Illegal Operators Drain CA$200M, Atlantic Lottery CEO Warns

Late last month, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), the only legal online gambling platform for people in Canada’s Atlantic region, announced the appointment of Dallas McCready as its CEO and president. Taking on the key role, he replaced the outgoing Patrick Daigle, who led the ALC for nearly three decades.

Despite the leadership change, challenges continue to impact the ALC, which is owned jointly by four Atlantic provincial governments, namely Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Losses to Illegal Gambling Are an Estimated CA$200M per Year

In a recent interview, the newly appointed CEO spoke about ALC’s future plans and current challenges. Illegal gambling has long been an issue for the Atlantic region. That is evident based on the growing profits of the Lottery which come along with an increase in the losses to illegal gambling.

McCready, who was recently interviewed by Casino.org, estimated that hundreds of millions are lost to the illegal gambling sector every year. The executive recognized that the losses are in the realm of CA$200 million ($140 million) annually. Such a sum deprives the region of vital funding for public services and benefits the black market and illegal operators, which do not offer the same player protection measures, nor pay taxes on their proceeds, the executive warned.

McCready elaborated further: “These illegal operators are motivated by profit and do not place the same priority on responsible gambling as Atlantic Lottery, nor do they return profits or pay taxes to Atlantic Canadian provinces.” Pointing to the hefty yearly losses to illegal gambling, ALC’s boss said that the number is “troubling and a growing concern” for the people living in the region.

Strategic Plan to Boost ALC’s Growth

The executive pointed to a five-year plan that seeks to help strengthen the ALC and allow it to continue growing. Ahead of his appointment as CEO, McCready held the role of chief strategy officer. This undoubtedly helped him gain relevant experience that will be required for the implementation of the Lottery’s strategic plan.

Notably, the ALC will focus on tapping into new audiences such as younger demographics. This will be achieved through improvements of the Lottery’s products that elevate the experiences for the players. According to McCready, the ALC’s focus this year will be on introducing new lottery terminals, overhauling retail outlets across the Atlantic region.

Ultimately, by redefining the experiences, the Lottery seeks to not only better serve its customers but also increase its market share. This, in turn, can help decrease the losses to illegal gambling.