Canada
BCLC to Launch Optional Budgeting Tool “PlayPlanner”
BCLC is going to introduce PlayPlanner to every casino and community gaming centre in B.C. as part of its commitment to encourage positive play and informed decision-making.
PlayPlanner is an optional budgeting tool allows Encore Rewards members to set and manage daily time and money limits when playing slot or eTable games. During each playing session, players receive reminders on how they are tracking against their settings through onscreen pop-up messages.
“We’ve created PlayPlanner to make it easier for players to stay within personal limits by making decisions about time and money before gambling. We are committed to ensuring that this tool meets the needs of our players now and into the future as part of our focus on supporting healthy play,” Jamie Wiebe, BCLC Director, Player Health said.
Canada
Passport Technology Signs Cash Casino Calgary and Cash Casino Red Deer and Introduces New POSpod® Self-Service Kiosks
Passport Technology, the leading provider of casino cash access services internationally, now provides cash and cashless services to over fifty percent of Alberta casinos with the launch of ACM OwlTM solutions at Cash Casino Calgary and Cash Casino Red Deer. Passport Technology’s self-service platform delivers maximum cash to the casino floor, operational efficiencies to the casino and numerous social responsibility features, it also provides social distancing measures within COVID-19 planning criteria through self-service kiosk technology.
Passport Technology’s CashValet PCI-DSS Level 1, P2PE-certified solution, and cloud-based application facilitates immediate and maximum approval amounts and supports real-time reporting of the transaction cycle while providing casino guests with an enhanced experience including dynamic fee structures, free play credits, self-exclusion options, and numerous security and regulatory compliance features. Passport’s POSpod® kiosks are custom-built with the latest peripherals to meet the demands of the high-traffic casino environment, while deploying a best-in-class user interface custom developed by market and customer. The POSpod® line of self-service kiosks include free standing, countertop and the new mobile cashier enhancement, all of which provide the Patron and Operator the same experience and feature functionality. ACM OwlTM technology provides industry leading ATM services combining transaction speed, maximum throughput, local support and a truly elegant design.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Cash Casino Calgary and Red Deer,” states Kurt Sullivan, President of Passport Technology. “Passport’s suite of products and solutions are secure, robust and promote responsible gaming while delivering maximum funds to the casino floor. We look forward to contributing towards the overall success of Cash Casino with the installation of ACM OwlTM during our long-term engagement and providing guests in Alberta with the best possible experience.”
On June 25, Passport announced an agreement to be acquired by Australis Capital Inc. (CSE: AUSA) (OTC: AUSAF), leveraging Passport’s international footprint in brick-and-mortar casinos with Australis’ Cocoon Technology serving cannabis dispensaries in North America and Australis’ Paytron Merchant Services. The full announcement is available at: https://ausa-corp.com/news/australis-capital-announces-expansion-of-fintech-platform-to-include-gaming-through-proposed-acquisition-of-passport-technology-and-private-placement-of-units.
Kamloops’ technology future looks even brighter with a new agreement between two of the city’s largest technology companies: BCLC and iTel Networks (iTel).
Under a three-year contract with BCLC, iTel will provide the fast and secure Internet connection needed to support BCLC’s retail partners located in remote and rural areas of the province to sell lottery products.
“Given the breadth of our network, iTel checked off all the boxes we had on our list,” said Pat Davis, Vice President of Business Technology and Chief Information Officer. “Its unique ability to support our remote network requirements provided an efficient solution to meet our business needs. We’re pleased to work with an organization that shares our support for expanding the local tech business.”
BCLC awarded the contract to iTel for Province Wide Internet Services following a public procurement process that included an August 2019 Request for Proposal.
“Having lived in Kamloops for most of my life, I am deeply invested in this community both personally and professionally,” added Danny Rink, CEO, iTel Network. “I am excited that we have built iTel over the last 12 years to be an organization that can support the vast and robust network needs of an enterprise organization like BCLC, and by doing so, iTel can continue to invest in the community and help further grow the Kamloops tech sector.”
In addition to both being deeply rooted in the Kamloops technology sector, both BCLC and iTel support the Kamloops Innovation Centre (KIC), a non-profit technology start-up accelerator. Rink helped found KIC in 2012 and BCLC has since created an on-site Innovation Lab in partnership with KIC, with the goal of fueling growth of local tech talent.
