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Fort Erie slots may have closed, but many others in Ontario – some much smaller – look safe

Mayors from host municipalities of slots facilties at raceways are banding together in the hopes of preserving the horse racing industry in Ontario.

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Ontario Gaming

5/23/2013

article Councillor’s bid to revist casino decision sets off heated debate
(Ottawa) -- After months of no action on the casino file, one councillor’s unexpected bid to revisit council’s decision is set to ignite a controversial...
article Is Misssissauga casino option still alive?
(Ontario) -- Toronto councillors may have overwhelmingly rejected a downtown casino, but some of their counterparts in nearby cities are betting that a gambling facility...

5/22/2013

article Council rushed into vote on expanding gaming at Woodbine: Holyday
(Toronto) -- City council made a mistake by rushing into a vote on the expansion of gaming facilities at Woodbine Racetrack, says Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday.
article Council rushed into vote on expanding gaming at Woodbine: Holyday
(Ontario) -- City council made a mistake by rushing into a vote on the expansion of gaming facilities at Woodbine Racetrack, says Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday.
article Woodbine fears ‘greatest threat’ as Toronto council rejects expansion
(Ontario) -- In neon green shirts emblazoned with “Woodbine Jobs,” jockeys, horse trainers and other Woodbine Racetrack “horse people” watched...

5/21/2013

article OLG financial records raise red flag for Hamilton casino plan
(Ontario) -- Ontario's four premier resort-style casinos have lost a combined $360 million in the past six years while handing out $1.6 billion in freebies and cash...
article Paul Godfrey fired over horse racing, casino hosting fees, Kathleen Wynne says
(Ontario) -- Horse racing and casino hosting fees were behind Paul Godfrey’s firing as chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. last week, Premier Kathleen...
article Province was right to fire Godfrey, anti-casino advocates say
(Ontario) -- Anti-casino advocates in Hamilton are celebrating former OLG chairman Paul Godfrey's ousting as a win to finally put a stake in the heart of a downtown...

5/19/2013

article City would get more casino revenue under new deal
(Ontario) -- At the request of Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Association has improved its offer to municipalities with casinos or that...
article More Casino Money for Thunder Bay
(Ontario) -- Last year Thunder Bay received $2.4 million in shared revenue from the Thunder Bay Casino operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission (OLG).
article Casino massacre is a no-Wynne: editorial
(Ontario) -- Now that Premier Kathleen Wynne has blown up Dalton McGuinty's plan for the province to raise $1.3 billion annually in new revenues by modernizing the...
article LETTER: OLG’s myopic perspective on casinos
(Ontario) -- The firing of Paul Godfrey is just the latest in the unravelling of his “modernization” plan, which would have located 29 casinos in population...
article Tourist season returns to Niagara Falls
(Ontario) -- The calendar says summer doesn’t arrive for another month. The crowds on Clifton Hill this past weekend said otherwise. For decades the Victoria Day...

5/18/2013

article Analysis: Paul Godfrey firing disgraceful
(Toronto) -- You’ve got to wonder what’s going on with this province. Who’d do business here in the future? Thursday evening, after MPPs had headed...
article Interim board installed at OLG
(Toronto) -- The provincial government has appointed an interim board at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. It follows the resignations of the previous board members,...
article OLG board resigns after chair fired
(Ontario) -- Ontario’s gambling expansion, which is crucial to the Liberal government balancing the books without raising taxes, is in disarray after Paul Godfrey...
article This is Kathleen Wynne’s government now
(Ontario) -- It turned into more of a defining moment than Kathleen Wynne had really been aiming for. The Premier decided weeks ago that she wanted to replace Paul...
article Column: Limited gains for Windsor
(Ontario) -- The casino gambling landscape in Ontario got a lot more complicated after Premier Kathleen Wynne overturned the OLG's apple cart this week.

5/17/2013

article Firing OLG chair Godfrey shows Liberals in ‘disarray,’ Hudak says
(Ontario) -- Premier Kathleen Wynne is being blamed for “chaos” at Ontario’s gambling agency that is threatening the cash-strapped province’s...
article Ontario’s gambling modernization plan in question after Paul Godfrey fired
(Ontario) -- Say what you will about the firing of Ontario Lottery and Gaming chairman Paul Godfrey and the resignation of its entire board of governors, but at the very...
article Premier Kathleen Wynne, Paul Godfrey had different visions
(Ontario) -- Paul Godfrey is putting the blame for his messy ouster as chairman of Ontario’s lottery corporation squarely at Premier Kathleen Wynne’s feet,...
article Local reaction to OLG shakeup and uncertainty
(Ontario) -- Mayor Debbie Amaroso expects OLG's modernization plan will be pushed back with the dismissal of the Crown agency's chairman and resignations of most...
article London's Western Fair still preferred casino site
(Ontario) -- London’s Western Fair remains a preferred site for a new casino and gaming zone in Ontario, despite a dramatic shakeout at Ontario’s gambling...
article More money for Windsor under new casino hosting fee formula
(Ontario) -- A new casino hosting fee formula tied to gaming revenue will mean millions more for the City of Windsor, Mayor Eddie Francis said.
article Ontario casinos to pay host municipalities more money
(Ontario) -- The Ontario government on Friday announced a new way to determine the fee municipalities receive for hosting an OLG gaming facility. The government claims...
article Paul Godfrey did no favours for horse racing community: Perkins
(Ontario) -- At racetracks and the few remaining breeding farms around this province, thousands of hard-working individuals who breed and race horses for a living can be...
article Falls to benefit from new casino agreement
(Ontario) -- Niagara Falls could see $20 million more a year for hosting two casinos, says Ontario Lottery and Gaming spokesman Tony Bitonti.
article Niagara Falls to receive ‘millions’ more a year for hosting casinos under new formula, Niagara Falls mayor says
(Ontario) -- If Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati is feeling a bit like his city hit the jackpot, he has good reason. The Ontario government announced Friday morning some...

