Online gambling regulation has entered Quebec’s provincial election campaign, with proposals to license private operators drawing support from the Quebec Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois. The discussion comes ahead of the October 5, 2026 election and raises the prospect of changes to a market where provincially owned Loto-Québec remains the only authorized online gambling operator.
Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard introduced a plan on September 9 that would broaden the responsibilities of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux. His proposal would “expand the mandate of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (a provincial regulator) so that it can license and oversee all online gambling platforms operating in Quebec.”
The proposal would require accredited operators to follow “strict rules regarding advertising, addiction prevention, and the protection of minors,” according to the policy. It also calls for an independent organization “dedicated to prevention and support for people struggling with gambling addiction, funded by the industry rather than by taxpayers.”
PQ Adds Support for Private Operator Licensing
The proposal gained additional political attention after Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he would adopt Milliard’s idea. His comments brought two parties with different positions on other political questions into alignment on the possibility of licensing commercial online gambling operators in Quebec.
St-Pierre Plamondon linked the proposal to potential public revenue, saying:
“It’s an excellent idea that might go unnoticed because it’s a bit unconventional, but imagine if we took that $300 million and invested it in addressing homelessness, feeding hungry school children, or tackling learning disabilities – we could make an immediate impact,”
The $300 million figure reflects an estimate promoted by advocates of a competitive regulated market. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition argues that the province forgoes more than CAD300 million in annual tax revenue under its current single-operator structure.
The Coalition Avenir Québec has not endorsed opening the province to licensed private operators during the current campaign. Its earlier position includes a vote at the party’s 2025 National Convention in favor of imposing strict rules on private online gaming companies equivalent to requirements applying to Loto-Québec, according to the coalition representing private operators.
Competing Estimates Show Different Views of the Market
The scale of online gambling activity outside Loto-Québec remains a central part of the regulatory debate. A 2025 report from research firm Blask estimated that Loto-Québec accounted for 17% of the province’s online gambling market. The industry coalition has also cited figures placing the provincial operator’s share between 17% and 27%.
Another study produced a substantially different measurement. University of Lethbridge researchers reported that 79.4% of Quebec online gamblers used the province’s iGaming site in 2025. That figure measures the proportion of surveyed online gamblers who used the provincial platform, while the Blask figure concerns estimated market capture, so the two percentages do not represent identical measures.
Advocates of reform also say around 2,000 online gambling websites are available to people in Quebec even though Loto-Québec holds the province’s authorization to provide online gambling. They have pointed toward competitive models elsewhere in Canada, including Ontario and Alberta. Alberta launched its competitive framework in July 2026, while Ontario already operates a regulated market involving private operators.
Ariane Gauthier, spokesperson for the industry coalition, described the campaign discussion by saying, “This issue is getting traction,” as online gambling policy gained attention during the election period.
She later issued a broader statement on the positions emerging during the campaign:
“The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition is pleased that the election campaign is providing an opportunity to discuss the modernization of the regulatory framework for online gaming. The positions taken by the various political parties demonstrate that a broad consensus is emerging in Quebec in favor of establishing clear rules that must apply equally to both Loto-Québec and private companies offering online gaming. The members of the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition look forward to working together with government authorities and stakeholders to turn these commitments into reality.”
Prediction Markets Enter the Regulatory Discussion
The Liberal proposal also addresses prediction markets, extending the election debate beyond online casino gaming and sports betting. Under the plan, the province’s gambling regulator and the Autorité des marchés financiers would receive “with the joint mandate to fill the regulatory gap surrounding prediction markets, which are currently accessible in Quebec without any regulatory framework.”
Canadian financial regulators have also been examining prediction-market activity, including sports-related event contracts. The subject has become more visible as event-contract platforms expand and regulators consider how existing financial and gambling rules apply to them. One platform, Polymarket, has restricted access for users in Quebec, with Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario also appearing on its Canadian restricted list according to the supplied reporting.
The current proposals remain campaign commitments rather than enacted changes. Quebec voters are scheduled to go to the polls on October 5, and any change to the province’s online gambling structure would depend on decisions taken after the election.
Source:
Quebec Election Campaign – New Political Leadership to Regulate Private Online Gaming in Quebec, newswire.ca, September 10, 2026.
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