Quebec Election Puts Loto-Québec's Online Monopoly at Risk

Quebec's online gambling monopoly faces new pressure after the province's Oct. 5 election. The Parti Québécois (PQ) won 59 of 127 seats, five short of a majority. With 40 seats, the Quebec Liberal Party will form the Official Opposition.

Both parties campaigned on licensing private online gambling operators. The outgoing Coalition Avenir Québec, which opposed opening the market, lost every seat.

No bill or timeline has been announced yet. To pass any legislation, the PQ will also need support from another party. Loto-Québec remains the only legal online gambling operator in the province. 

Liberal Online Gambling Plan Gains PQ Backing

Liberal leader Charles Milliard proposed expanding the mandate of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ), Quebec's alcohol, racing and gaming regulator, in a Sept. 9 platform commitment. The regulator could then license and oversee all online gambling platforms operating in Quebec. Licensed platforms would face strict rules on advertising, addiction prevention and the protection of minors.

The plan also proposes an industry-funded body to support people with gambling problems. PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon endorsed opening the market during the campaign. He pointed to Ontario's market as an example of how licensing can raise new tax revenue. "Online sports betting in Quebec is a Wild West," he said, according to The Canadian Press. The PQ's own proposal, however, is less detailed than the Liberal plan.

Loto-Québec's Monopoly and the CA$300 Million Revenue Debate

Loto-Québec runs the province's only legal online casino and sportsbook through its Espacejeux platform. However, the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition says most online play happens on unlicensed sites. In a February 2026 pre-budget brief, the coalition called for an independent regulator to oversee all operators, including Loto-Québec itself.

The group estimates Quebec misses out on more than CA$300 million in annual tax revenue, based on a hypothetical 20% tax on gross gaming revenue. Loto-Québec counters, citing Léger research, that 81% of online players in Quebec use its platform. Spokesperson Renaud Dugas said earlier this year that "100% of what it generates remains in Québec."

When Could Quebec Open Its Online Gambling Market?

St-Pierre Plamondon plans to meet with the other party leaders in the coming weeks. Neither the PQ nor Loto-Québec responded to industry media requests for comment after the vote.

During the campaign, coalition spokesperson Ariane Gauthier said that "a broad consensus is emerging in Quebec in favor of establishing clear rules." After the election, she said early steps could come within about a month.

The Canadian Gaming Association, however, expects slower progress. It noted that Quebec has no independent online gambling regulator.

Ontario opened its private market on April 4, 2022, and Alberta followed on July 13, 2026. If it follows, Quebec will become the third province to license private operators.