5/16/2013

article New casinos in doubt as OLG chair fired, board quits
(Ontario) -- Ontario’s gambling expansion, which is crucial to the Liberal government balancing the books without raising taxes, is in disarray after Paul Godfrey...
article Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor supports government’s decision to fire OLG chairman
(Ontario) -- The Ontario government has fired the head of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Paul Godfrey, who was appointed chairman of the provincial agency...
article Ontario lottery board walks out after Godfrey ousted as chairman
(Ontario) -- Paul Godfrey was ousted as chairman of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation on Thursday following a call from Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.
article Paul Godfrey fired as head of OLG, board of directors resign
(Ontario) -- Ontario’s gambling expansion, which is crucial to the Liberal government balancing the books without raising taxes, is in disarray after Paul Godfrey...
article Paul Godfrey ousted as chair of OLG
(Ontario) -- Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Chair Paul Godfrey has left his post as Premier Kathleen Wynne realigns the province’s gambling agency with her...
article Paul Godfrey out as OLG chairman
(Ontario) -- Paul Godfrey is out as chairman of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. and he says the board has also resigned.
article Ontario 'willing to increase' casino hosting fees for all municipalities: Finance Minister Charles Sousa
(Ontario) -- Toronto will receive $53.7 million a year to host a casino, the Ontario government said Thursday. That’s the winnings for the city under a new formula...
article Ontario may not divulge casino revenue formula before Toronto vote
(Ontario) -- The Ontario government will not commit to releasing its new casino revenue formula before Toronto city council votes on whether to build a gambling palace,...

5/14/2013

article Kitchener votes against pursuing casino, wants Woolwich to reconsider
(Ontario) -- The City of Kitchener is the latest local municipality to say it wants no part of a casino. Kitchener councillors voted unanimously against pursuing a...
article Long-Term Plan for Ontario Horse Racing Looms
(Ontario) -- After reaching short-term agreements with 11 of the province's 17 racetracks to continue live racing for 2013, the Ontario government is ready to map...

5/13/2013

article Kitchener council holds final vote on casino
(Ontario) -- Kitchener city council is voting tonight on whether to welcome a casino to the community.
article Ontario lottery corporation’s plans to be reviewed, frustrated Premier says
(Ontario) -- Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says her government is launching a review of all aspects of the provincial lottery corporation’s modernization plans.
article Wynne unimpressed with OLG modernization
(Ontario) -- As rumours swirled Monday about a possible regime change at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., Premier Kathleen Wynne appeared unimpressed with how the...

5/11/2013

article All Kitchener councillors to vote ‘no’ on proposed casino
(Ontario) -- City councillors will unanimously reject a casino when they meet on Monday evening. The 10 councillors and mayor confirmed they will vote no.
article Odds stacked against Woolwich casino
(Ontario) -- Woolwich Township made its bet on bringing a casino to town and now the odds appear to be against that happening. The idea of a casino here has been...
article Editorial: Keep this region casino-free
(Ontario) -- Kill it, Kitchener council. Kill the casino proposed for Waterloo Region. You have the opportunity — a vote on Monday to say yea or nay to a gaming...
article LETTER: Casino a bad bet for Kitchener
(Ontario) -- Over the past several months, local residents have been wooed with visions of triple 777s on slot machines and municipal councils have been wooed by the...
article LETTER: We need a casino
(Ontario) -- Waterloo Region is one of the premier high-tech regions of Canada. The world-class talent this region attracts is absolutely outstanding.

5/10/2013

article Casino Brantford, one city’s experience
(Ontario) -- It’s 1 p.m. on a Tuesday at Casino Brantford. The parking lot is about three-quarters full and a minivan marked OLG Security patrols the lot.
article OLG to review rules for casinos where two tier government exists
(Ontario) -- A new twist in the ongoing debate over casinos in Waterloo Region. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation reportedly says it will review its rules when...

