The Québec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) believes the province is missing out on a promising opportunity.

The coalition has voiced its displeasure with the Québec government for not reaping the benefits of an open online gaming market as the province reported a record $11 billion deficit in its 2024-25 budget. The group believes Québec is missing out on substantial tax revenue from open gaming, which is projected to reach at least $230 million annually.

The tax revenue could then be allocated toward the economy, health, and education.

“The Minister [of Finance] missed an opportunity to send a clear signal in his budget, following Alberta’s example last week, to take action towards implementing regulations that would protect Québecers while boosting government revenues,” said spokesperson Nathalie Bergeron. “Instead of listening to the experts, who have been calling for regulation of the online gaming market for over 10 years, Québec prefers to protect Loto-Québec’s monopoly, to the detriment of public services and the Quebec society that receives them.”

The QOGC has taken this stance as Ontario drives profits from regulated open gaming.

Canada’s most populous province launched an open market in 2022. In its first year of operation, Ontario’s open gaming market generated $523 million in revenue for provincial and municipal governments. It also added $1.6 billion to Ontario’s GDP.

As a result, the coalition has demanded that Québec’s Minister of Finance review Loto-Québec’s mandate, which makes the crown corporation the province’s online wagering platform. The QOGC is asking the Québec government to establish a regulatory body for private operators in the province to ensure that wagering has proper oversight.

The coalition stands to be heard, with members from some of the world’s largest gambling operators, including DraftKings, Entain, Flutter Entertainment and Rush Street Gaming.