N.S. legion member loses lottery licence after claiming jackpot in event he organized

HALIFAX — A vice-president of a Halifax legion has been barred from holding a lottery licence in Nova Scotia after he took home winnings in two draws he helped organize.

David Long broke the law when he pocketed the $24,594 jackpot in a Chase the Ace lottery in 2023, and again when he claimed $814 in a 2024 draw, Nova Scotia’s gaming authority says in an agreed statement of facts related to the case, dated Nov. 13.

Long violated a condition of his lottery licence, which states that the person conducting a draw or involved in setting up the cards is not eligible to hold a ticket for that lottery, says the Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel & Tobacco Division of the Department of Service Nova Scotia.

The statement of facts says Long played the game in 2023 in the name of his brother-in-law. However, when he pulled the winning ticket, he told officials at the Vimy 27 legion to make out the cheque to him, saying he would send the money to his relative.

In an interview with police, Long said his brother-in-law did not want the money, according to the statement. Instead, Long deposited the winnings into his own chequing account, and used it to pay off personal expenses and to purchase an SUV.

The Canadian Press was unable to reach Long for comment.

No one from the Royal Canadian Legion branch was available for comment on Tuesday. An employee who was not authorized to speak publicly said Long is no longer vice-president and is barred from the premises.

When asked by police if he would return at least half of the money to the legion, the statement says Long replied, “Why would I return the money to the legion?” In that same interview with police, Long stated that if the public learned of the details of this lottery, there would be “an uproar” as they may believe the game was “rigged.”

And yet, Long was allegedly involved in a similar event at another Chase the Ace lottery that he helped organize one year later, according to the statement. The gaming authority says it received a complaint about a Chase the Ace event at the legion in 2024, overseen by Long and his wife.

Long’s sister-in-law won the prize that evening, but she told officials she was not in attendance during the event, nor did she buy a ticket, the statement says. She also said she never received any winnings from the draw.

Instead, the statement says Long told officials his wife drew the winning ticket on stage but was too nervous to come forward. He collected the money and gave his wife the $814.

Following an investigation, the gaming authority barred Long from holding a lottery licence, and fined the legion $500.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2025.

Emily Baron Cadloff, The Canadian Press