5/9/2013

article Casino opinions mount. But is public voice heard?
(Ontario) -- Politicians in three local governments have heard 5,309 casino opinions, but have they heard the true voice of the people? Consider the latest online survey...
article Editorial: Put a stop to new casinos
(Ontario) -- Regional council has come out against a casino in the area, and it wants Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) and the provincial government to know it.
article Kitchener mayor wants meeting with premier over casino
(Ontario) -- Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr doesn’t want a casino anywhere near his city. Woolwich Mayor Todd Cowan wants a casino in his township, which happens to...
article OLG to review casino allocation process in Waterloo Region
(Ontario) -- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation says it will review its process of selecting municipalities for casino development, throwing into question plans...
article Vaughan's anti-casino forces stage protest Saturday
(Ontario) -- The most vocal advocates against having a casino come to Vaughan have organized a protest this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. No Casino Vaughan, co-chaired by...

5/8/2013

article OLG should review rules if region says no to casino, says Wynne
(Ontario) -- Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation should review its rules on the casino development process if Waterloo Region...
article Casino overwhelmingly opposed in Kitchener, survey says
(Ontario) -- Participants in an online survey commissioned by the City of Kitchener are overwhelmingly opposed to the development of a casino, both within the...
article City of Kitchener survey suggests most people oppose casino
(Ontario) -- An overwhelming majority of people surveyed are opposed to a casino in Kitchener or anywhere else in the region.

5/7/2013

article Kitchener councillor criticizes OLG's casino pitch
(Ontario) -- A member of Kitchener's economic development advisory committee tasked with researching the economic benefits of a casino in the city, thinks the...

5/6/2013

article Waterloo councillors vote unanimously against pursuing casino
(Ontario) -- A casino may still show up in Waterloo Region, but it won’t be in the City of Waterloo. Councillors in that city voted unanimously Monday against...

5/4/2013

article Column: Are all voices being heard in casino debate?
(Ontario) -- In April, Ipsos Reid conducted a scientific poll that suggests public sentiment is not necessarily aligned with what has been observed thus far at the City...

5/2/2013

article Sault Casino Loses Half Its Value
(Ontario) -- The Sault Ste. Marie Charity Casino has lost half of it's value according to the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. In a story published by the Globe...

4/30/2013

article OLG won't pay costs for public input
(Ontario) -- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation says it won’t foot the bill for a referendum to see if the town’s residents will support a casino.
article Problem gambler pleads for city to keep casino out
(Ontario) -- Sue Pallas’ voice cracked with sobs Tuesday night as the recovering gambling addict pleaded with city councillors to keep a casino out of this city.
article ThistleDown Racino offers modest makeover not likely to wow casino fans: Mark Naymik
(Ohio) -- Northeast Ohio's first racino won't impress you. After visiting Thistledown last week, I'm convinced the thoroughbred track that now offers 1,100...

4/29/2013

article Kitchener economic committee supports casino talks
(Ohio) -- The City of Kitchener’s economic development advisory committee wants council to support a casino to get detailed discussions underway with the Ontario...
article Regional chair to urge Council to send anti-casino message
(Ontario) -- Regional Chair Ken Seiling wants Council to tell the province and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation that it’s opposed to a casino in Waterloo...

4/27/2013

article Seiling wants region to denounce casino option
(Ontario) -- Ken Seiling is prepared to publicly denounce a casino here in his official role as regional chair. On May 8, Seiling will ask councillors to tell both the...

4/26/2013

article Online petition ramps up against casino in Vaughan
(Ontario) -- As time inches closer for Vaughan council to vote on whether or not to become a host municipality for a casino, a local group wants to make its views...

4/25/2013

article City gets $559,369 in slots revenue
(Ontario) -- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. issued a fourth-quarter payment of $559,369 to Greater Sudbury last week, its share of gambling revenue from the OLG...

4/24/2013

article Casino opponents speak loudest at Kitchener public meeting
(Ontario) -- A public input meeting for Kitchener residents to give their thoughts on bringing a casino to town ended up with nearly unanimous opposition.
article D’Amato: Plenty of reasons why we shouldn’t gamble on a casino
(Ontario) -- One delegation after another told Kitchener council Tuesday night to say no to a casino in the city. Lucky Waterloo Region. Right now, it has fewer problem...
article Gambling expert says casinos bring a host of problems
(Ontario) -- A leading expert on gambling says casinos bring a variety of problems to the communities they’re located in. Dr. Jim Cosgrave of Trent University,...
article Kitchener council hears “no” to proposed casino
(Ontario) -- The overwhelming outcry to the possibility of a casino coming to Kitchener is “no.” Hundreds of residents turned out Tuesday night at Kitchener...

4/23/2013

article Woodbine pitches gambling pact to OLG
(Ontario) -- Ontario's largest horse racing company is eager to work with the province on an expanded gambling presence across its various locations.

4/20/2013

article OLGC makes final payment
(Ontario) -- Windsor has received $385,000 from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp as its last quarterly payment for the transition period following the end of the...

4/19/2013

article Battle lines over casino are being drawn
(Ontario) -- As a new business owner, Lisa Dixon wouldn't set up a cafe in Peterborough's downtown knowing a casino would soon locate in the core.

