Nova Scotia lottery violation at Halifax legion not criminal, police say

Halifax police say the violation of Nova Scotia’s lottery rules by a local legion did not amount to criminal wrongdoing.

Police say they received a compliant in February regarding the Vimy 27 branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. 

They say the fraud team determined the matter was not criminal and would be better handled under the Nova Scotia Gaming Control Act.

A agreed statement of facts in the case says a legion vice-president had claimed more than $25,000 in winnings in two Chase the Ace lotteries he helped organize in 2023 and 2024.

The provincial investigation determined David Long broke a law that says the person conducting a draw or involved in setting up the cards is not eligible to hold a ticket for that lottery.

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Nova Scotia’s gaming authority barred Long from holding a lottery licence, and it also barred the Vimy 27 branch from holding a licence for three years and fined the association $500.

The Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion was not immediately available for comment.