Discussion of Quebec Gambling Laws
Hello and welcome to this page exploring the Quebec gambling laws. If you’re a resident of Quebec or just a tourist visiting this beautiful province, read our article on gambling laws in Quebec before you head out to the casino.
What Are Quebec Gambling Laws Like
The French-speaking province of Quebec is the largest province in Canada and as such, you can expect many fun activities for people of all ages. One such thing is naturally gambling. Before you decide to do that though, we advise you to acquaint yourself with Quebec gambling law.
In this article, we will discuss gambling laws in Quebec in detail, along with a broader historical perspective on Canadian gambling law and we will also tell you what you can expect in the future from Quebec. Enjoy reading!
A Brief History of Canadian Gambling Laws
The history of gambling in Canada is long and rich, and nobody can say for sure when people first started playing gambling games there. What we know is that indigenous people gambled with each other, mainly playing games using dice and sticks, some of which can be still found today.
Soon after the Europeans settled in the lands, games like roulette, along with a wide variety of card games, were also introduced. There was a time when everyone was gambling in peace, but then the protests against gambling began in the 19th century and the government soon responded to them.
The first piece of legislation relating to Canadian gambling was the Penal Code of 1892, which outright banned all forms of gambling. This doesn’t mean that people stopped gambling though; the illegal gambling market was a flourishing industry, even during the Prohibition Era when laws were applied more strictly.
Canadian gambling law thus changed in the 1910’s, probably taking note of the popularity of the games and realising that banning does not work. In 1910, pari-mutuel betting (betting on races) was legalised, along with bingo, raffles, and the lottery, as long as they are conducted by religious or charitable organisations.
Another review of Canadian gambling law was conducted in the 1950’s. The commission responsible for the review found out that bans on gambling don’t work, which is a commonly known fact. They started looking into ways to legislate gambling that appeased and protected players.
This finally happened in 1970 when Canada amended its Criminal Code. This amendment allowed for individual provinces to legalise and regulate their own gambling industries. Since then, provinces have overall legalised most forms of gambling.
Later, in 1985, Canada legalised sports betting, but only for parlay bets (you have to make more than one bet). This is no longer the case, however. In 2021, Canada officially legalised single bets as well through the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act.
A Deep Dive into Quebec Gambling Laws
Quebec gambling laws are very relaxed and they allow for many forms of gambling in the French-speaking province. There are many Quebec gambling laws that govern gaming in the province, usually with one for every single type of gaming that is legal there (e.g., “Chapter S-13.1, r. 3.1, By-law respecting casino games, Act respecting the Société des loteries du Québec”).
Much like other Canadian provinces, gambling in Quebec is managed by a state agency that provides both gambling regulation in Quebec of the market and the gaming services. This nationalised industry model is prevalent in Canada and it uses all the profit made from gambling to subsidise various vital services and organisations in the province it manages.
Now let’s list all the legal forms of gambling in Quebec. Quebec gambling laws, as already mentioned, allow for all sorts of gambling to be conducted in the province. This includes the lottery, bingo, raffles, interactive television games, pari-mutuel betting, sports betting, and casino-style gaming to be found both in land-based venues and online.
In fact, due to the relaxed nature of gambling laws in Quebec, the province became something of a staple for its lavish casinos that attract many locals and tourists alike. If you get the chance, you should check out one of its four gorgeous casinos – Casino de Montreal, Fairmont Le Manoir Richeliue & Casino de Charlevoix, Hilton et Casino du Lac – Leamy or Casino de Mont-Tremblant.
Although gambling laws in Quebec allow for a wide variety of games and are thus liberal in terms of the selection they offer, they are also quite strict towards operators. For instance, there’s a minimum RTP rate for slot machines and casinos must have very strong policies to curb gambling addiction.
The legal gambling age, according to Quebec gambling laws, is 18 years. This comes in contrast to other Canadian provinces where the legal gambling age is 19, or both 18 and 19, but in Quebec, you can play all sorts of gambling games if you’re above the age of 18.
Quebec Online Gambling Laws
Quebec online gambling laws allow the best Canadian online casinos where you can play all sorts of games such as roulette, slots, or you can access the best blackjack sites in Canada. In addition, you can also bet on sports online. There is, however, only one online operator in Quebec – Espacejeux – and it’s run by the province itself.
For now, only Ontario has allowed commercial online operators such as the best CA roulette sites to enter the market , and while it seemed that this step would incentivise other provinces to follow, it might not be the case. A group of five provinces, one of which Quebec, urged the Canadian government to crack on offshore casino operators.
Currently, it is not illegal in Canada to play at an offshore casino, there simply isn’t a Canadian gambling law that prohibits it. Still, provinces are trying to change that to preserve their own state-run online operators and offer services at least as good as these at the best mobile casino apps for Canadians.
Quebec Gambling Regulators
There is only one gambling regulator in Quebec, which is responsible for following Quebec gambling laws, preserving the integrity of games offered, and the safety and security of customers. That state regulator is Loto-Quebec.
Again, just like other Canadian provinces, Loto-Quebec is both the operator and the regulator of gambling in Quebec. Even the four casinos in Quebec are owned and run by Loto-Quebec.
Popular Questions
Thank you for reading our article on Quebec gambling laws! We hope that you found this article to be interesting and informative and that you now know everything about gambling laws in Quebec. Below you can find the most popular questions concerning the topic, but if you have any others, please contact us.
1️⃣ How is gambling regulation in Quebec organised?
The regulator of gambling in the province of Quebec is Loto-Quebec, which makes sure that Quebec gambling laws are abided by. Loto-Quebec is also the only gambling operator in the province, because gambling laws in Quebec created a nationalised gambling industry.
2️⃣ What's the legal age according to the gambling laws in Quebec?
The legal gambling age, according to the laws for gambling in Quebec is 18 years. This comes in contrast to other provinces where the legal gambling age is usually 19 (at least for casino gaming), but you can engage in all types of gambling at 18 in Quebec.
3️⃣ Is sports gambling in Quebec legal?
Yes, sports betting is legal in Quebec. It has often been legal throughout the Quebec gambling history. It has been legal since 1985, but it only allowed for parlay bets. This changed in 2021 when single bets were legalised as well, so now there's nothing stopping you from making the bet you wish.
4️⃣ Do Quebec online gambling laws allow casino sites?
There aren't many online casinos in Quebec, because there is only one Quebec-run online casino – Espacejeux. This might not change in the near future, although one Canadian province, Ontario, recently licensed a few commercial operators. There is hope, however.
5️⃣ How many land-based casinos for gambling in Quebec are there?
There are currently four land-based casinos in Quebec, including the biggest casino in Canada - Montreal Casino. These four land-based casinos in Quebec are quite popular with locals and tourists due to their wide variety of gaming options. They comply with the gambling regulation in Quebec and are again owned and run by Loto-Quebec.