Local docs win at slots

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO LOTTERY AND GAMING CORP.

************************* OLG distributes $352,418 to Sault Ste. Marie to assist Sault Area Hospital and physician recruitment

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON — Sault Ste. Marie received $352,418 today for hosting OLG Casino Sault Ste. Marie.

The payment was for the host municipality’s fourth-quarter share of slots revenue (January to March 2008).

To date, Sault Ste. Marie has received more than $14.3 million in non-tax gaming revenue.

Payments are made on a quarterly basis according to the government fiscal year, which runs April to March.

OLG Casino Sault Ste. Marie opened on May 19, 1999.

Since opening, the facility has attracted more than 8.2 million visitors.

The City designates its share of slots revenue to support the development of the new hospital and physician recruitment program.

The City allocates $1 million per year from its share of slot revenues towards funding the new hospital – a thirteen year commitment that will benefit the community of Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding area.

In total, OLG issued more than $17.9 million in fourth-quarter non-tax gaming revenue payments to 23 host municipalities that host OLG Casinos and OLG Slots-at-racetrack facilities.

To date, OLG has distributed $541.3 million to these host municipalities.

Each municipality hosting an OLG Casino facility receives five per cent of the gaming facility’s gross slot machine from the first 450 slot machines and two per cent from any additional machines over that number.

Funds are used at the discretion of the municipality.

In 2007/2008, the province will allocate $105 million in gaming revenue to support charities through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).

Government will increase the annual funding to OTF by $20 million by 2009/2010.

Every year, the Government of Ontario allocates two per cent of gross revenue from slot machines at OLG casinos and OLG slots-at-racetrack facilities to the province’s problem gambling program for research, treatment and prevention programs.

The amount for fiscal 2008/2009 is estimated at $39 million.

OLG Casino Sault Ste. Marie is owned, operated and managed by OLG.

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