November 1, 2010
Implementation of Recommendations in Special Report No. 31 - Winning Fair and Square: A Report on the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s Prize Payout Process
In May 2007 we issued Winning Fair and Square: A Report on the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s Prize Payout Process. This systemic report examined whether BCLC had adequate procedures for ensuring that its retailers and their employees paid the correct amounts to the rightful owners of winning tickets. The report
contained 23 recommendations addressed to BCLC and four others made to the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) regarding its oversight of BCLC’s retail network.
Our recommendations addressed the following areas: the collection of information, the lottery validation process, compliance and enforcement and the complaints process. BCLC and GPEB accepted all the recommendations. At the time this annual report was published, 26 had been implemented, with BCLC taking steps to implement the remaining recommendation.
Some of the steps BCLC has taken to implement our recommendations are as follows:
- It developed and now maintains a comprehensive database of lottery retailers and their employees.
- It now requires all lottery retailers to pass a test and be certified by BCLC.
- It implemented a “No Play at Work” policy that prohibits lottery retailers and their employees from purchasing, playing or validating their personal lottery tickets at their place of work.
- It has now ensured that Check-A-Ticket terminals, which allow players to check their own tickets, are available at every retail lottery location in B.C. As of January 2010, the terminals can also be used to check Scratch & Win tickets.
Some of the steps GPEB has taken to implement our recommendations are as follows:
- It created its own separate and comprehensive registration program for lottery retailers.
- It implemented a comprehensive inspection program for retailers.
- It enhanced its independent investigation program.
- It completed reviews, and where necessary, further investigated all known multiple wins by retailers that took place between 2000 and 2006.
Our entire report can be found on our website. BCLC also posts updates on the Player First section of its website.