The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) was established on June 26, 2008. The NBLGC is a Crown corporation governed by the Gaming Control Act that is responsible for developing, organizing, conducting and managing provincial lottery and gaming activities on behalf of the Province.
About us
Corporate Profile
The business and affairs of the NBLGC are administered by a four-person Board of directors which consist of the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Treasury Board and two senior civil servants appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. The Gaming Control Act requires that one of the appointed be a senior official from the Department of Health. The NBLGC, through its board, is ultimately accountable to the Government of New Brunswick.
The current board of directors are:
- Chair- Hon. Ernie L. Steeves, Minister of Finance and Treasury Board
- Vice-Chair- Cheryl Hansen, Deputy Minister of Finance and Treasury Board
- Director- René Boudreau, Department of Health
- Director- Dave Nowlan, Department of Finance and Treasury Board
Mission
To ensure that gaming in New Brunswick is conducted with a focus on responsible management, responsible play in a responsible environment, and that provincial gaming revenue is derived from gaming activities that are conducted responsibly and with integrity.
Mandate
The NBLGC:
- conducts and manages provincial gaming activities including:
- management of the service provider agreements with private third parties for the operation of casino gaming in the province,
- acting as the Province’s shareholder in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation;
- is responsible for the development and implementation of the Province’s responsible gaming policy;
- is responsible for the development and implementation of provincial gaming legislation and regulations;
- is responsible for monitoring and analysis of gaming policy, activities, and practices in other jurisdictions;
- provides information to the general public regarding provincial gaming policy;
- is responsible for monitoring and analysis of gaming policy, activities, and practices in other jurisdictions;
- provides advice, information and analysis regarding the development, implementation, conduct and management of New Brunswick’s policies with respect to provincial lotteries and gaming, and harness racing; and
- provides policy advice, information and liaison with First Nations with respect to revenue-sharing agreements.
History
Gaming in Canada is governed by the Criminal Code of Canada. Under that statute, generally speaking, gambling is unlawful unless conducted and managed by the Province (or a body authorized by the Province to license gaming on its behalf) or licensed by a provincial governement.
In 1976, the New Brunswick Lotteries Act established the Lotteries Commission of New Brunswick as a crown corporation and charged it with the responsibility to “develop, organize, undertake, conduct and manage lottery schemes on behalf of the Government of the Province…”. With approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, the commission was also authorized to enter into agreements with other provinces for the same purposes.
In May 2008, a new act, the Gaming Control Act, was introduced in the legislature to provide for a modernized governance structure for gaming in New Brunswick. Parts I and II of the new Act came into force on June 26, 2008 and the balance of the Act came into force on October 1, 2008.
Under the new Gaming Control Act, the former Lotteries Commission of New Brunswick was transformed into two entities.
- The Act established the NBLGC as a Crown corporation responsible for the conduct and management of all provincial gaming as required by paragraph 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
- The Act transferred the regulatory function of the former Lotteries Commission of New Brunswick to a new authority. The Gaming Control Branch was created under the Act as a branch of the Department of Public Safety. The Act provides that the Lieutenant Governor in Council appoint a Registrar who is responsible for:
- the Gaming Control Branch;
- the licensing and regulating of charitable gaming;
- the registration and regulation of video lottery siteholders; and
- the registration and regulation of casino gaming.
The separation of duties between the Province's conduct and manage responsibilities and the regulation of gaming was critical step to improving the accountability and transparency of gaming control in New Brunswick.