TORONTO, ON – Ontario’s Charitable Bingo and Gaming Revitalization initiative is marking an important milestone in Cambridge. More than $1.6 million has been raised and has benefited local charities in the region as a result of the revitalization of charitable bingo and gaming.

This program, which began a decade ago, is delivered through a partnership between Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association (OCGA), the Commercial Gaming Association of Ontario (CGAO) and local gaming and bingo centre operators.

The Cambridge Bingo Centre hosted the official celebration for the $1.6 million milestone, as this location converted to an e-bingo site in September 2013. Today’s event was attended by the Mayor of Cambridge, Doug Craig, Rick Gray, Vice President of Charitable Gaming, OLG and Lynn Cassidy, Executive Director of the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association.

“OLG is proud of the Charitable Bingo and Gaming Revitalization program and the role we have played in providing sustainable revenue sources to the charities that serve the Cambridge area,” said Rick Gray, OLG’s Vice President of Charitable Gaming.

“The money raised through the Cambridge Bingo Centre has a great impact on our community,” said Mayor Doug Craig. “The charities and non-profits supported by this organization provide services that benefit all of Cambridge and really allow our community to thrive.”

“Today is celebrating the wonderful success of Charitable Gaming in Cambridge,” said Lynn Cassidy, Executive Director of the OCGA.  “This initiative is making a big difference to many local charities who provide important programs and services.”

Background on Charitable Gaming in Ontario

In the past 10 years, OLG has been working with the CGAO and the OCGA to revitalize the province’s Charitable Bingo and Gaming industry. By developing and introducing new products and technologies that have invigorated the traditional Charitable Gaming experience, more money has been generated for thousands of local charities across the province. The revitalization initiative is preserving and enhancing funding for charities across Ontario while creating economic benefits, including employment opportunities at local Charitable Gaming centres.

A pilot program was started in 2005 to test electronic versions of existing paper-based bingo games with six Charitable Gaming Centres in five communities in Ontario.

Following the success of this pilot project, a phased rollout of a new suite of electronic games was introduced to other Charitable Gaming Centres in the province. This started in 2012.  The new Charitable Gaming products offer customers more choice and complement existing paper bingo games:

• Electronic Bingo: Charitable Gaming Centres offer terminals with touch screens that allow players to touch the screen to dab the numbers and play along.
• Play On Demand (POD): A collection of electronic games that can be played anytime, with great prizes to be won.
• TapTix: The evolution of the classic Break Open Ticket features an interactive display screen on a ticket dispenser.

The new games allow Charitable Gaming Centres to offer more customer choice and appeal to a broader demographic, while providing a different gaming entertainment experience from traditional bingo.

In total, 31 Charitable Gaming Centres have raised more than $100 million in additional money for local charities and their communities.

As part of the revitalization, OLG assisted in introducing Responsible Gaming Resource Centres at all of the 31 Charitable Gaming Centres.  The RGRCs, managed by the Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario, offer effective educational tools and resources to build awareness and understanding of the risks associated with, and strategies to prevent, problem gambling.

Each RGRC has information available on the following topics:

• Safer play strategies
• Gambling myths and facts
• Community agencies that support people with gambling concerns

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
OLG Media Relations
1-888-946-6716
Ontario Charitable Gaming Association (OCGA)
905-824-5478

OLG is the Ontario government agency that delivers gaming entertainment in a socially responsible manner. OLG conducts and manages gaming facilities, the sale of province-wide lottery games, PlayOLG Internet gaming, the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres and is leading the integration of horse racing into the provincial gaming strategy. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $42 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. These payments to the province support the operation of hospitals, amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program, local and provincial charities and problem gambling prevention, treatment and research.

All for Here – 100 per cent of OLG’s proceeds are invested in Ontario
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Sault Ste. Marie – Time is running out to claim an ENCORE – LOTTO 6/49 prize worth $10,000 for a ticket sold one year ago in Burlington.  Players have one year from the original draw date to claim their prize.

The winning numbers for the Wednesday, March 25, 2015 ENCORE – LOTTO 6/49 draw were 8 – 5 – 7 – 0 – 2 – 5 – 7.  Players must match the first six of the seven numbers drawn in exact order to win the $10,000 prize.

