Loto-Quebec Launches Online Casino Site

Loto-Quebec, the official government gaming authority of the province, launched its online gambling website on Friday. The site, which will allow players from Quebec the chance to play poker, table games, slots and other casino favorites online, is named Espacejeux.

However, while games are not available until December 1, players can begin registering to become members immediately. The site will be available 24 hours a day to registered adults from the province of Quebec.

The site is designed to be a legal alternative to the myriad of unregulated gambling options available to Quebec’s residents, as well as bring in revenue to the province.

"It's a better model to offer a responsible alternative," said Loto-Quebec CEO Alain Cousineau.

One of the major concerns for any online gambling operation is determining an effective way to prevent minors from playing on their site. This was a particular concern for Loto-Quebec, since credit and debit cards can be utilized to fund accounts on Espacejeux.

However, Loto-Quebec is confident that they will be able to restrict the site to only adults. In order to play on the site, players must provide banking and other personal information, and letters are sent to any players who have signed up for the site, so that they can confirm they know an account has been opened in their name. These procedures should help prevent younger players from stealing information from their parents and opening accounts without their knowledge.

Social issues have been one of the sticking points for any online gambling scheme in Quebec. The province opened their online gambling site while simultaneously creating an advisory committee that would study the effects of legalized gambling both before and during the site’s operation. Some critics have suggested that Quebec is operating the site for financial gain, and ignoring the problems that come from gambling in the process. However, Cousineau disagreed with that assessment.

"The reason we are doing this is not because there is money there,” Cousineau said. “It's because we have a responsibility to do this. If that makes it so the state will recoup some of the money that is available out there, the more the merrier."