B.C. Lottery Corp. (BCLC) said Tuesday it's spending $109 million to replace its gaming management system (GMS) by 2015, the brain that helps operate its casinos and gaming systems.
BCLC contracted Bally Technologies in November 2010 to build and service the GMS, which supports 70% of BCLC's annual profit generators.
The Crown corporation's service plan, released Tuesday, said PlayNow.com, the province's only legal online gambling outlet, has 180,000 registered players.
Three thousand people access BCLC's websites every day on a mobile device or tablet, according to the corporation, "even though our websites are not yet fully optimized for these devices. One-third of adult Canadians own a mobile device and within five years, mobile will be the device of choice to access the Internet."
BCLC has budgeted $27.3 million as net income from PlayNow this year, but a forecast shows the company is only expecting to pull in $21 million.
Still, BCLC expects that net income to reach $40 million next year and $108 million by 2013-14.
Meantime, BCLC expects bingo revenue to decline 13.9% this year compared with last year.
The report said BCLC would introduce enhanced sports betting and multi-jurisdictional bingo. Late last year, BCLC contracted Irish/U.K. gambling giant Paddy Power to re-launch SportsAction this summer.
The report lists a "quantifiable risk" of $9.9 million for a one-year delay in opening or relocating planned gambling facilities. It does not name Edgewater Casino, the Paragon Gaming concern denied expansion at a proposed complex connected to BC Place stadium.
Highlights of other agency service plans include:
The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation has forecasted $14.8 billion in tourism industry revenue for 2012-13. By 2014-15, it expects $16.3 billion – far less than the $18 billion goal stated by former Premier Gordon Campbell in 2004.
B.C. Pavilion Corp. projects non-resident delegate days at the Vancouver Convention Centre to fall by 100,000 this year to 403,000. By 2014-15, it forecasts 450,000.
B.C. Place attendance is expected to increase from the 560,000 forecast in 2011-12 to 1.4 million next year.
Despite the $563 million renovation, combined operational losses of $49 million are expected through 2014-15.
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