Parq Casino, positioned close to BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, is proposing a big enlargement to its gaming flooring. The on line casino operator, in collaboration with the BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC), has submitted functions to the City of Vancouver in search of approval to extend its slot machine depend from 600 to 900. This request is scheduled to be mentioned by town council on February 3 as a part of a “referral report.”
The enlargement plan is a part of a broader technique to reinforce the on line casino’s choices and enhance its contribution to the native economic system. Parq has forecasted that the addition of 300 slot machines will entice roughly 305,000 new gamers over the subsequent 5 years. This surge in patronage is anticipated to generate elevated revenues, new employment alternatives, and supply further leisure advantages for an estimated 200,000 non-problem gamblers. The projected income enhance is estimated to end in about $1 million of additional annual host metropolis income within the first three years.
Policy Shifts and Approval Process
The proposed enlargement comes after the Vancouver metropolis council amended a 2011 moratorium on playing within the metropolis. The 2024 modification allowed for the addition of extra slots and desk video games at Parq Casino and Hastings Racecourse, a big shift in coverage that follows years of resistance to playing progress. Parq, which operates in a constructing that features a lodge and convention house, has room to develop and will ultimately accommodate as much as 1,200 slot machines.
However, the applying additionally highlights potential considerations associated to drawback playing. According to the BCLC’s Problem Gambling Severity Index, the on line casino enlargement may result in a rise within the variety of patrons falling into low, average, or high-risk classes for playing dependancy. The report estimates that roughly 6,000 new gamers could possibly be in danger over the subsequent 5 years as a result of enlargement. As a outcome, town employees recommends that any approval for the slot machine enhance be contingent upon implementing further mitigation measures and sustained monitoring.
Parq Casino, nevertheless, has made efforts to deal with these dangers by implementing accountable gaming measures. According to North Shore News, these embody employees coaching on applicable responses to playing points, common audits of its accountable gaming practices, an up to date participant well being coverage, and the presence of a “GameSense” data heart on the on line casino flooring to help gamers with details about accountable playing.
The enlargement would additionally end in a lift to town’s social accountability fund, which at the moment receives $300,000 yearly. Parq Casino contributes a further $150,000 yearly to the St. Paul’s Foundation, additional underlining its dedication to group help. Municipalities with casinos like Vancouver obtain 10% of the online gaming income generated, and in 2024, Vancouver obtained $6.1 million from Parq’s operations.
Potential Risks and Broader Impacts
However, the proposal raises considerations in regards to the broader impacts of playing enlargement. Critics argue that the transfer may exacerbate social harms, together with playing dependancy and the pressure on public well being companies. Despite these considerations, town employees acknowledges that Parq has taken steps to mitigate dangers by way of its accountable gaming agreements and applications with BCLC.
Vancouver at the moment hosts 9 casinos, with a complete of seven,301 slot machines and 412 desk video games throughout the area. Other main casinos within the space embody Grand Villa in Burnaby, which has the best variety of slots in Metro Vancouver, and River Rock in Richmond. With these figures in thoughts, the proposed enlargement at Parq Casino may solidify its place as one of many prime gaming locations within the area.
