P.E.I. to cut number of VLTs

The number of video lottery terminals on Prince Edward Island will be cut by 20 per cent, and places to play will bereduced 50 per cent, the province announced Monday.

The announcement was part of a gaming strategy released by the government Monday morning. The locations where VLTsare available will be cut from 85 to 43.

"Reducing the number of VLT sites in half and cutting the number of machines by 20 per cent is a substantial move meant to make VLTs less available to those who have problems with excess," said Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan in a news release.

Details on what establishments would lose their machines were not released, apart from saying Legions would be able to keep theirs. Sheridan said any business that loses machines will be compensated.

The strategy also announced that the minimum age for people to gamble, including buying lottery tickets, will be increased to 19.

The province will devote more resources to responsible gaming, establishing a full-time gambling addiction specialist position, a 24-hour help line for problem gamblers and establishing an advisory council on responsible gaming.

About 1.6 per cent of the Island population, or roughly 2,000 people, are considered to have a gambling problem or be at risk of developing one.

No help for Summerside Raceway

Sheridan also announced the province won't finance a new grandstand at the Summerside Raceway, but he did hint that a Racino could be coming to that city.

He's allowing the Atlantic Lottery Corporation to enter into negotiations with Summerside to place VLTsat the track.

Profits from those machines could help finance a new grandstand.