Alcohol and Gaming Authority

In Canada and all over the world, land based and online gambling is strictly regulated and governed by regulatory bodies in the particular country or province. If you are a keen online casino enthusiast, you will know that every major online casino holds a gambling licence and is regulated to protect the players and the integrity of the licencing authority. In the province of Nova Scotia in Canada, the Alcohol and Gaming Authority or ANA is the regularity body charged with administering Part II of the Canadian Gambling Control Act, certain parts of the Liquor Control Act and the Theatres and Amusement Act.

Liquor Licence Application and Approvals

The Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority has taken over responsibility that previously belonged to the Nova Scotia Liquor Licence Board. As such the responsibilities of the authority include processing liquor licence applications and enforcing the liquor control act. What this means for the general public is that the ANA is the body that is responsible for issuing special occasion liquor licences. This type of application would need to be submitted for functions such as weddings, festivals, fund-raisers and community celebrations. The types of liquor licences approved for business include Beverage room, Cabaret, Catering, Clubs, Eating Establishment, ferment-on-premises, and special premises.

Gaming Licences

The Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority is the licencing authority that permits gaming in the province according the Criminal Code of Canada. Their role includes the regulation of all gaming activity conducted by the Provincial Government and the licensing and regulation of other legal gaming activity in the province, in accordance with the principles set forth in the Criminal Code. The types of licences that are issued by the ANA include Bingo or Bingo Lottery, Breakopen ticket for charity events, Casino registration for land based casinos, Australian online pokies, Ticket lottery permit, ticket lottery licence as well as video lottery terminal registration.

Theatres and Amusement Parks

Aside from the gaming licences and liquor licences, the Alcohol and Gaming Authority has a mandate pursuant to the Theatres and Amusements Act includes film classification, licensing, and regulation. What this means for the general public is that the ANA is responsible for classifying the ratings on films released in Nova Scotia in Canada. Their licencing duties include the licencing and regulation of theatres and amusement parks. The film classification ratings are as follows: General (G), Parental Guidance (PG), 14 Accompaniment (14A), 18 Accompaniment (18A), and Adult (A).

Film Prohibition and Ratings

The Alcohol and Gaming Authority is also responsible for the prohibition of any film that involves graphic or prolonged scene of violence, torture, crime, cruelty, horror or human degradation as well as films that contains scenes of physical abuse or humiliation of a human being for the purposes of sexual gratification. The film contains a scene of explicit and exploitive sexual activity involving a person who is under 18 years of age or who is intended to represent a person under 18 years of age; or if the film contains a scene depicting, in an explicit manner, indignities to a human body or an animal in an explicit manner.