Mr. Speaker, if there's one thing Northerners love, it's a good bingo. Gaming has been part of northern culture since the earliest times and continues to be enjoyed in communities large and small. Whether it's bingo, hand games Chase the Ace, or a simple 50/50, we all love playing games and the chance at winning prices. Gaming brings our communities together. Unfortunately, though, we are preventing this industry from seeing its full potential. When Northerners want an occasional stop at a casino, they have to wait until they take a trip down south.
Mr. Speaker, licensed gaming is a big industry and is encouraged across the country. Casinos, VLTs, and online betting are billion-dollar opportunities. Gaming creates wealth for communities, enhances tourism, and is a major source of prosperity for many Indigenous governments and communities in Canada. It's a shame that our own policies and legislation are only scratching the surface of what a real gaming industry could look like in the NWT. We need to cut the red tape and regulations that hold us back from joining the rest of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, close your eyes and imagine the vast revenue opportunities made possible by expanding our small but incredibly popular gambling and gaming industries. Imagine a hotel and resort sitting on the shores of the big lakes raking in cold hard cash from eager tourists enriching the coffers of Indigenous and public governments. We could transform our economy with an open mind and a willingness to embrace this important industry. The industry and opportunity are there, Mr. Speaker. We just need the reforms and willingness from the Minister responsible to chart a safe path forward to a fruitful gaming industry in the Northwest Territories. Let's not shy away from this cornerstone of our northern culture and instead find a way to work with Indigenous governments to make new economic opportunities out of these traditions. We are always seeking new ways to generate revenue and increase our tourism product, so let's get to work modernizing our Acts and regulations and encourage private enterprise by opening up the gaming industry in the Northwest Territories for Northerners and tourists from all over the world. A thriving gaming industry can only enhance our status as a world class destination for tourists and solve much needed revenue challenges for this government. I look forward to asking the Minister responsible later on how we can partner with Indigenous governments to finally the Northwest Territories' gaming industry a reality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.
