The Quebec Liberal Party and Parti Québécois have both signalled they would regulate private online gambling platforms if elected, a stance that could reshape a market currently limited to Loto-Québec’s Espacejeux and Mise-o-jeu products. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition welcomed the cross-party position ahead of the province’s October 5 election, though neither party has confirmed a legislative timeline or launch date.
Liberal Platform Targets RACJ Mandate
Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard has proposed expanding the mandate of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux so the regulator could license and oversee all online gambling platforms operating in the province, not only Loto-Québec. Under the plan, licensed operators would face rules on advertising, addiction prevention and protections for minors, alongside a new industry-funded body dedicated to prevention and support services.
The Liberals have separately proposed a joint mandate for the RACJ and Quebec’s financial regulator, the Autorité des marchés financiers, to address what the party describes as a regulatory gap around prediction markets. Canadian securities regulators, including Quebec’s own, have recently rejected authorisation of sports-related event contracts for trading, a dynamic explored in GIN’s coverage of channelisation and offshore-market risk.
Loto-Québec’s Monopoly Under Pressure
Quebec’s current framework authorises only Loto-Québec to run legal online gambling. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition – whose members include Apricot, Bet99, Betway, DraftKings, Entain, Flutter and Rush Street Interactive – argues that the monopoly no longer reflects where Quebecers actually gamble online.
The coalition cites a 2025 report from research firm Blask estimating that Loto-Québec captures just 17 per cent of the province’s online gambling market despite more than 15 years operating in the segment. It also claims the single-operator model forgoes more than C$300m (US$216m) a year in potential tax revenue, an industry estimate rather than a government figure.
Quebec’s debate follows Ontario’s move to open a competitive online gambling market and Alberta’s launch of regulated iGaming on July 13, developments that have reshaped the wider Canadian landscape, as detailed in GIN’s reporting on Canada’s iGaming ecosystem. According to SiGMA, Quebec’s governing Coalition Avenir Québec has continued to defend Loto-Québec’s monopoly model, though that position has not been independently verified against primary Quebec sources.
Political and Coalition Response
Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has characterised sports betting in Quebec as unregulated, arguing that American operators advertise freely without oversight while Loto-Québec’s Mise-o-jeu operates within the rules. He pointed to Ontario’s decision to collect taxes on those activities as a model that generated substantial additional public revenue, suggesting similar funds could be directed toward homelessness and children with learning disabilities.
Ariane Gauthier, spokesperson for the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition, said the election campaign has created an opportunity to discuss modernising the regulatory framework, and that a broad consensus is emerging in Quebec around applying equal rules to both Loto-Québec and private operators.
What a Licensing Model Would Change
If adopted, a licensing framework could bring platforms currently operating outside Quebec’s oversight under provincial rules on advertising, addiction prevention and minor protection. It would also end Loto-Québec’s exclusive legal status in favour of a competitive model resembling Ontario’s, though no legislation has been introduced and no launch date has been confirmed by either party.
Source: Focus Gaming News. Supplementary context from Deadspin and SiGMA requires independent verification before further reporting.
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