4/17/2013

article Anti-casino protestors rally out front of Holiday Inn | UPDATE
(Ontario) -- Rod Phillips isn’t oblivious to the controversy that’s been sparked in Peterborough and beyond as the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (...
article LETTER: If we get a casino, keep more of the profits
(Ontario) -- What is lacking in the casino debate is a real analysis of the benefits, if any, of a new gaming facility in our midst. To use gambling parlance: What are...

4/16/2013

article Private sector – not Ontario – should operate casinos, Hudak says
(Ontario) -- Ontario should pull out of the casino business and leave it to the private sector, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak says.

4/15/2013

article 65% against casino coming: poll
(Ontario) -- Sixty-five per cent of Peterborough residents surveyed do not want a casino within the city’s boundaries. The findings were released by the No Casino...
article Local mayors want fair share of casino revenues
(Ontario) -- The mayors of Woolwich and Kitchener say they would want a fair share of casino revenues as controversy erupts over revenue-sharing in Toronto.

4/14/2013

article Equal can mean more
(Ontario) -- WHEN former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty told the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation it had to come up with $3 billion more over the next five years...

4/12/2013

article DRESCHEL: Auditor general to put OLG expansion under magnifying glass
(Ontario) -- Many of the troubling questions that have dogged the casino debate in Hamilton and across Ontario are about to go under the microscope.
article LETTER: Robinson made more sense on casino issue
(Ontario) -- Having caught comments made by Laurentian University's David Robinson and Mayor Marianne Matichuk in media interviews on casinos that Queen's Park...

4/11/2013

article Editorial: Our shifting casino gamble
(Ontario) -- When it comes to Ontario’s great casino debate, the question is not so much will Waterloo Region get one but where it will go. This basic fact must be...
article Let’s make a deal on gambling in Nickel City
(Ontario) -- There’s little room for grey in Sudbury’s great casino debate, where opinions tend to be set in stone and open minds are hard to find.

4/10/2013

article Bingemans president wants city to OK casino
(Ontario) -- A leading entertainment entrepreneur wants city councillors to say “yes” to a casino here so everyone can find out exactly what impact a...
article Ontario's auditor general to probe OLG's plans for casinos, racetracks
(Toronto) -- Ontario's auditor general will investigate the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.'s expansion plans and the cancellation of the slots-at-racetracks...

4/8/2013

article No casino interference: Wynne
(Ontario) -- Premier Kathleen Wynne says the province will not interfere with local governments by forcing them to decide the casino issue at the ballot box.
article Caesars Windsor could be sold in next decade: OLG (with video)
(Ontario) -- The province could sell Caesars Windsor and two other Ontario casinos when operating agreements expire in about seven years, an Ontario Lottery and Gaming...
article NDP officials say OLG overhaul threatens Caesars Windsor
(Ontario) -- The current restructuring plans for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation threaten the long-term viability of casino operations in Windsor, according...
article OLG changes could cost Windsor, says Natyshak
(Ontario) -- Essex NDP MPP Taras Natyshak says the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's restructuring plans threaten both the horseracing industry in the Windsor...
article Cambridge reconsiders changing its mind on casino
(Ontario) -- Greg Durocher came to speak on a casino. Cambridge city council told him to get lost. “We still like you,” Mayor Doug Craig told Durocher....

4/6/2013

article 1812: Fallsview Casino named ‘Defender of the Town’ for support of upcoming bicentennial events
(Ontario) -- The War of 1812 Bicentennial events and festivals continue into 2013 and Fallsview Casino becomes its newest contributor by donating $5,000 to the War of...
article PoV: Hold referendum on casino
(Ontario) -- Residents of Greater Sudbury should have a say in whether they want a full-service casino in their city, so it was troubling to hear Mayor Marianne Matichuk...

4/5/2013

article Peterborough Square rolling the dice on casino
(Ontario) -- Peterborough Square may bet its future as host of a casino. on the lower level of the downtown mall. While details of the plan haven’t been released,...

3/31/2013

article Go North, Young Man: OLG’s modern monopoly and opportunities for growth
(Ontario) -- In Canada, each province has a monopoly over gaming which takes place within provincial boundaries. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG),...

3/29/2013

article Slots-at-racetracks program put on hold?
(Ontario) -- On Thursday (March 28), the Ontario Legislature carried the motion of Essex's New Democratic Party MPP Taras Natyshak. The pro-horse racing motion calls...

3/28/2013

article Fort Erie Race Track gets one-year reprieve
(Ontario) -- The horses at the Fort Erie Race Track will run again this season, at least. The Ontario government announced it will provide transitional funding that will...

3/27/2013

article Councils skip usual staff review before final decisions on casino
(Ontario) -- When Waterloo and Kitchener councillors sit down for a final casino vote, they will do so without the benefit of a staff report to guide them through the...

