An Impressive Campaign
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has been recognised with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) first-ever GameSense Innovation Award. The award was given for AGLC’s province-wide sports betting campaign. A campaign that brought responsible gambling messaging directly to fans of Alberta’s professional sports teams through partnerships.
The award, developed by BCLC in collaboration with GameSense partners, was created to highlight the most creative, impactful, and original GameSense-branded campaigns.
All GameSense partners were eligible to submit initiatives. The winner was selected through a people’s choice vote by members of the GameSense Community of Practice. The community is a network of 11 organisations collaborating to improve player health through shared knowledge and innovation.
AGLC Chief Executive Officer Kandice Machado expressed her appreciation for the recognition and the broader goals behind the new award. She said that the organisation’s GameSense Program had made substantial progress in the last year. She expressed pride at receiving recognition for the achievement through the inaugural GameSense Innovation Award.
AGLC’s campaign achieved significant results. It generated more than 23.9 million impressions, 2.3 million video views, and a 10% increase in direct traffic to player health resources. The GameSense messaging appeared in stadiums and arenas across Alberta. Venues hosting local teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Elks, and Calgary Stampeders, were all hosts to the campaign.
Responsible Gambling at the Centre
Ryan McCarthy, director of Player Health at BCLC, praised the Alberta initiative during the award presentation. He said that the award is a testament to how collaboration and healthy competition can promote resources related to players’ health. He added that the AGLC campaign is a great example of how responsible gambling can be brought to life. He also spoke about how meeting people where they are can help have a meaningful impact.
The award was presented at the annual GameSense Summit, held in Edmonton on September 17. The summit brought together members of the Community of Practice to exchange insights and celebrate progress in player health.
Machado noted that the BCLC’s decision to develop the award would encourage jurisdictions to promote resources that ensure gambling remains a fun form of entertainment. She also thanked partners in B.C. and Alberta’s professional sports teams for supporting the campaign. She finished by saying, “Social responsibility plays a key role at AGLC, and I’m happy to see the team recognised for their efforts.”
GameSense was launched by BCLC in 2009. It is an award-winning player health program designed to encourage healthy gambling behaviours by giving players the tools to make informed decisions. It has a licensing program which extends beyond British Columbia, allowing other jurisdictions to integrate GameSense into their responsible gambling practices.
