Quebec coalition urges market regulation ahead of economic update
Regulation1 min read
A Montreal study found that 13.3% of adults surveyed gambled online in 2025, up from 4.4% in 2018; the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition called for clearer plans to regulate the market. Among online gamblers, 38% used unregulated platforms exclusively and 16% used both those platforms and Loto-Québec. The coalition said the government’s coming economic update could set out measures.
The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition called for clarity on the provincial government's plans to regulate online gambling ahead of its autumn economic update, citing a Montreal study.
The study by the Montreal Regional Public Health Department and Concordia University found that online gambling participation among the 8,500 adults surveyed rose from 4.4% in 2018 to 13.3% in 2025. Among online gamblers, 38% used only unregulated websites, while 16% used those platforms as well as Loto-Québec. The study said government-owned Loto-Québec was the only regulated platform.
Coalition spokesperson Ariane Gauthier said offshore platforms made regulation complex and partly beyond the control of Quebec's public authorities. Gauthier said the budget update, expected in the coming weeks, was an opportunity for finance minister Nicolas Marceau to announce measures for the sector. She called for a regulatory framework covering Loto-Québec and private operators. The government has not announced a date for a full provincial budget.