3/25/2013

article Helping or harming? Ontario gambling expansion and First Nations
(Ontario) -- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is modernizing. And that means expansion, new casinos and licensed gaming facilities in yet untapped markets...
article OLG growth plan already hurting cities with existing casinos
(Ontario) -- Not a single new casino has been built yet in Ontario, but government plans for increasing the number of gambling establishments have slashed the financial...
article Revenue-Share Row Clouds Ontario Casino Plans [reg. req'd]
(Ontario) -- All Ontario cities must receive equal treatment for hosting newly-privatized casinos, even if that means effectively killing plans for a multibillion-dollar...

3/23/2013

article Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne won’t really crimp Toronto casino funding: Editorial
(Ontario) -- After mayors outside Toronto squawked about a “special deal” to put a downtown casino in Canada’s largest city, Premier Kathleen Wynne...
article Paul Godfrey’s wheeling and dealing not enchanting Premier Wynne
(Ontario) -- It was a role that seemed to be made for Paul Godfrey. For three years, the Postmedia newspaper executive and former municipal politician and all-purpose...
article Column: OLG’s casino master plan just plain absurd
(Ontario) -- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s casino pitch is like a casino itself. It promises the marks easy pickings but neglects to mention that the...
article LETTERS: The great casino debate
(Toronto) -- The whiff of BS is strong downwind of the great casino debate. The representations of OLG and MGM fail the credibility test. Hundreds of millions in fees...
article Thumbs Up to, getting tough with OLG, Meals on Wheels and political frankness
(Ontario) -- Thumbs Down to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. for even contemplating giving Toronto a different – and substantially different – deal for...
article Casino alone won't draw tourists: Chamber
(Ontario) -- The Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce supports a casino in Sudbury if it is attached to a multipurpose facility. "We feel that in order for there to...

3/22/2013

article Council recoups casino taxes
(Ontario) -- Regional council grabbed back the precious tax revenue the Region lost from Niagara Falls' two casinos in one swift hike Thursday.
article Kitchener council set to vote on public casino consultation
(Ontario) -- City council will decide Monday whether to ask the public if they want a casino, but there may not be enough time to get a clear answer. If there is a yes...

3/20/2013

article Niagara Falls feeling frustrated over casino compensation
(Ontario) -- That warning today from premier Kathleen Wynne to Ontario Lottery and Gaming chair Paul Godfrey. It came after earlier reports suggested the OLG would offer...
article OLG reviewing casino fees
(Ontario) -- The chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation sat down with premier Kathleen Wynne today to discuss the ongoing debate of casino revenues in the...
article Ontario’s casino bet is weirdly perverse: Walkom
(Ontario) -- Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s casino pitch is like a casino itself. It promises the marks easy picking but neglects to mention that the house...

3/19/2013

article Councillors give the OK to three potential casino sites
(Ontario) -- Peterborough City Council is leaving the door open on three potential sites for a casino in Peterborough.
article Kathleen Wynne to meet with OLG bosses to discuss lottery sell-off and casinos
(Ontario) -- Premier Kathleen Wynne is meeting Ontario’s gambling czars to get some “clarity” on casino expansion and the lottery sell-off.

3/18/2013

article Ontario says no to special casino deal for Toronto
(Ontario) -- The Ontario government has stipulated that the same funding formula for casinos will be used everywhere, derailing a lottery corporation arrangement that...
article Casinos a money grab for province, critics say
(Sudbury) -- A Sudbury economist is questioning whether a downtown casino would actually be an economic driver for the city.
article More than 100 protest at Kawartha Downs
(Ontario) -- At 24, Tom Riley thought he knew where the rest of his life would take him. He’s a third-generation race horse breeder married to a third-generation...
article Peterborough MP urges province to cancel Slots at Kawartha Downs lease deal over decision to halt harness racing
(Ontario) -- If Kawartha Downs doesn’t continue horse racing, Ontario Lottery and Gaming should pull the slot machines out of that site, Peterborough MP Dean Del...

3/16/2013

article NDP would put casino expansion on hold until municipal referendum held
(Ontario) -- The political party that brought casino gambling to Ontario 20 years ago now wants to put the brakes on any further expansion. New Democrat MPP Taras...
article Ontario NDP calls for referendum on OLG modernization plan
(Ontario) -- The Ontario NDP wants to put the brakes on the province’s lottery and gaming modernization plan until after the 2014 municipal elections when...
article Ottawa and Niagara Falls revolt over rumours of special treatment for Toronto casino
(Ontario) -- Embittered by reports that Toronto will get a sweeter deal on its casino than anywhere else in the province, Ontario mayors rose up in revolt Friday against...
article City wants sweeter T.O. casino deal
(Ontario) -- Windsor expects to be in for a windfall of cash if the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation pays hosting fees worth an estimated $50-to $100-million...
article OLG ups the ante for potential TO casino
(Ontario) -- Ontario’s lottery corporation is sweetening the pot for a potential Toronto casino. And once again, it has serious ramifications for the two casinos...
article Paul Godfrey rolls up his sleeves at Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
(Toronto) -- When Rob Prichard was hired by MGM Resorts to help lobby for a casino in downtown Toronto, he promptly declared a potential conflict of interest.
article 'Uncertain times' at Downs
(Ontario) -- As the new racing season draws near, the fate of Sudbury Downs' 2013 season is still up in the air. Downs president Pat MacIsaac said talks are still...
article OP/ED: Woolwich residents should make the call on a casino
(Ontario) -- The Record’s Tuesday editorial, “No referendum on local casino,” unfortunately failed to deliver an accurate portrayal of how casino...