Anyone possessing this ticket should fill in the back portion, sign it and contact the OLG Prize Centre at 20 Dundas Street West in Toronto before 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, 2016.

The OLG Prize Centre is now open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., unless Saturday is a statutory holiday or if there is a statutory holiday on the preceding Friday or the following Monday. For full details on Prize Centre hours and services, please visit the “How to Claim Prizes” section of our website at olg.ca.

Winners of up to $250,000 also have the convenience of dropping off winning tickets for processing at any OLG Casino or at several of OLG Slots at Racetrack facilities.  Winning tickets of less than $999.99 can be cashed at these sites.  Please call 1-800-387-0098 for more details or for a list of locations.

Information about this and other unclaimed tickets is available by clicking the “Unclaimed Lottery Tickets” Quick Link on the home page of olg.ca.

OLG reminds players that they can check their tickets for winners in a number of convenient ways:

• Visit the Winning Numbers page on olg.ca.
• Call our WIN! Line at 416-870-8946 (Toronto area) or toll free at 1-866-891-8946 (outside Toronto area).
• Use the easy self-serve Ticket Checker at your lottery terminal retailer. Simply insert the ticket, barcode side up, and wait for the message to appear on the Ticket Checker’s screen.
• Sign up on olg.ca for winning numbers to be e-mailed to you.
• Pick up a winning numbers printout from your lottery terminal retailer.
• Sign your ticket and ask a lottery retailer to check it for you.

OLG is the Ontario government agency that delivers gaming entertainment in a socially responsible manner. OLG conducts and manages gaming facilities, the sale of province-wide lottery games, PlayOLG Internet gaming, the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres and is leading the integration of horse racing into the provincial gaming strategy. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $42 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. These payments to the province support the operation of hospitals, amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program, local and provincial charities and problem gambling prevention, treatment and research.

All for Here – 100 per cent of OLG’s proceeds are invested in Ontario
olg.ca
Follow on Twitter @OLGtoday

PlaySmart.ca
“Know your limit. Play within it.”
Follow on Twitter @PlaySmartOLG

THE ONTARIO PROBLEM GAMBLING HELPLINE 1-888-230-3505

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CONTACT:
OLG MEDIA RELATIONS
1-888-946-6716

Sault Ste. Marie – Time is running out to claim a LOTTO 6/49 prize worth $10,000 for a ticket sold one year ago in Chatham.  Players have one year from the original draw date to claim their prize.

The winning selection for the Saturday, March 21, 2015 LOTTO 6/49 Super Draw was 59375638-01. Players must exactly match the Guaranteed Prize Draw Selection to win the $10,000 prize.

Anyone possessing this ticket should fill in the back portion, sign it and contact the OLG Prize Centre at 20 Dundas Street West in Toronto before 6 p.m. on Monday, March 21, 2016.

The OLG Prize Centre is now open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., unless Saturday is a statutory holiday or if there is a statutory holiday on the preceding Friday or the following Monday. For full details on Prize Centre hours and services, please visit the “How to Claim Prizes” section of our website at olg.ca.

Winners of up to $250,000 also have the convenience of dropping off winning tickets for processing at any OLG Casino or at several of OLG Slots at Racetrack facilities.  Winning tickets of less than $999.99 can be cashed at these sites.  Please call 1-800-387-0098 for more details or for a list of locations.

Information about this and other unclaimed tickets is available by clicking the “Unclaimed Lottery Tickets” Quick Link on the home page of olg.ca.

OLG reminds players that they can check their tickets for winners in a number of convenient ways:

• Winning Numbers page on olg.ca
• Call our WIN! Line at 416-870-8946 (Toronto area) or toll free at 1-866-891-8946 (outside Toronto area)
• Use the easy self-serve Ticket Checker at your lottery terminal retailer. Simply insert the ticket, barcode side up, and wait for the message to appear on the Ticket Checker’s screen.
• Sign up on olg.ca for winning numbers to be emailed to you
• Pick up a winning numbers printout from your lottery terminal retailer
• Sign your ticket and ask a lottery retailer to check it for you

OLG is the Ontario government agency that delivers gaming entertainment in a socially responsible manner. OLG conducts and manages gaming facilities, the sale of province-wide lottery games, PlayOLG Internet gaming, the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres and is leading the integration of horse racing into the provincial gaming strategy. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $42 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. These payments to the province support the operation of hospitals, amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program, local and provincial charities and problem gambling prevention, treatment and research.

