NS - Ombudsman downplays casino staff criticisms
By MELANIE PATTEN The Canadian Press, Halifax Herald Wednesday November 29, 2006
A former problem gambler who says staff at a Nova Scotia casino should have prevented him from wasting his life savings has received a letter from the provincial ombudsman’s office that appears to lend credence to his claim.
The one-page letter was sent to Paul Burrell in response to a complaint he lodged against the Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority, which enforces casino regulations.
The letter, dated Sept. 21, says staff at Nova Scotia’s two casinos lack training, and the province’s regulations are not consistent with the rules in other parts of the country.
Ombudsman Dwight Bishop confirmed the letter came from his office but he described its contents as "premature" because he has yet to complete a report on the subject.
"It’s not our normal practice to make suggestive conclusions or anything like that at that stage," Bishop said in an interview.
"It’s premature because I’m the only one in power to make those decisions."
Burrell, who says he blew nearly $500,000 at Casino Nova Scotia in Sydney between 2000 and 2003, says he plans to file a lawsuit against the province in a bid to get an apology and his money back.
The letter in question, signed by ombudsman representative Allison E. Rose, suggests there may be some substance to Burrell’s claim.
"Further research by this office has revealed what we believe to be a lack of training of staff on the part of the casinos," the letter says.
"It has also been noted that the regulations for Nova Scotia are not in keeping with other provinces in respect to exclusion of persons who appear to addicted to gambling."
Burrell, a former coal miner, says he wasn’t surprised to learn the ombudsman was distancing himself from the letter.
"It’s a sad state of affairs," he said in an interview.
He says his problems started in January 2000 when he started pumping money into slot machines at the Cape Breton casino.
Burrell insists he was never offered help by the casino, even though provincial legislation says staff have the option to bar problem gamblers from the facilities.
In fact, casino staff encouraged him to keep playing, he says.
In 2004, he filed his first complaint against the Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority, but it was dismissed.
Burrell was subsequently banned from the casino, but he says he should have been kicked out long before then.
The Nova Scotia Gaming Corp., which oversees all gambling in the province, says casino staff have been trained to recognize problem gamblers since the casinos in Sydney and Halifax opened in 1995.
Spokeswoman Margaret McGee says the ombudsman’s office has apologized to the corporation for the comments made in the Burrell letter.
"People make mistakes," McGee said Tuesday. "I’m looking forward to giving them information on the training that we do have so they can make a really good conclusion on this."
© 2006 The Halifax Herald Limited
