The Québec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) continues lobbying to bring a regulated climate to the province similar to that seen in Ontario. The group recently released a new survey regarding attitudes about the current iGaming environment in Québec, where Loto-Québec operates the only legal, regulated online casino and gaming options.
The survey of more than 1,000 Québecers who gamble online found that only 26.6% of players use Loto-Québec’s online casino and sports betting platform.
“These results show that Loto-Québec’s monopoly only exists on paper, and the Crown Corporation’s recent assessment of its market share does not reflect reality,”QOGC spokesman Nathalie Bergeron said. “The Québec government must consider the habits and preferences of Québecers who play online games and establish a proper regulatory regime to protect the majority of Québecers who play on privately operated platforms for online casino games and sports betting and not on the Crown Corporation’s platform.”
Details on the Survey
The QOGC is made up of some of the industry’s largest companies including Betway, Bet99, DraftKings, Flutter, Entain, RushStreet, and others. Many of these also currently operate in the Ontario casino market. The group has pushed to see a similar regulated effort in Québec.
The iGaming survey was conducted by Mainstreet Research and meant to determine Québec residents’ habits when playing online. The study found that nearly three out of four players (73%) choose privately-operated platforms for online casino games and sports betting. Other results include:
- 72% of players who use Loto-Québec’s platform do so exclusively to buy lottery tickets.
- When excluding lottery ticket buyers, only 26.6% visit the site for online casino games and sports betting.
- Over two-thirds of Québec players (67%) favor regulating private online gaming operators by establishing a licensing and tax regime.
“These results are similar to data from the general population reported by the coalition last May and show a consistent appetite across the province for a new regulatory framework for online gaming in Québec,” the QOGC noted in announcing the survey’s results. “Moreover, 56% of Québec players agree that the creation of an independent regulatory body to oversee the entire gaming offer in Québec, including Loto-Québec, would provide greater oversight amid growing concerns about consumer safety and responsible gaming.”
The QOGC points to a recent report by Montreal Public Health in support of the creation of an independent regulatory body and against Loto-Québec’s gaming lounge project at Bell Centre. A 2014 Online Gambling Task Force report also made a similar recommendation, according to the QOGC. QOGC officials also believe the government could a major increase in revenue from a regulated market.
“Experts agree that it is time for Québec to modernize the current gaming system and that the Crown Corporation cannot continue to self-regulate,” the group noted.
Loto-Québec Responds
After the release of the survey, Loto-Québec officials responded to the survey. Spokesman Renaud Dugas noted that many of the QOGC operators concerned about responsible gaming currently offer unregulated games to players in the province.
“Some members of the coalition formed to promote responsible gaming and a new regulatory framework in Québec are violating Canada’s Criminal Code by illegally offering games to Québec residents, which raises serious doubts and questions about their actual intentions,” Dugas told Gaming News Canada.
“In Québec, the rules could not be clearer: if it’s not Loto-Québec, it’s not legal. Loto-Québec is the only organization that can offer a 100% legal online casino and sports betting website in the province.”
Bergeron argues that Loto-Québec’s monopoly is not best serving the province’s residents, as evidenced by the fact that so many use operators other than the official government option.
The gaming operators aren’t the only entities pushing for a more expanded market. Professional sports leagues have lent their support, including the Canadian Football League, Major League Soccer, and the National Basketball Association.
The leagues believe an independent regulatory body could better ensure game integrity and responsible gaming. No doubt, there are also some financial incentives for leagues seeing more players legally engaged with sporting events in the province as well.
Ontario has been one of North America’s most successful iGaming markets since regulating in 2022. Numerous operators have moved into the province and players have many options to choose from.
From a revenue standpoint, iGaming Ontario’s most recent quarterly report detailed that the market saw $14.2 billion in wagers for total gaming revenue of $540 million from July 1 – Sept. 30. This was an increase of 132% in total wagers from the second quarter of 2022 and a 105% increase in total revenue from the same quarter.
The report also noted 943,000 active player accounts during these months from the province’s 47 operators encompassing 71 websites.