3/15/2013

article Ontario NDP Proposes a Referendum on OLG Modernization Plan
(Ontario) -- The Ontario NDP have proposed to temporarily halt the province’s lottery and gaming modernization plan at least until the 2014 municipal elections...
article Provincial News: NDP: OLG revamp should allow for municipal referendums and real future for horseracing
(Ontario) -- Essex MPP Taras Natyshak is introducing a motion at the provincial legislature aimed at addressing serious concerns about the current revamp of the Ontario...
article Tories want to scrap Liberals’ plans for more casinos and online gambling
(Toronto) -- Ontario should scrap its “empire-building” plans for more casinos and online gambling and focus instead on bolstering the horse-racing industry...
article Kathleen Wynne Doubles Down on Double Speak Over Toronto Casino Fees – Does Ontario Need More Casinos?
(Toronto) -- The Tweets are fast and furious as many across Ontario are upset at the Province seeming to give Toronto, the centre of the Universe, at least to...
article Casino debate comes back to council Monday
(Ontario) -- At least 15 residents will have their say on where a new gambling facility should go when the debate over proposed casino locations comes back to the...
article Group rallies against casino in Peterborough
(Ontario) -- A group of concerned residents are hoping to convince Peterborough city councillors to keep a casino out of the city. The grassroots movement, which formed...
article OLG moves forward in privatization
(Ontario) -- Casino operators wanting to operate facilities in Northern Ontario – including Sault Ste. Marie – have submitted their applications to Ontario...
article Hudak Presents PC Path For Ontario Horse Racing; OHRIA Responds
(Ontario) -- On Thursday, March 14, PC Leader Tim Hudak will formally present his white paper on agriculture and rural Ontario in Guelph, Ont., with part of that paper...

3/14/2013

article Brantford, Thunder Bay happy with downtown casinos
(Ontario) -- Jim Comuzzi had his doubts when talk of a casino coming to Thunder Bay's entertainment district started circulating. The restaurant owner and vice-chair...
article Kitchener may consider public casino consultation
(Ontario) -- Kitchener may be the only local city positioned to debate talking to residents about hosting a casino — potentially putting it alongside Woolwich...
article MacLeod: Casino OKs should rest with citizens
(Ontario) -- Referendums at the municipal level should not be held simply because councillors of the day cannot make a final determination on an issue.

3/13/2013

article Rally Planned At Kawartha Downs
(Ontario) -- No Casino in The City is rallying at Kawartha Downs on Thursday at noon to lobby to keep the racetrack and slots in Cavan-Monaghan and out of Peterborough.
article Waterloo likely to vote on casino issue in March
(Ontario) -- Waterloo council will have a preliminary vote 'probably by the end of March' on whether to hold public consultations on a potential casino in the...

3/11/2013

article Flamboro Downs' deal with OLG should end casino, says city councilor
(Ontario) -- Flamboro Downs has reached an agreement with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) to continue operating its slots for the foreseeable future,...
article Kitchener casino vote coming this month
(Ontario) -- Kitchener council will begin the process later this month of officially deciding whether it wants to pursue a casino in the city, says Mayor Carl Zehr.

3/9/2013

article Company already visited city, says development would definitely include amenities
(Ontario) -- Caesars Entertainment, one of the world's largest gaming and casino operators, is definitely interested in building a casino and other amenities in Greater...
article Flamboro Downs reaches agreement with OLG
(Ontario) -- The OLG has reached an agreement with Flamboro Downs to continue slots at the racetrack. This new deal – announced Saturday – will replace their...
article Race is on at six Ontario tracks; Flamboro still in limbo
(Ontario) -- Horses will be racing at six Ontario tracks this year, but the future of Flamboro Downs is still up in the air. The province has inked three-year transition...

3/8/2013

article Next step for Woolwich casino: woo private operators
(Woolwich) -- So Woolwich Township is willing to host an Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation casino. Now what?
article Horse racing saved at 6 Ontario tracks, sport to join OLG
(Ontario) -- The horse racing industry reacted with cautious optimism Friday after Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the sector would be integrated into a provincial...
article Ontario horse racing: Premier Kathleen Wynne announces deal to rescue 4 racetracks
(Ontario) -- Ontario's beleaguered horse racing industry is going to live to ride again. An industry that was nearly euthanized by the Liberal government is finding...
article Province makes deals with more racetracks for 2013 season despite loss of slots
(Ontario) -- Ontario's Liberal government has reached transition funding agreements with four more racetracks to replace its cancelled revenue sharing slot machine...
article Collingwood mayor's brother paid by casino, power companies
(Ontario) -- CBC News has learned the Ontario Provincial Police are probing complaints of potential conflict of interest involving the town council in Collingwood, Ont...
article Collingwood town officials face OPP probe
(Ontario) -- Ontario Provincial Police are investigating allegations of corruption and conflict of interest levelled against elected officials in the town of Collingwood...

