Ottawa Public Health is recommending that the city not move forward with a new casino – a decision applauded by local community health centres.
Dr. Isra Levy, the city’s medical officer of health, in a report to the Ottawa Board of Health, said Public Health does not want to see “increasing access and availability of gambling” in the capital.
Gambling, writes Levy, is a “public health concern, which has the potential to cause mental health, social, physical and major financial impacts to individuals, families and communities.”
The report also calls on the city, the province, and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. to invest more in the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.
Levy wants the province to allocate $2 million every year to the Champlain Local Health Integration Network to fund gambling treatment services.
Levy also wants city council to allocate 6.5 per cent of the city’s commission from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. to Ottawa Public Health, to fund gambling prevention and community outreach. It is anticipated the city will receive a $5.3 million commission in 2013, an increase of about $1 million from previous years. Public Health currently receives no cut from the city for gaming revenues earned from the slots at the Rideau Carleton Raceway.
The report makes several recommendations if an Ottawa casino is given the green light, including limiting hours of casino operation, prohibiting casino credit and holding accounts, and reducing maximum bet size.
“We welcome OPH’s report and the recommendations contained therein,” said Jeff Morrison, president of the Centretown Community Health Centre, in a news release.
Ottawa Public Health has consulted with local health and resource centres.
“We are very pleased that they have reached the same conclusion as our nine centres regarding the inherent risks of a new casino,” said Morrison, “and we look forward to promoting this report with other city councillors and members of the community.”