Video Lottery Terminals
• A video lottery terminal (VLT) is a gambling machine that allows people to play
various games, including blackjack, poker, and conventional slots.
• Gambling at VLTs can be highly addictive and may be associated with negative
social and health impacts, including:
• Family dysfunction and domestic violence.
• Alcohol and other drug abuse.
• Psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety.
• Loss of employment and poverty.
• Criminal behaviour.
• Youth and adult gambling behaviours are affected by the ready availability of VLTs,
local gambling culture, and peer influence.
• Researchers have found associations between neighbourhood socioeconomic
characteristics and VLT availability:
• In Quebec, researchers found a strong correlation between lower
socioeconomic conditions and a greater prevalence of VLTs.
• In Montreal and Laval, researchers found that VLTs were more prevalent
near schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods than near schools in more