Assessment of the benefits and costs of the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation

Abstract

This study was launched to summarize the economic benefits and potential social costs associated with gaming in Manitoba. Study methods included a review of the literature on the economic benefits and costs of legalized gambling and a quantitative economic analysis of the Manitoba Lottery Corporation, beneficiary groups, and the province's economic performance. The study includes a definition of economic benefits and costs; a brief overview of the current state of the gaming industry in Manitoba and likely trends; an analysis of the economic impact of gaming in Manitoba, taking into account direct, indirect, and induced effects; an examination of effects of gaming on specific sectors in the Manitoba economy, including charitable gaming and small business; identification of social costs such as crime and problem gambling; and a critical review of a 1995 report analyzing the net social benefits from legalized gambling in Manitoba.