All for Here – 100 per cent of OLG’s proceeds are invested in Ontario
olg.ca
Follow on Twitter @OLGtoday

PlaySmart.ca
“Know your limit. Play within it.”
Follow on Twitter @PlaySmartOLG

THE ONTARIO PROBLEM GAMBLING HELPLINE 1-888-230-3505

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CONTACT:
OLG MEDIA RELATIONS
1-888-946-6716

TORONTO, ON – OLG Slots at Ajax Downs is celebrating a decade of great gaming, strong community partnership and local economic benefits. Community leaders, local VIPs and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation officials marked the tenth anniversary with a special cake cutting celebration today.

“Since the opening of OLG Slots at Ajax Downs ten years ago, OLG has enjoyed a strong partnership with the Town of Ajax, and its residents,” said Stuart Walker, OLG Vice President of Gaming Operations. “We’re proud that through this partnership, Ajax has been able to support important local programs and initiatives, and we look forward to continuing to serve this community and providing great entertainment.”

The Town of Ajax has received more than $59.5 million in non-tax gaming revenue for being the host community since the Slots opened its doors on February 28, 2006. These funds have allowed the town to invest in multiple local initiatives, such as a new Fire Headquarters and Training Facility, a new Operations Centre, a new recreation centre and many upgrades to local roads and infrastructure.

“I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to OLG Slots at Ajax Downs. The Town of Ajax is pleased with the partnership between the municipality and OLG, that has provided numerous benefits throughout the community, said Steve Parish, Mayor of the Town of Ajax. “The employment opportunities, entertainment options and support of many local infrastructure projects are very much welcomed and appreciated by the residents of Ajax.”

OLG Slots at Ajax Downs employs 330 employees who have welcomed almost 15 million customers in the last decade.

“Our employees create excitement each and every day by providing our customers with a great gaming experience,” said Spencer Parazader, General Manager of OLG Slots at Ajax Downs. “We have 34 employees that have been with us since the start. Our customers look forward to being greeted with a friendly face when they walk through the doors,” he added.

Here are a few of outstanding team members at OLG Slots at Ajax Downs:

• Arnel Paras, Slot Attendant and 15 year OLG employee, is known for always bringing the celebration when a patron hits a jackpot. His energetic personality is electrifying, spreading excitement throughout the gaming floor.
• Taryn Snoddon, Group Sales Coordinator, helps create and build lasting community partnerships. She makes sure OLG Slots at Ajax is a known presence in the community through her work with local festivals and initiatives.
• James Fry, Dual Rate Security Supervisor, instills healthy practices to his colleagues through a Wellness Committee. He was awarded the Silver Star by the Region of Durham’s Health Department.
• Mandy Higgins, Food and Beverage Supervisor, led the Slots’ Bet on Green Team to remove 798 pounds of waste from Carruther’s Creek during the 2015 Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.

OLG has also been a proud community sponsor of many community events such as the Town of Ajax Volunteer Recognition Awards, Taste of Ajax, Ajax Home Week Fireworks and the Annual Business Excellence Awards.

OLG is a provincial agency responsible for gaming facilities, the sale of province-wide lottery games, the PlayOLG Internet gaming website and the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres across the province. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $42 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. OLG’s annual payments to the province have helped support the operation of hospitals; prevention, treatment and research of problem gambling; amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program; and local and provincial charities. OLG was a Premier Sponsor of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games.

All for Here – 100 per cent of OLG’s proceeds are invested in Ontario

olg.ca

Follow on Twitter @OLGtoday

PlaySmart.ca

“Know your limit. Play within it.”

Follow on Twitter @PlaySmartOLG

THE ONTARIO PROBLEM GAMBLING HELPLINE 1-888-230-3505

Disponible en français