Loto-Quebec’s dismal 2019 financial reports showcased one shining star, their online gambling portfolio. Will this result in better overall support and service for the online vertical or see the state-run monopoly push for harsher controls?
While Canadians are proud as punch not to be American’s the one area the two countries do share a lot of commonality in is their state-based legal system. For this reason, discussing online gambling legislation and regulation in Canada needs to be done at a state level and not a federal level.
✓Online Gambling In Quebec
While Quebec is smaller than Ontario, which is billed as Canada’s largest province and one with a healthy appetite for gambling, it does, however, see much more success in the online gambling arena than its sister state.
The state-run monopoly in Quebec is headed up by Loto-Quebec who initially ran all local lotteries and casino game machines, which extended to oversight of both of these in the online space.
✓The Rise Of Online Casino Revenue
In their most recent financial reports, Loto-Quebec revealed that overall gambling revenues for the Quebec monopoly have been on the decline – except for the online casino channel which saw an increase.
The overall revenue drop is a significant 4.4% which translated to a net income decline of more than 6% for the fiscal quarter. The biggest let down was the lottery vertical which only brought in C$232 million, which is a massive drop of more than 11% off its previous fiscal closing. General land-based casino machines and venues were flat over previous earning reports.
The online casino revenue figures were what saved the day for Loto-Quebec with the desktop and mobile gambling revenues showing a powerful growth curve ending the quarter a whopping 31% up over previously reported figures.
✓Staking Their Claim
While Ontario has been open to regulated competition in the online space the success of online casino revenues in the face of decline and stagnating land-based revenues could very well see Quebec double down by tightening up regulation to force illegal gambling sites out of the region.
They report that unsanctioned international gambling sites steal approximately two-thirds of the revenue that should be funnelled through the local regulated gambling site Espacejeux.
While one would hope for a “let’s get better” approach to drawing gamblers to the regulated site through an improved offering it is more likely that the Quebec gambling board will push for more stringent internet and even legal controls to force players to play locally.
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