Gaming Summit Highlights Québec’s Lag in Online Regulation

Delivering a more modern approach to online gambling, provinces around Canada have been turning to an open market solution, but Québec is sticking to a state-run monopoly through Loto-Québec. Unlike other provinces that adopt an open, competitive market, the restrictive Québec model is slowly considered to be an obsolete one. The long-held belief in the province of the cultural and economic advantages of the crown corporations is posing a big challenge to the province. This is because the financial losses incurred began to escalate, and national attitudes towards defined online gambling became altered.

Nearly CAD$2 Billion in Losses Annually

The urgency is accentuated by the new data provided at the Canadian Gaming Summit in 2025 in Toronto. It is also said that Québec loses nearly CAD$2 billion every year to illegal online gambling sites. At one of the main panels at the event, Ariane Gauthier of the Québec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) said less than a third of the Québec players are playing on legal sites currently, as opposed to more than 80 percent in Ontario, where the province has been more open to licensed private operators.

 

These statistics reveal a significant disparity in the strategies employed in Québec, indicating that the existing monopoly is not effectively serving consumers. Although the province is still based on an official monopoly on the part of the government, some time-honoured and respected venues like Golden Tiger casino are allowed to provide their services to residents of Québec. This exception demonstrates that even in a regulated statute, the entity can create a possibility of regulated access to trusted operators. Nevertheless, competition remains low since only a few licensed choices are available, and more consumers are out there, which forms a reason why the market needs to become more open and competitive.

Cultural Identity vs. Market Reality

Part of Québec’s hesitation lies in its cultural alignment with crown corporations. Loto-Québec is not only a revenue-generating entity but also a symbol of provincial autonomy. Gauthier, a seasoned political advisor, explained that many Québecers view state-owned enterprises as vital to preserving the Québécois identity and ensuring local economic benefits remain within the province. This deep-rooted sentiment makes reform a sensitive subject. Still, as national trends shift and economic data points to a significant outflow of funds, the political resistance to change is increasingly difficult to justify.

Coalition Advocates for Competitive Model

The Québec Online Gaming Coalition was established in 2023 and features staple participants in the online gaming business, including DraftKings, Flutter, and Betway. The Coalition is not interested in breaking the current structure but in an intermediate system, or one that still lets Loto-Québec have a place, but one where licensed private opponents are also permitted to work. Gauthier reaffirmed this at the Toronto summit, where Gauthier made it clear that the Coalition is not out to fight the fight but expresses an interest in collaborating. The idea is to update the province’s online gambling regulation, and do so in a manner that will not only protect the consumers but also boost the revenue gained.

Loto-Québec’s Diminishing Returns

But even though it controls the provincial market, the performance of Loto-Québec is becoming weaker. As observed by the representatives of the Coalition, the revenue collected by the crown corporation has not been able to keep pace with inflation and other economic growth in general recently. Moreover, the allegations that the open market in Ontario is hurting land-based casinos were put into question during the summit, with panellists showing statistics to the contrary. The story about the competition of privates being dangerous to the system is getting challenged.

Political Landscape and Prospects for Reform

The online gaming laws in Québec may change based on the October 2025 provincial election. Although the Coalition Avenir Québec, the ruling party in the house, is lagging behind in the survey, the QOGC has adopted a neutral stance, approaching all parties in the house in anticipation of potential changes to the proposed regulation. According to Gauthier, the case is getting stronger to reform, and the political will to take action will sooner or later come. Without adjusting, Québec will find itself playing a diminishing role in the market as well as its capacity to generate tax income.

A Pivotal Moment for Québec

Québec is at a turning point. The closed, state-run model, as adhered to by the province, runs ever more out of sync with national trends and economics. Cultural sensitivity is not a bad idea; however, it cannot last forever and outweigh economic reasoning and consumer necessity. The fact that billions of dollars in revenue are at stake and increasing voices demanding reform in both industry and political quarters mean that pressure on Québec to open up its market will certainly be increased.

 

Unless the current patterns can be reversed, significant regulatory reform may even become an election matter in 2025, and policymakers may be compelled to find ways to reduce the gap between policy and practice. In all probability, the future of online gambling in Québec lies wholly in its ability to either compete with the rest of the country or perish.