BC Gaming News: 10 Live Dealer Tables, 50 New Local Job

BCLC extols 50 new local jobs supported by live dealer casino launch.

The British Columbia Lottery Corp (BCLC) was proud to announce the official launch of its new Live Casino on the provincially-regulated PlayNow.ca website yesterday. A press release went out early Wednesday morning, extolling the benefits of the new offering on its BC online casino website.

Among them, BCLC made sure to mention the accelerating employment rate the live studio supports. They didn’t just mention it, but reiterated the fact four times in yesterday’s publication. The title boasts, “…Studio operations support 50 new, local jobs in Metro Vancouver”.

Ostensibly, the idea is to offset the inevitable cry for less promotion of gambling products, with a louder plea of how expanding services is helping the community.

British Columbia, like other provinces that regulate iGaming, has been under fire from anti-gambling activists for years. They want to see fewer wagering options, and much fewer advertisements promoting the activity. But government coffers are largely supported by gaming revenue. The more avenues of gambling they provide, the more revenue they generate.

Live Dealer Casino Employs 50, More to Come

“BCLC today launches a unique new Live Casino experience on PlayNow.com, featuring live table games streamed in real-time video, to enhance entertainment experiences for players while creating new, local jobs in B.C.,” reads the press release.

The document goes on to specify that the, “Live Casino’s operations support 50 new, local jobs.” They also estimate that, “Over time, the studio could create up to 170 new jobs in Metro Vancouver as Live Casino operations expand across Canada and in different languages.”

Studio Hosts 5 Games on 10 Live Dealer Tables

The initial launch of the live dealer casino, powered by Evolution Gaming, comes with 5 game variants paying across 10 tables. There are two versions of baccarat, a pair of roulette offerings, and of course live dealer blackjack.

The live blackjack games are offered with table stakes ranging from $5 to $100. Barely 24 hours into the launch, the blackjack tables are clearly the most popular among BC players, averaging at least 50% of all studio activity.

Live Baccarat eSqueeze

Live baccarat, available in the traditional format, plus an ‘eSqueeze‘ variation, can be played for $1 up to $500 per hand. Live roulette games are played in the favored European format, with a live croupier version offering stakes of $1 to $500, plus an auto-roulette option (automatic, with no croupier) available from $0.50 to $500.

All live dealer tables are accessible via desktop and mobile devices (Android and iOS), 16 hours a day.

Social Responsibility At the Forefront

The BC government is painfully aware of the fact that its residents can access live dealer casino games from websites all over the world. Their biggest selling point – aside from shortening the unemployment line – is social responsibility.

“In order to continue providing exceptional entertainment and to sustain long-term business growth, BCLC offers new games and experiences for our players in a socially responsible way,” says the iGaming regulator.

“PlayNow.com customers who enjoy online, live casino games now have access to them on a regulated site, instead of the current illegally operated grey-market only options.”

The term “illegally” is used very loosely here. There’s nothing illegal about players accessing offshore gambling websites. More are not without regulation, either. They’re just not regulated in BC. They are regulated internationally by some of the most respected iGaming authorities in the world, like the UK, Gibraltar, Malta and Isle of Man.

The BC government would love for their citizens to believe that gambling with these offshore websites is illegal, but quite frankly, it’s not. A throng of expert law analysts have agreed. There’s no constitutional law prohibiting them, so long as they have no physical presence in Canada. And until the government finds grounds to prosecute an operator, setting a new precedent in the judicial system, it will remain perfectly legal.

With that said, BCLC is able to provide a higher level of social responsibility, as they say. PlayNow adheres to the regulator’s comprehensive GameSense program, promoting responsible gambling and offering assistance to those at risk of, or suffering from, gambling addiction.