We know there are lots of myths about gambling in Nova Scotia. Here are the facts as of April 2025.
| Gaming Stats (As of April 2025) | |
|---|---|
| # of Casinos | 2 |
| # of VLTs | 2,002 cap (all other communities) |
| # of VLTs – Mi’kmaw Communities | 625 |
| # of VLT Retailer locations | 241 |
| # VLT Retailer locations – Mi’kmaw communities | 31 |
| # of TL Retailers | 964 |
| # of Slot Machines | 587 Halifax 280 Sydney |
| # of Tables | 28 Halifax 0 Sydney |
| Average Prize Payout | |
|---|---|
| Video Lottery | 91-95% |
| Ticket Lottery | 37-80% |
| Digital Games | 65-98% |
| Casino Slots | 91% |
| Casino Tables | 80% |
Participation in Gambling
- In 2024-25, 71% of adults in Nova Scotia reported gambling at least once over the last year. Of those who gambled, 87.8% gambled with no reported risk of developing problems.
- Based on the Canadian Problem Gambling Severity Index, in 2024-25, 1% of the population (0.7% in 2023-24) in Nova Scotia are experiencing harms from their gambling. An additional 2.7% (2.2% in 2023-24) are considered at moderate risk, 4.9% are low-risk (5.0% in 2023- 24), 62.4% are no-risk gamblers (61.5% in 2023-24) and 29.0% are non-gamblers (30.7% in 2023-24).