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Quebec Gambling Laws
The status of gambling, especially online gambling, in Quebec can be somewhat unclear to those who are venturing into it for the first time.
In this guide, we’ll explain all about the legality of gambling and betting in the province, as well as who can legally gamble and on which platforms.
Is Gambling Legal in Quebec?
Yes, gambling has been legal in Quebec for decades.
In fact, Quebec was the first of the Canadian provinces to offer a government-administered lottery in 1968.
A year later, Loto-Québec was established as the provincial lottery corporation in charge of overseeing the activities of games of chance in Quebec.
But in order to fully understand the state of gambling in Quebec, it’s important to know how gambling works in Canada as a whole.
The governing body responsible for overseeing the gambling industry is the Canadian Gaming Commission.
To put it simply, gambling is legal in Canada, and online gambling is, too.
That said, each province is given the freedom to create its own rules and regulations so long as they’re in line with the Canadian Criminal Code.
The Code states that the government of every province is in charge of offering and overseeing gambling in the province.
In simpler words, that means that provinces need to set up their own rules (much like Ontario had done in 2022) to regulate online gambling.
Whether the government is offering the betting platform, overseeing operators that do, or both is up to them.
In the case of Ontario, it’s both: the government has its own sportsbook and makes sure other legal operators are following gambling rules and regulations.
When it comes to Quebec, there is no legal framework regulating private operators for the time being. Currently, the only legal option for Quebecers remains Loto-Québec.
The Future of Online Gambling in Quebec
That said, we can’t exclude that the province of Quebec will eventually try to restrict access to these sites since they are unregulated by the province.
However, past attempts have been unfruitful.
In 2015, the provincial government introduced the rule which created a list of unlicensed sites that ISPs needed to block.
Eventually, the Quebec Superior Court ruled that this was unconstitutional and that it was primarily targeting an increase in revenues of Loto-Québec.
With that in mind, we doubt that any attempts to clamp down on these sites will be successful.
What’s more, it looks like Quebec may be ready to follow in Ontario’s footsteps.
The province has recently gained support from three major sports leagues to go for market regulation.
We’ll be sure to follow this up and provide you with timely information as the situation develops.
Who Can Gamble Legally in Quebec?
The legal gambling age in Quebec is lower than that of most Canadian provinces.
In Quebec, you need to be 18 or older to gamble, whereas most provinces require you to be at least 19.
To gamble online, you’ll have to register and put down a deposit that is usually $10, but can be as high as $20.
However, once you’ve created your account in Quebec, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to play if you’re staying in Ontario.
Gambling websites use geolocation services to determine where you come from.
Once they confirm this through locators as well as the KYC process, they won’t let you place a bet outside of your province.
They’re strictest when it comes to Ontario since it’s a fully regulated online betting market, unlike Quebec.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Quebec?
The legality of sports betting in Canada is no different than that of gambling.
Therefore, sports betting, as well as online sports betting, is legal in Quebec.
What Sports Betting Sites are Currently Legal in Quebec?
There is only one provincially regulated betting option in the province, and it’s the one we mentioned before: Loto-Québec.
When betting with this operator, you can be sure you’re fully protected in case anything goes awry.
What’s more, part of the revenue will go back into the province, which isn’t the case for private operators.
What Are Private/International Operators?
You may have come across the terms private operators and international operators in regard to the Quebec (and Canadian) betting markets.
Private or international operators are those that have servers set up in another country but offer their services in Canada — or, more specifically, in this case, Quebec.
The vast majority of Canadian provinces (with the exception of Ontario) don’t have a regulatory framework that deals with the legality of these websites.
Quebec is one of those provinces.
That’s why, for the time being, these operators are available in Quebec, and bettors cannot be legally responsible it they decide to gamble on them.
In fact, bettors across Canada have been doing it for years.
But because there’s no government control over them, in case a bettor encounters any issue while on these websites, the government cannot assist them.
Trustworthy International Operators Available in Quebec
Not all websites available in Quebec are equally trustworthy.
And because the government cannot assist you if you encounter any issues, opting for trustworthy ones is crucial.
That’s why we always suggest going for betting websites that have acquired an Ontario betting license.
While that license doesn’t apply to Quebec, it’s still a sign that a sportsbook is willing to abide by the country’s rules and regulations.
Our readers from Quebec often want to know whether Canada’s top sportsbooks are available in their province.
In the table below, you can find the answers.
| Sportsbook | Legal in Quebec | Available in Quebec |
| bet365 | No | Yes |
| Betano | No | Yes |
| Bet99 | No | Yes |
| Fanduel | No | No |
| Draftkings | No | No |
| Betway | No | Yes |
Legality of bet365 in Quebec
bet365 is one of the most popular sportsbooks in Canada, and many Quebecers wonder about its legal status in their province.
As we’ve already explained, Quebec doesn’t have a regulated framework for private operators, so bet365 has no way of operating in the province legally.
However, it is available in Quebec, and betting on it isn’t illegal per Canadian or Quebec laws.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Montreal?
Yes, sports betting is perfectly legal in Montreal, as it’s legal all over Quebec.
Online gambling is also legal in the city of Montreal, and just as is the case with online betting sites, you can go for the provincial option or international casinos.
It’s worth noting that in Montreal, the minimum gambling age for online casinos is 18, just as it is in the rest of Quebec.
FAQs
Is Bet99 legal in Quebec?
Quebec hasn’t legalized international operators yet, but Bet99 is available in the province and there are no legal repercussions for accessing it.
Is bet365 legal in Quebec?
bet365 is one of the operators available in Quebec despite the lack of a legal framework. That means bet365 doesn’t have the license to operate in Quebec, but it’s accessible and safe to play at.
Is Betway legal in Quebec?
Betway is available in Quebec, although there’s no regulatory framework to deem it legal for now. Still, there are no legal repercussions for Quebecers playing at Betway.
Is FanDuel legal in Quebec?
FanDuel isn’t available in Quebec for the time being.
Is Draftkings legal in Quebec?
Unfortunately, Draftkings is currently only available in Ontario.