“Diversification into technology for B.C.’s regional economies requires the active participation of its large technology employers. iTel Networks and BCLC have proven themselves to be those catalysts in our community,” said Dr. Lincoln Smith, executive director, KIC. “Both of these corporate leaders are directly and indirectly helping to create the ecosystem in Kamloops where new technology-enabled businesses can start up and thrive.”
Thanks to lottery players and retailers across B.C., the lottery business helped BCLC generate $1.4 billion for the Province of B.C. last year to support health care, education and community programs across B.C.
Canada
Loto-Québec announces the dates and conditions for the reopening of its gaming establishments, as well as the cost-saving measures affecting its operations and personnel
Loto-Québec will gradually reopen its establishments according to the following schedule, with operations adjusted to comply with physical distancing and hygiene standards:
- Hilton Lac-Leamy: July 13
- Casino de Charlevoix, Casino de Mont-Tremblant, Québec and Trois-Rivières gaming halls: July 16
- Casino du Lac Leamy: July 23
- Casino de Montréal: August 3
- VLT and Kinzo network: July 7
- Network bingo: July 3
As establishments reopen, the Corporation’s top priority will be to ensure that operations resume in such a way as to allow employees and customers to stay safe while enjoying a fun environment.
Rigorous safety measures, modified opening hours and an online reservation system
When Loto-Québec’s establishments reopen, customers will notice the following important changes to operations and on gaming floors, including:
- New online reservation system for customers
- Casino sectors will be limited to a maximum of 250 customers at a time
- Québec City gaming hall(250 customers)
- Trois-Rivières gaming hall(250 customers)
- Casino de Charlevoix(250 customers)
- Casino de Mont-Tremblant(250 customers)
- Casino du Lac-Leamy(4 sectors with 250 customers = 1,000)
- Casino de Montréal(6 sectors with 250 customers = 1,500)
- Complete disinfection of each establishment every day and cleaning of gaming machines between customers
- All employees on gaming floors required to wear procedural mask and, when required under CNESST standards, eye protection
- Customers required to wear a mask or face covering
- Directional signage people must follow to get from one location to another and two-metre physical distancing signage
- Reconfiguration of gaming floors:
- Slot machine activation that ensures physical distancing
- Reduced number of players at gaming tables and installation of protective panels between the dealer and players
- Availability of rubber-tipped stylets to avoid touching slot machines
- No handling of cards or chips by the customer
- Bars and show halls to remain closed for the time being
- Snack food service only
- New opening hours:
| Casino de Mont-Tremblant and Casino de Charlevoix | Casino du Lac-Leamy and Casino de Montréal | Québec City and Trois-Rivières gaming halls |
| Thursday: 11 a.m. to midnight
Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to midnight |
Every day: 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. | Monday to Wednesday:
10 a.m. to midnight Thursday to Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. |
All information on the reopening and applicable measures is available at https://casinos.lotoquebec.com/en/portal/establishments.
Savings measures affecting operations and personnel
Since the COVID-19 crisis has been affecting Loto-Québec’s commercial operations for over three months already and despite the announcement of the upcoming gradual reopening, the Corporation is forced to apply savings measures to its operations and all personnel. The decision was made in order to align staffing needs with the level of activities.
Indeed, casinos, gaming halls, video lottery terminals (VLTs) and Kinzo halls have been closed since March, and in-store lottery sales were suspended for six weeks, all of which resulted in a significant reduction in the Corporation’s activities and revenues. Loto-Québec must therefore revise operations to meet the pace at which commercial activities resume.
In an effort to maintain employment and expertise, the Corporation will implement measures that affect management personnel and employees as well as operating and capital budgets in corporate and business sectors. The measures to be implemented are as follows:
- Significant reduction in operating and capital budgets in all corporate and business sectors for 2020-2021
- Temporary layoffs in various sectors (particularly 2,250 operations employees in casinos and gaming halls)
- Cancellation of supernumerary employee contracts
- Salary freeze and cancellation of all bonuses for management personnel for 2020-2021
- Hiring freeze
- Temporary reduction of the work week
Meetings with management personnel, union representatives and employees from all sectors were held yesterday and today to inform them of the decisions, explain the situation and address concerns.
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