No final decision has been made yet but Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs believes the Atlantic Lottery Corporation will be expanding into internet gambling. It's estimated more than 74 million dollars is spent each year on illegal internet gambling in Atlantic Canada. Higgs tells CHSJ News the Alward Government is concerned gambling addiction could worsen but it would, at the very least, be monitored and regulated.
Higgs says he knows it's a worldwide industry that they can't control but they can monitor it closely.
If the lottery corporation moves ahead with online gaming, a British company would be involved in getting it off the ground because Higgs says it has the expertise whereas A-L-C is still on a learning curve.