTs. A 2001 national study reported that NS depends on Gambling Revenue more than any other provinces. Over half of Nova Scotia’s VLT revenues come from problem gamblers.

MYTH EIGHT

The government has been doing what it can to help problem gamblers.

Reality: Even under the NS government’s new plan, less than 4% of gambling revenue is spent on treating addictions. Only 1000 of Nova Scotia’s 15,000 problem gamblers are receiving addiction treatment today, and as many as 6 to 10 Nova Scotia problem gamblers commit suicide each year. In 1998 a private members bill introduced by John Hamm was supposed to freeze the number of VLTs at 3533. Since taking government, Premier Hamm allowed that number to climb to 3849 VLTs. The Government launched a public consultation on New Directions in “Gaming” in late August, but it never held a public meeting to get public input. A letter was tabled in the Nova Scotia legislature from the Director of Addictions from all Health Districts calling the consultation process a sham.

MYTH NINE

The VLT is no worse now than it was several years ago.

Reality: In 1997‑1998, VLT addicts were losing $808 per month. By 2002 they were spending $1200 a month. In 2001 the government was warned by its own experts that increasing the speed of the VLTs and installing “bill acceptors” – for changing bills into coins - would increase problem gambling. It ignored these warnings.

MYTH TEN

VLT gambling is just another addiction that can be broken with the right effort.