Saskatchewan Charitable Gaming Grants Drop Significantly from Pre-Pandemic Levels

The government of Saskatchewan recently revealed that organizations running charitable gaming activities had received grants of more than $900,000 from its charitable gaming grant program. This amount is a large decrease compared to the amount allotted in the same period in 2019, the year prior to the pandemic’s effects on the gaming industry. According to CBC, from April 1 to June 30 in 2019, the government had provided nearly $2.7 million in charitable gaming grants. Groups with licensed charitable gaming activities (bingo, raffles, breakopen ticket sales, Texas Hold ’em poker, and Monte Carlo events) receive 25% of the net proceeds each quarter as part of the grant. There is no need to apply for the charitable gaming grant for those taking part in such activities.

During the last quarter, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) awarded charitable gaming grants of $113,462 to Moose Jaw and the surrounding area, $110,931 to Humboldt and its environs, $65,847 to Swift Current and its vicinity, $51,190 to Estevan/Weyburn and its neighbourhood, and $45,239 to Lloydminster and its adjacent area. “These grants provide a valuable aid to the volunteers helping to make their communities better,” stated Jim Reiter, Minister Responsible for SLGA. “Over 300 groups and organizations receive these grants from our government, and we are proud to extend this help to them.”

Admitting that the pandemic had an impact on charitable gaming, David Morris, the Manager for Communications and Public Education for the SLGA, commented, “There were a lot of sports teams that didn’t play due to the pandemic, so that had an effect on charitable gaming.” Morris mentioned that normally there is variation in the activity levels of charitable gaming from quarter to quarter, depending on when the organizations choose to hold their events, however, due to COVID-19, many bingo nights needed to be cancelled.