3/7/2013

article Cowan says region overstepping bounds with casino resolution
(Woolwich) -- The mayor of Woolwich Township says the Region of Waterloo exceeded its authority when councillors voted to ask for a say in any new casino Wednesday night...
article Kitchener, Waterloo urged to debate casino
(Woolwich) -- The casino debate isn’t over. Where a casino will go and who will get the cash are two major items up for debate among regional politicians.
article Regional councillors want say on potential casino
(Woolwich) -- Regional councillors voted Wednesday night in favour of a motion asking for a voice in the debate over a casino in Waterloo Region. The motion was...

3/6/2013

article Casino talk expected at Regional Council
(Woolwich) -- The casino topic will make its way to Regional council tonight. Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr tells 570 news, his motion is asking the OLG if Regional council...
article Woolwich Township votes to pursue casino
(Woolwich) -- Woolwich Township is one step closer to landing a casino following a Tuesday night council meeting.
article Woolwich wants a casino
(Woolwich) -- Woolwich councillors have voted to support a casino in the township. Officials will tell the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation they’re...

3/5/2013

article Collingwood Explores Casino Resort
(Collingwood) -- Right now it's just a dream, but Collingwood Council wants to explore the possibility of a large scale casino resort coming to town.
article Seiling To Speak Out On Casino Issue
(Ontario) -- During the evening hours of Tuesday, March 5, Woolwich Township's Council will be taking part in a crucial vote regarding whether or not it wants to be...
article Staff to report back on casino option, New Tecumseth not in OLG zone
(Ontario) -- Deputy mayor Rick Milne won support last night to have Town staff look into its options related to hosting one of the small OLG casinos allocated to...

3/4/2013

article Collingwood Contemplated Hypothetical Casino
(Ontario) -- There will be more talk of casinos around the Collingwood council table tonight. A presentation on the idea of a so called Integrated Destination Resort...

3/2/2013

article Column: Now we depend on problem gamblers' money
(Ontario) -- I’ve been interested in news coverage of Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s plans to build casinos in Toronto and other Ontario communities.

3/1/2013

article Falls casinos to receive $16.4-million refund
(Ontario) -- The city will refund Niagara’s casinos to the tune of $5.4 million after Ontario Lottery and Gaming won an eight-year property-tax assessment appeal...
article Online Gaming: Will it cannibalize poker at OLG Casinos?
(Ontario) -- While U.S. federal authorities continue cracking down on internet gambling site operators, New Jersey governor Chris Christie this week signed a bill...

2/28/2013

article Economic development a good bet
(Ontario) -- The city's share of potential casino revenue should be used for economic development, says Mayor Al McDonald. The city can expect to receive a 5% share...

2/27/2013

article Sudbury council wants a casino — with the works
(Ontario) -- Sudbury city councillors are in agreement that they want a new casino for the city to be more than a casino. At its Tuesday night meeting, council voted...
article Treat Falls casino like Windsor casino: Thomson 8
(Ontario) -- You will be treated the same as Windsor. That’s the answer Niagara Falls politicians would always get when they would ask Ontario Lottery and Gaming...

2/26/2013

article Wynne urges expanded lottery system to maximize revenue for Ontario
(Ontario) -- Kathleen Wynne says Ontario must forge ahead with a plan to expand its lottery system and contract out its operation because the province needs the money.

2/25/2013

article Cash-strapped Ontario preparing to privatize its lotteries
(Ontario) -- Ontario is taking steps to privatize the operation of its lucrative lottery business in hopes that the move, which would be a first among Canadian provinces...
article Casino back on the table for Collingwood council
(Ontario) -- Town councillors may try one more roll of the dice. On Monday night, councillors were told a major casino player was interested in setting up shop in...

2/24/2013

article City of Niagara Falls fuming over casino tax cuts
(New York) -- Even talk of potential casinos in Hamilton and Toronto is impacting the two gambling sites in Niagara Falls. Ken Todd, chief administrative officer for the...

2/23/2013

article Shuffling the deck: Ontario hopes to generate $100 million in profit every year from online gambling, Part 3
(Ontario) -- Ontarians are spending $400 million every year on off-shore gaming sites and the government wants a piece of the action. This fall, in a bid to attract the...

