Québec Finance Ministry opposes online gambling deregulation

According to a representative from the Finance Ministry of Québec, there are no intentions to deregulate online wagering. In actuality, Loto-Québec will maintain its exclusive control over the legalized gambling industry. Despite the Québec Online Gaming Coalition’s (QOGC) ongoing efforts to establish a regulated industry in the province, this has not changed.  Québec is opposed to the policy that Ontario has adopted regarding the subject.

As per a statement from a representative of the Ministry of Finance, Ontario’s stance on sports wagering regulations has resulted in detrimental consequences for society and negligent methods of promoting the activity. Furthermore, the exponential growth of risk factors is exacerbated by the steady expansion of mobile devices, which facilitates wagering.

Loto-Québec is the sole platform that provides legalized wagering, thereby mitigating the potential risks associated with unregulated online wagering. The primary objective of Loto-Québec is to protect the welfare of individuals who enjoy placing bets and to deter unauthorized operators.

Supporting all private operators, the Québec Online Gaming Coalition is inclined towards a certified structure to break Loto-Québec’s monopoly. In May 2023, the organization formally emerged, incorporating operators including FanDuel and DraftKings. Similar to Ontario, they believe that the sector will be improved by streamlining the entire process of regulated online wagering.

Based on online Canadian gambling news, Natalie Bergeron, president of QOGC, stated that, given the royalties, the sole objective is to exclude Loto-Québec from any competition. It has been reported that private participants have contributed royalties amounting to $230 million. Revenues constitute an entirely separate subject. She believes that the situation is crystal plain with regard to interests.

According to a survey, a significant proportion of betting aficionados in Québec are involved with private players. As a result, it is postulated that the prohibition on introducing private participants to the online gambling sector is due to Loto-Québec’s desire to maintain control.