Efforts to fully regulate the Quebec online gaming market received some support on Monday with three professional sports leagues getting on board for offering additional sports betting operators in the province.
The move comes after several large gaming entities announced the launch of the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) in May. The group hopes to see a similar online gaming market as now found in Ontario. The new backers include the National Basketball Association, Canadian Football League, and Major League Soccer.
All three leagues operate franchises in Canada, including the MLS’s CF Montréal and the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in Quebec. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie told LeSoleil that he joins other sports leagues “in urging Quebec legislators to fully explore the benefits of introducing a regulated playing environment, one that does not operate in the shadows, but in full view of all, which protects the integrity of the competition and which encourages responsible gaming.”
Unleashing Additional Operators
QOGC members argue that the Quebec market could be much more efficient when it comes to online gaming, including sports betting. Loto-Quebec is currently the sole provider of online sports betting in the province.
However, the QOGC hopes to change that and believes the online gaming environment needs to be modernized in the province. The group offers up several reasons for adding a more regulated market similar to that in Ontario including:
- Quebec could see a minimum of $230 million annually in taxes and fees by opening up to private gaming operators.
- Two-thirds of Quebecers are in favor of regulating private online gaming operators through a tax and licensing system.
- Three-quarters of Quebecers believe that the tax revenues generated should be used to fund social responsibility programs.
“The Coalition wishes to work with the Québec government, local lottery corporation and responsible gaming stakeholders to develop a transparent regulatory framework for online gaming in Québec,” the group notes. “By doing so, we wish to help foster a responsible and safe environment that protects consumers all while providing revenues to the Québec government through a licensing and taxing model – similar to Ontario.”
Ontario is currently the only province in a fully regulated environment, allowing multiple operators to offer online gaming and sports betting within its borders. Adding support from the leagues gives the QOGC a bit of a boost.
MLS commissioner Don Garder believes adding sports betting could increase “fan engagement in a responsible manner, with the highest levels of integrity and strong partnerships.” He also said that “soccer is the sport attracting the most sports betting in the world… international licensed betting companies are now focusing on markets in the United States and North America.”
Lotto Officials Not in Favor of Opening Up Market
The QOGC is backed by some of the biggest names in gaming including Flutter Entertainment (owner of PokerStars), DraftKings, Entertain (owner of PartyPoker), betway, and others.
According to leSoleil, Loto-Québec officials aren’t supporters of the QOGC plan. Company representative Renaud Dugas told the publication that organizations offering support “should question themselves about the Coalition’s true intentions.”
He adds that the effort by the QOGC is “peculiar” that the group favors regulation “while some of the signatories illegally offer games to Quebecers, thus contravening the Canadian Criminal Code.”
Where the issue is headed remains to be seen. The regulated Ontario market produced $1.4 billion in total gaming revenue in 2022, becoming one of North America’s largest legal online gaming jurisdictions. iGaming Ontario predicts $761 in federal, provincial, and local tax revenue in the industry’s first two years of operation.
Casumo Teams Up With GeoLocs
After launching in the Ontario market in 2022, Casumo online gaming announced a partnership with GeoLocs last week to provide geolocation services in the province. The company plans to use the service and enhance its iGaming products in Ontario.
GeoLocs was developed by online gaming provider Mkodo Limited and has been in operation for about a decade. Geolocation products allow iGaming operators to make sure players are actually located within that legal jurisdiction. The company also works with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and is also licensed in British Columbia.
“Since the opening of the Ontario market, we’ve been eager to enter one of the biggest iGaming markets in North America,” Casumo chief product officer said. “By choosing GeoLocs as our geolocation provider, we are confident that we can offer our players a seamless and user-friendly experience that meets the compliance and regulatory demands of the territory.
“The technology, knowledge, and expertise behind GeoLocs has been key in supporting us to license and operate in Ontario, during what is a highly anticipated and exciting milestone for Casumo and our players.”