2/22/2013

article Health board cool on casino 4
(Sudbury) -- The Sudbury and District Board of Health is sending a strong message to city council that the negative health impacts of establishing a casino in Sudbury...
article Gambling funds will continue to flow to town's coffers
(Ontario) -- After nearly a year of uncertainty, it is now clear Innisfil will continue to reap the financial rewards of hosting a casino.
article Shuffling the Deck: Losers, Part 2
(Ontario) -- It’s a sure bet that when Ontario recasts its gambling industry there will be winners and losers. The horse-racing industry, and municipalities...
article Shuffling the Deck: Ontario raises its gambling stakes, Part 1
(Ontario) -- When Ontario’s first casino opened here in 1994, the provincial government was deep in the red and looking for a way out. It found its gold mine in...
article 'Give us the tools to compete' with other casinos
(Ontario) -- Jim Diodati doesn’t fear the possibility of new casinos in Toronto, Hamilton and western New York. The Niagara Falls mayor just fears the two in his...
article Part 2 of Shuffling the Deck series: Casino referendums ‘right thing to do:' MPP
(Ontario) -- If Niagara Falls had to jump through hoops to get a casino, it’s only fair to force other potential host municipalities to do the same. Liberal...

2/21/2013

article Casino creates winners, losers
(Ontario) -- With one of the longest histories of living with a casino in the province, does Brantford find itself on the winning or losing end of the deal?
article Casinos bring problem gambling, board says
(Sudbury) -- As Greater Sudbury city council makes decisions about local gambling expansion, Sudbury and district medical officer of health Dr. Penny Sutcliffe wants...

2/20/2013

article Choosing casino location up to local leaders: premier
(Ontario) -- Ontario's premier says she wants the decision on new casinos to be made by city councils. The remarks made last week came as a surprise to some...
article City looking for input on new casino
(Ontario) -- Now that Peterborough City councillors have mapped out locations and talked numbers, they’re looking to find out how the community feels about...

2/19/2013

article Brantford politicians weigh in on impact of a casino
(Ontario) -- Brantford politicians have advice Woolwich councillors may want to hear before bringing a casino to town — take half what advocates say, half from the...
article Township gets an earful on casino debate
(Ontario) -- Woolwich Township’s casino decision should be based on facts and not emotion, Mayor Todd Cowan says. On Tuesday night, he and other councillors got an...

2/16/2013

article Confusion over HECFI operators' casino take
(Hamilton) -- On the day after city councillors put the casino debate to bed — at least for the time being — a new debate is brewing about how a gaming...
article Health groups pushed against casino in core
(Hamilton) -- A downtown casino is off the table for now, thanks in part to strong opposition from local health organizations, city councillors say.

2/15/2013

article Health groups opposed to downtown casino relieved by Flamboro Downs decision
(Hamilton) -- A downtown casino is off the table for now, thanks in part to strong opposition from local health organizations, city councillors say.
article Who said casino hurts entertainment industry?
(Hamilton) -- On the day after city councillors put the casino debate to bed — at least for the time being — a new debate is brewing about how a gaming...
article Brantford Casino will endure: OLG Chair
(Iowa) -- With a handful of prospective private-sector bidders having already made the trip, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) chair Paul Godfrey trekked through...
article Casino project to seek support from Dryden city council
(Ontario) -- A presentation will be made to Dryden city council next week with hopes of gaining support for a casino development in that area.
article Cha-Ching! Casino could bring in $4 million a year
(Ontario) -- The City of Peterborough could receive up to $4 million a year if a casino located here. That figure comes from a staff report councillors will receive for...

2/14/2013

article Casino compromise: It's Flamboro first
(Hamilton) -- After months of heated, divisive and often nasty debate, councillors have made a unanimous decision that puts the casino question on the back burner for at...
article City will get final say on Hamilton casino: Merulla
(Hamilton) -- City councillors are expected to pass a motion Thursday that would demand final approval of any potential casino proposals for Hamilton.
article THE SPEC: What we’re chasing today
(Hamilton) -- Councillors will convene for a special meeting at City Hall today to discuss whether Flamborough should be the city’s only location for a casino.
article The Spectator’s View: Flamborough-only decision too restrictive
(Hamilton) -- In a few hours, barring a surprise development at the last minute, Hamilton city council will probably vote to be a willing host for a casino, but only if...
article Province should leave Hamilton casino decisions to the city: Wynne
(Ontario) -- Ontario's new premier says the province needs to stay out of casino talks and let municipalities like Hamilton make decisions for themselves.

2/13/2013

article Horse racing association ready to fight for a casino in Flamborough
(Hamilton) -- The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association is urging Hamilton councillors to vote yes to a casino in Flamborough.
article Revised casino motion leaves door open if Flamboro not ‘viable site’
(Hamilton) -- Sam Merulla says he has struck a last-minute deal with his fellow city councillors that identifies Flamborough as the only site for a casino, but still...
article Horse racing: Woodbine slashes workforce
(Ontario) -- Woodbine Entertainment Group has announced more than 100 layoffs following a recent secret agreement with the province. Nick Eaves, CEO of the Woodbine...
article Slot losses prompt Ontario horse-racing track operator to cut jobs
(Ontario) -- Ontario’s horse-racing track operator says it’s being forced to slash hundreds of positions to keep pace with a reduction in revenue. Woodbine...

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