Québec gambling industry leaders team up into a coalition for multiple regulatory purposes.
Québec is actively pursuing the promotion and regulation of online gambling while emphasizing the importance of awareness within the province. To accomplish this, iGaming operators have united their efforts to establish the Québec Online Gaming Coalition. This industry-led organization aims to collaborate with the local government and stakeholders in order to develop a new regulatory framework for online gambling.
A coalition of gambling companies is lobbying the Quebec government to launch something similar to what Ontario has, which is a competitive market for online sports betting and casino gaming. BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel are among those involved:https://t.co/tjkunJx2k4 pic.twitter.com/CsQW2cKuSF
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) May 23, 2023
In addition to creating a fresh regulatory structure for the province’s iGaming industry, the coalition has taken on the responsibility of addressing concerns related to consumer safety, responsible gaming practices, and advertising. It seeks to enhance revenue generation by implementing a new licensing system for qualified third-party operators within the industry.
The establishment of the Québec Online Gaming Coalition was prompted by a survey conducted by Leger Marketing, which revealed that two-thirds (66%) of the respondents support the regulation of private iGaming operators through licensing and taxation. The survey also highlighted that 71% of local residents believe that the province lacks the means to control private operators conducting online business.
Members of the coalition will actively advocate for the provincial government to establish an independent regulatory body, which would ensure standardized measures for responsible gaming and the protection of vulnerable individuals, including minors. Additionally, coalition members will contribute to the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et Culture, enabling the continuation of gaming behaviour studies and the safeguarding of consumers.
In 2014, the Online Gambling Task Force, led by Dr. Louise Nadeau and accompanied by experts in online and responsible gambling, recommended the implementation of a new regulatory regime to the provincial government. This proposed model would have involved a licensing framework designed for private operators, drawing upon global best practices to enable responsible and secure online gambling under the supervision of local authorities. Unfortunately, these recommendations and plans were disregarded by the previous administration, allowing the province of Ontario to take the lead in Canada’s iGaming revolution.