The OLG is responsible for most of the gambling games in Ontario. It is administered by the provincial government as a Crown Corporation of the Government of Ontario. Run by the executive branch of the government, OLG is responsible for the province’s lotteries, charity and Aboriginal casinos, commercial casinos, and slot machines at horse-racing tracks. It reports through a Board of Directors to the Minister of Finance. Although OLG operates a variety of gaming services, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates casino gaming.
OLG Business Divisions
Jackpot Draws: Lotto 6/49, Ontario 49, Lotto Max, Lottario
Daily Draws: Pick 3, Pick 4, Daily Keno, Poker Lotto
Sports Games: Por-Line, Pro-Picks, Point-Spread
Casinos: in Brantford, Niagara, Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor, Point Edwrad, Thousand Islands, and Thunder Bay
Slots: OLG operates slot machines at 17 horse-race tracks across the province
E-Bingo: operates e-bingo centres in Barrie, Peterborough, Kingston, and Sudbury.
Age Requirements
All those who purchase OLG lottery tickets must be a minimum age of 18-years-old. To play casino games, patrons must be a minimum of 19 years of age (same as Ontario’s drinking age). Violators can face significant fines, and OLG reserves the right to suspend violators found to have sold OLG lottery tickets to anyone less than 18 years of age.
Every year, OLG generates $3.8 billion in economic activity. The OLG website says they distribute the money into three venues. According to 2008-09 statistics, OLG contributed $1.9 billion to the Province by way of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and local charities ($110 million). OLG supported amateur athletes via the Quest for Gold program ($10 million). They gave $1.8 billion to hospitals and health-related program and other provincial priorities. OLG contributed $57 million to “corporate responsibilities,” such as education, research, prevention and treatment of problem gambling ($49 million). It also donated Bingo proceeds to local charities ($65 million). OLG helped support local economies with $1.8 billion. Local business who sold OLG goods and services to support gaming facilities received $136 million. Payroll for 7,700 OLG facility employees saw $417 million. Payroll for OLG casino employees saw $525 million. Municipalities that host OLG gaming facilities earned $119 million. Ontario’s horse-racing industry saw $340 million. In addition, OLG awarded over $1.6 billion in lottery prizes to players. The AMBER Alert program operates through several countries. It is a series of notifications upon the suspected abduction of a child. The OLG’s network of retailers joined the province’s AMBER Alert program in 2005. Within minutes of suspected child abduction, critical information is displayed on more than 9,000 lottery terminal customer display screens across Ontario. These are located in high-traffic sites such as convenience stores, gas stations, kiosks, supermarkets and newsstands.Amber Alert Program
