26/02/2010, Online casino

Loto-Quebec, the Canadian state-run provincial lottery operator, is ready to launch a new online gaming site based on the Swedish model.

Loto-Quebec will join British Columbia Lottery Corporation and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation for creating a common platform for the online gamblers.

Loto-Quebec will feature poker and sport games and it will include safety features in order to prevent underage gambling, offering self exclusion options and deposit limits.
According to Raymond Bachand, this move is seen as a way to “cannibalize illegal gambling sites”.

“I believe this to be an efficient way of fighting the underground economy,” said Raymond Bachand.
“Our citizens are not protected and the money goes to illegal channels. Loto-Québec will ensure that the offering of online gaming is honest and secure. It will also take the necessary measures to make sure that efforts to combat gambling addiction remain a priority," the Minister added.

The Loto-Quebec's website will be launched for the Quebec residents only. The outside Quebec players will not be allowed to join the Canadian website, in order to avoid violating the laws of the other provinces.
The Quebec's Finance Minister, Raymond Bachand, thinks that revenues generated by the new online offerings could reach about $50 million by 2012.

Once it will be launched, researchers will constantly monitor the website's activity and they will study the social impact of the development of online gaming in Quebec.
They will study technical, economic and legal measures to counter illegal gambling as well and it will report to the government.