RGC Advice for upcoming Belleville Ontario Casino Launch

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The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp (OLG) already operates a total of 17 casino slots parlours across the province. Come spring, a new Ontario casino is scheduled to open in Belleville. Before that happens, the Toronto-based Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has some advice for would-be players of the new Shorelines Casino Belleville.

RGC project coordinator Heather Ly wants to make sure that, when the new casino opens a few months from now, players don’t overextend their budgets. Her mission is to educate players, teaching them how to “set some money and time limits and stick to them.”

The RGC is a non-profit organization that promotes responsible gambling practices across the region. She said noted that the group has no desire to impede the highly anticipated grand opening of Shorelines Casino Belleville. In contrast, the council supports gaming as a form of suitable entertainment, so long as players are not putting themselves at risk for harm or addiction.

RGC Visits Belleville Bingo Hall

Ms. Ly and fellow members of the RGC made an appearance at the Belleville Lyons Bingo Hall on Wednesday to speak with some of the patrons about the dangers of excessive gambling on casinos slots and table games. It was the prefect venue, as these same players will likely grace the entryway of the new Ontario casino once it opens next year.

The RGC regularly visits Ontario casinos and other gaming facilities in an effort to spread their encouragement of responsible gambling. She said the council has a very strong, working relationship with OLG, which maintains regulatory oversight of all gambling facilities in the province.

Ms. Ly insisted that their sessions are not meant to be preachy. They merely seek to provide a positively informative session in which players can learn how to enjoy all of their favorite casino slots and table games – as well as bingo – without becoming just another problem gambling statistic.

“It’s really important to remember that gambling is a form of entertainment. It’s just for fun,” stressed Ly.

Setting Money / Time Limits

She said that the new Ontario casino poses no risk of proliferating addiction, so long as the players make wise decisions relating to the amount of money they can afford to spend, and the length of time they wish to play.

Setting a limit of $100, or maybe just $10 – it should be based on what an individual can afford to lose – and stopping when that amount has been lost, or when the time limit has been reached, will ensure a responsible and wholly entertaining experience on the casino slots.

She also pointed out that there’s more to do at any Ontario casino than just gamble. Live music performances, comedy acts, restaurants and other amenities provide additional entertainment that can elongate a players time at the facility, without extending the risk.

“There’s nothing wrong with partaking in those if the night’s still young,” advised Ly.

Shorelines Casino Belleville Coming Spring 2017

Shorelines Casino Belleville is on pace to open on a tentatively scheduled timeline of March or April 2017. The facility will host 400 casino slots and 40 table games like blackjack, baccarat and roulette.

Andy LaCroix, Executive Director for the new Ontario Casino’s operator, Great Canadian Gaming, said back in July that Shorelines will boast a “state-of-the-art responsible gaming centre” designed to educate players on the potential harms of gambling.