Back in March, the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation launched electronic keno games in almost two hundred restaurants and bars. There was mixed feelings about the addition of keno though the company was able to start the machines in several locations. Now the board of the health district is asking the government to turn off the electronic keno machines.

The board of the Capital district health sent out a letter to cabinet ministers in the gambling and addiction section. The letter stated the boards concerns about how problem gambling can quickly occur when players are playing electronic games with rapid responses such as the keno games.

The chairman of the Capital health population health committee commented: “The cost of looking after the problems, the harm that it causes to the individual and family, are considerable higher than the profit.”

When the Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. added the games they spent $2 million to install the machines and they say they will earn an expected profit of $2 to $3 million each year. Cabinet ministers responded to the letter sent by the board by saying that they believe the research done by officials before the games were added was correct and problem gambling will not be increased.





- 2009-04-29