Youth Gambling Surge Exposes Flaws in Quebec’s Gambling Monopoly Model

Quebec faces a growing problem with online gambling affecting kids. Experts who help people stop gambling and industry experts say things need to change fast. New stories show how teens get pulled in by ads on social media, often betting on websites that are not legal.

Specialists Caution About Increasing Underage Betting Driven by Social Media Ads

One story talks about a 17-year-old who started gambling for fun with friends, reported Canadian news outlet Le Devoir. He won a lot from a small bet at first. The excitement made him play more and open an account on an illegal gambling site. He used a relative’s ID to get around the age limit. He said it did not feel like real money, and he realized how much he had lost days later.

Experts in the addiction treatment field say this youngster’s story is not unusual. Xavier Lalonde, who used to work as an addictions counselor and now teaches prevention, pointed out that some teens have lost thousands of bucks in just a few weeks. He explained that shady gambling sites often use tricks to keep players hooked, like holding up withdrawals. This pushes players to bet away their winnings, hoping to get them back. In some schools, he has run into kids as young as 12 playing games for real money.

Supporters highlight the strong impact social media stars have on promoting gambling, often hiding betting in what looks like harmless games. This marketing strategy, plus easy phone access to online casinos, makes it simpler than ever for kids to start gambling well before they are allowed. Experts caution that seeing gambling at a young age boosts the chances of becoming addicted later in life.

Quebec’s Gambling Monopoly Faces Criticism as Unregulated Market Drains Billions

Right now, Quebec has one legal online gambling site run by the government-owned Loto-Québec, which holds a monopoly in the province. However, some people say this setup has not stopped underage kids from gambling or slowed down the growth of unregulated betting sites.

Ariane Gauthier speaks for the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition, a group that major private operators started in 2023. She says this situation shows Quebec needs a regulated competitive system like Ontario’s. In Ontario, all licensed operators must follow strict responsible gaming rules. These include checking ages and running public awareness campaigns.

They also pay taxes to the government. Industry numbers shared at the Canadian Gaming Summit this summer revealed Quebec loses about CAD1.97 billion ($1.4 billion) in gross gaming revenue each year to unregulated sites — the highest in Canada. Those pushing for change say that without a new plan, both health concerns and financial losses will keep growing.