Quebec Online Gaming Alliance Marks Two Years with Volley Against Loto Quebec
Article Title: Quebec iGaming Coalition Hits Two-Year Mark: Ontario-Style Market Still Away
Author: Mark Keast
Topics Covered: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC, Quebec Online Gaming Coalition
Published On: May 9, 2025, 11:38h
Last Updated On: May 9, 2025, 11:48h
Quebec Online Gaming Coalition Marks Two Years: Push for Ontario-Style iGaming Market Continues
Two years into its crusade, the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) remains undeterred in its bid to transform Quebec's online gaming landscape. The pressure on authorities to make a shift from the current regulatory framework is mounting, with the Ontario model at the forefront of the debate.
Founded in May 2023, the QOGC unified Betway, Bet99, DraftKings, Entain, Flutter, Games Global, Rush Street Interactive, and Apricot Investments, all committed to collaborating with the Quebec government to reform the province's regulatory framework.
Meanwhile, Ontario's spectacular entry into the iGaming scene with private operators in April 2022, coupled with the looming iGaming Alberta Act, has shown little sign of influencing a similar shift in Quebec, with the anticipated market launch in early 2026 yet to materialize.
Notably, Loto Québec, the sole legal entity for online gaming in Quebec, reportedly appeals to only half of the province's online gambling enthusiasts.
QOGC Highlights Ontario's Success
In response to this, Ariane Gauthier, a QOGC representative, emphasized the significant discrepancies between Quebec's online gambling stance and Ontario's success. "Ontario's opening of its market to private operators resulted in 83.7% of online gaming activity being conducted within a regulated environment. With statistics like these, it's high time to question the justification for protecting just half of Quebec's online players."
Quebec Resistance to Competition
In a previously published article in La Tribune, a spokesperson for Finance Minister Eric Girard stated that Quebec won't be mirroring Ontario's approach. The reason given was "overexposure to online gambling advertisements and a trivialization of gaming," indicating that Quebec may prioritize public perception and trust over an open market.
On the other hand, Loto Québec has set its sights on collaborating with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and the Atlantic Corporation on a national sports betting platform. When asked by Casino.org about competing with the private online gaming market, Gauthier expressed skepticism. "Public monopolies consolidating, with or without Quebec's participation, won't do away with private operators. The reality is that governments across Canada will eventually need to modernize their regulatory frameworks to adapt to the evolving online gaming landscape."
In essence, the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition continues to champion for a more competitive and open online gaming market, mirroring Ontario's successful model. Although progress has been slow, the facilitation of a more modern and competitive regulatory framework for Quebec's iGaming market remains a pressing issue for the coalition, players, and the broader gaming industry.
Insights:
- The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition is pushing for an Ontario-style iGaming market in Quebec, highlighting the success and regulated environment of Ontario's open market.
- Quebec's governing bodies, however, seem resistant to competition, citing public perception, trust, and concerns about revenue loss.
- Loto Québec is engaging with other provinces on a national sports betting platform, while the QOGC questions the viability of such initiatives compared to an open market model.
- The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition, consisting of Betway, Bet99, DraftKings, Entain, Flutter, Games Global, Rush Street Interactive, and Apricot Investments, is advocating for a shift in Quebec's online gaming regulations, modeled after Ontario's market.
- While Ontario launched its iGaming market with private operators in April 2022, Quebec's anticipated market launch in early 2026 remains stagnant, despite the QOGC's pressure.
- Loto Québec, the current monopoly for online gaming in Quebec, is reportedly only appealing to half of the province's online gambling enthusiasts.
- Ariane Gauthier, a QOGC representative, points out that Ontario's regulated online gaming environment, with 83.7% of activity conducted within it, raises questions about the justification for protecting only half of Quebec's online players.
- The Quebec government, however, may prioritize public perception and trust over an open market, as indicated by Finance Minister Eric Girard's spokesperson in a previously published article.
- Gauthier of the QOGC expresses skepticism about the viability of Loto Québec collaborating with other provinces on a national sports betting platform, claiming that modernizing regulatory frameworks is necessary to adapt to the evolving online gaming landscape.
