Standards for Honesty and Integrity

Manitobans expect that the gaming activities in which they participate will be fair and honest. Whether playing blackjack at a casino, a VLT at a local lounge, or bingo at a community hall, all players want to be sure that the game they play is regulated, that rules are followed and prizes paid out correctly.  The term “game integrity” is commonly used by gaming regulators and others in the sector to describe the intent of regulatory oversight for gaming industry employees, suppliers, equipment and events.  As such, specifics of game integrity, which include a diverse range of procedures, terms, conditions, tests and oversight, are captured within our responsibilities for licensing, registration, public education, audit, inspection, investigations and the technical integrity for lottery schemes.

Information on the first six of these areas can be found in other sections of this website.  A description and discussion of the last category, technical integrity and its key elements can be found in this section.

Technical Integrity of Gambling

As one might expect, establishing and maintaining game integrity involves considerable cooperation among a number of agencies and individuals, including charitable gaming licence holders, players and the general public, the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation (MLC), First Nations gaming operators and gaming commissions, gaming equipment manufacturers and suppliers, law enforcement agencies, testing laboratories and other regulators. 
Before a new game is offered for play in Manitoba, it must be approved for play by the MGCC; each game must be proven, based on specific tests and measures for fairness, honesty and accountability, to have game integrity.

Key Elements of Technical Integrity Approval

In accordance with The Gaming Control Act, all lottery schemes, including associated gaming equipment such as playing cards, bingo paper, casino chips and gaming table layouts, must have technical integrity approval before being authorized to operate.  Given the diversity of games offered for play in Manitoba and the scope of equipment required to play these games, it is impossible to describe or define technical integrity based on a single set of standards or rules.  Rather, the MGCC’s Technical Integrity Department sets standards for each game’s integrity and the component equipment based on the game’s key elements which must be described in the application for technical integrity approval including:

• a description of the proposed game, including rules of play and prizes
• specifications for all gaming equipment required for the proposed game
• samples of the physical components required for the game, e.g., playing cards, bingo balls, roulette chips and dice
• independent laboratory reports and evaluations on the proposed game, e.g., independent testing and documentation, communication test results, live testing and evaluation and counterfeit testing
• documentation from other jurisdictions where the proposed game has been approved for play

If you are interested in finding out more about game integrity and some different areas of applying integrity measures, please click on the links below:

• Electronic gaming devices slot machines and VLTs
  
• Table games
• Charitable gaming
• New technologies

Standards for
Honesty and Integrity

Gaming/
Non-Gaming Equipment

Table Games

New Technologies

Electronic Gaming

Charitable Gaming