A coalition of major online gaming operators is calling on the Quebec government to establish rules for the province’s growing online gaming market. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) argues that roughly 2,000 websites offering casino, sports betting, and poker games are operating outside a formal regulatory framework, putting players at risk while depriving Quebec of more than CAD 300 million in annual tax revenue.
The coalition’s brief to the Quebec Ministry of Finance ahead of pre-budget consultations highlights the gap between Quebec’s regulatory focus on land-based gaming and the booming online sector. “Why limit the regulation of online gaming to Loto-Québec sites alone, when the offering available on the Internet is much broader? Quebec could very well apply the same rules to private online gaming platforms, whether for advertising, age verification, or accountability, for example. This would channel the vast majority of online gaming into a stable and regulated environment, which is desirable for everyone,” said Ariane M. Gauthier, spokesperson for QOGC.
Current Landscape and Monopoly Challenges
Founded in 1969, Loto-Québec oversees lotteries, casinos, bingo halls, video lottery terminals, and online gaming in the province. It also represents Quebec in the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. Despite reporting CAD 1.53 billion in revenue between April and September 2025 — a reported 18% increase year over year — critics note that Loto-Québec continues to prioritize physical gaming offerings. Online gaming has grown by only 17% in the same period.
QOGC contends that restricting online gaming to the crown corporation ignores market realities. More than 2,000 private websites serve Quebec residents, effectively eroding Loto-Québec’s monopoly in practice. According to Gauthier, “once inflation is factored in, the corporation’s performance is actually declining.”A survey by the Coalition Québécoise du Jeu en Ligne found that two-thirds of Quebecers favor a regulated private market, while 73% already use private platforms for online gaming and sports betting.
Recommendations for a Regulatory Framework
The coalition urges Quebec to adopt four measures to modernize its online gaming oversight. First, it recommends establishing an independent regulatory body to supervise all operators, including Loto-Québec. Second, Quebec-specific standards should be developed in collaboration with stakeholders to govern private and public platforms.
Third, the province should implement a licensing system for private companies with clear criteria, accompanied by a revenue-sharing agreement with the government. Finally, a portion of the revenues generated by private operators should be allocated to support local communities and fund responsible gaming programs.
QOGC members include major operators such as DraftKings, Flutter (FanDuel), Entain (BetMGM, Sports Interaction), Betway, Rush Street Interactive (BetRivers), Bet99, Games Global, and Apricot Investments. Many of these companies operate in Ontario’s regulated market and are preparing for Alberta’s upcoming framework, which is expected to produce hundreds of millions in revenue similar to Ontario’s CAD 1.4 billion first-year performance.
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the Quebec government to address issues of consumer safety, money laundering, advertising, and responsible gaming while sharing revenue from private iGaming operations.
Source:
“Quebec must act to regulate online gaming”, coalitionjeuligneqc.ca, February 9, 2026
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