B.C.'s Community Gaming Centres

In 2004, the BCLC was directed by the government to create ‘community gaming centres’ in response to the dwindling amount of charity gaming in British Columbia. This measure saw renovated and relocated gaming facilities with a wider selection of slots, increased social areas, and improved customer service, adding to the existing bingo offerings. With the help of bingo hall operators and municipality representatives, 15 of these centres have been established throughout B.C., such as in Dawson Creek, Kelowna, and Langley.
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Jordan Gnat, President and CEO of Boardwalk Gaming & Entertainment, believes that the transition to community gaming centres made sense due to the familiar relationships between the parties. That being said, all of the stakeholders had the desire to move forward on these centres and the mandate from the provincial government enabled them to do so. Contrary to popular opinion, community gaming centres are far from being bingo halls with slot machines; Gnat explains that the average investment for these facilities could range from $7-$15 million dollars making them significant projects and financial commitments.

He stated that the purpose for transforming old bingo halls into ‘Chances Community Gaming Centres’ was to provide an array of entertainment options, including bingo, keno, slots, food service and more. The challenge is that the process of creating a community gaming centre from inception to grand opening can take up to five years, depending on municipal negotiations and construction. Gnat suggested that success in having a proposal approved rests heavily on delivering a consistent and clear message. BCLC’s standards, developed in collaboration with local operators, have proven to be beneficial in the process.

Darryl Schiewe, Vice-President of Casino and Community Gaming for BCLC, explains that BCLC is dedicated to upholding high standards when it comes to building and running its community gaming centres. He states that the intention is to purpose-build excellent facilities where great food and beverage options, entertainment and gambling choices can be found. Tony Gnat, CEO of Real Deals Gaming Inc., indicates his appreciation for the partnership between BCLC and his organization and mentions that together they strive to keep improving the business in favor of all stakeholders and to preserve the customers’ best possible experience. It seems evident that this strong partnership has been a success.

According to Matthew Bradford, increasing revenues for BCLC through Community Gaming Centres have been a successful endeavor for local governments, reaching $7.6 million for host local government share payments last year. As Gabriel Gnat puts it, it has been a beneficial venture for all parties — operator, BCLC and the local community. BCLC plans to maintain and further develop this model, as these facilities are tailored to the needs of their markets and promote higher standards of customer satisfaction. Moreover, Schiewe believes the Community Gaming Centre model is the optimal choice to guarantee continuation of gaming funds that feed back to local communities.