Alberta cuts funding to gambling support group as it eyes private online betting

EDMONTON — Alberta’s government has ended a funding contract for a non-profit organization that provides education and resources for gambling addiction.

Ray Reshke, executive director of the Edmonton-based Problem Gambling Resources Network, says without the funding the organization will likely have to shut its doors.

He said the network has had a government funding agreement of some sort since 1993. Earlier this month, he said he was told the government was ending its three-year contract and pulling the nearly $130,000 it provided annually.

“It was a real shock,” said Reshke.

“We had our rug pulled out from under us a year early.”

As one of the few organizations focused on gambling addiction in Alberta, Reshke said the network provides support through its drop-in centre and phone line.

“We’re not counsellors, but we do direct people to resources for help like gamblers anonymous or Alberta Health Services,” he said, adding the drop-in centre is also used as a meeting place for gamblers anonymous.

He said the network also helps people enrol in the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis voluntary self-exclusion program, which bans them from casinos.

Reshke said the network’s biggest accomplishment is its education program, through which paid volunteers with a history of gambling addiction give presentations in schools and workplaces.

“We’ve probably done around 10,000 gambling education presentations over the time that we’ve been in business, and we’ve reached probably 250,000 people.”

Reshke said he was told the funding was cut because the organization doesn’t provide direct services.

The same reasoning was given to four disability advocacy organizations that also had their government funding contracts ended this month. Those cuts totalled at least $920,000.

Andree Busenius, a volunteer with the gambling network who gives presentations, disagrees with the government’s assessment. She said the demand and need for presentations, particularly for school-age children, has never been greater.

“One of the things I often hear back from students is that they can list off 10 or 15 online gambling sites,” said Busenius. “But if I ask them (to name) three places to get support for addiction in Alberta, they struggle.”

She said her school presentations include identifying elements of gambling, such as mystery boxes for purchase in video games, in an effort to build awareness.

Feedback from teachers and parents has been overwhelmingly positive, she said.

“My true hope for anyone that hears our presentation, whether it’s me or Ray, is do not ride the dump truck all the way to the dumpster like I did.”

Questions sent to the office of Mental Health and Addictions Minister Dan Williams were forwarded to Recovery Alberta, one of the four new public health agencies the province created to replace Alberta Health Services.

Recovery Alberta spokesperson Jessica Conlin said it was ending its funding contract with the gambling network early because it was determined the network doesn’t provide direct services.

“These funds are being reallocated to focus on front-line delivery of services to directly support Albertans in their pursuit of recovery,” she said in an email.

“At any time, Albertans can call the Addiction and Mental Health Helpline to connect with trained professionals for access to services.”

She didn’t answer questions about whether other organizations in the addictions sector were also having their funding cut.

Opposition NDP mental health and addictions critic Janet Eremenko said cutting funding to the gambling network is irresponsible, especially since the United Conservative Party government generates over $2 billion in revenue from gambling.

“They have a fundamental responsibility to step in and create a tangible way for people to point to a specific line item in the budget that says this is what they’re doing to address and prevent problematic gambling and gambling addiction when they’re making that kind of revenue from the gambling itself.”

She also said it’s concerning because Alberta is eyeing legislation that would allow private companies to set up online gambling operations in the province, similar to Ontario.

Online gambling “is a big tidal wave on the horizon, and these kinds of cuts are going to mean that the consequences of that are going to be bigger than ever,” Eremenko said.

Government-owned Play Alberta is currently the only licensed online gambling site in the province, although sites like Bet365 that have offshore licences can also be accessed.

Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally, who’s responsible for regulating the gambling industry in the province, said Tuesday that Alberta’s online gambling market is like the “Wild West,” but no firm decisions have been made.

He said following Ontario’s model would make online gambling safer in Alberta.

“Online gambling will never be a safe activity, but there are ways to make it safer,” he said. “We have a fiduciary responsibility to put Albertans’ safety first, and we take that very seriously.”

Reshke said the government funding, which represents 95 per cent of the network’s annual budget, runs out at the end of February.

“We do some fundraising, (but) we have a hard time with that,” he said.

“People don’t like to provide money to gamblers.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2025.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press