Montreal study shows rising online gambling on unregulated sites

MONTREAL · A new study from Montreal's public health department shows a sharp rise in online gambling, with most participants using unregulated websites. The survey of 8,500 adults found 13.3% participated in online gambling in 2025, up from 4.4% in 2018. Among those online gamblers, 38% exclusively used unregulated websites, while another 16% used both unregulated platforms and the government-owned Loto-Québec. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition says the findings show the need for the new Parti Québécois government to clarify its regulatory plans ahead of its fall economic update.

"Because of the many platforms offering online gaming from abroad, outside the regulated network of the state-owned corporation Loto-Québec, regulating this form of gaming is particularly complex and partially beyond the control of Quebec’s public authorities," said Ariane Gauthier, spokesperson for the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition. "This is currently a source of concern in Quebec and an issue identified in several jurisdictions around the world (capital flight, intrusive marketing, fraud, and impacts on the safety and health of players)." The study, conducted by the Montreal Regional Public Health Department and Concordia University, also found that overall gambling participation in Montreal declined from 54.5% in 2018 to 39% in 2025. Young men aged 18 to 34 were identified as particularly vulnerable, with 7.4% exhibiting problematic gambling behaviours, compared with 4.6% of gamblers overall. The findings revealed widespread public concern, with nearly three-quarters of Montreal adults (73%) supporting a ban on online gambling advertising and 70% believing gambling was too accessible.

The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition is urging the government to use its upcoming fall economic update to announce concrete measures. "The budget update, expected in the coming weeks, is an opportunity for the new Minister of Finance, Nicolas Marceau, to announce concrete measures to support the Parti Québécois’s commitment to cleaning up the online gaming sector," Gauthier said. "By establishing a regulatory framework for online gaming that applies to all operators, both Loto-Québec and private companies, the government will finally have the leverage to properly regulate the entire sector." The newly elected Parti Québécois minority government has previously stated its intention to introduce an Ontario-style regulated iGaming market. The opposition Liberal Party has also said it favours an iGaming market that opens the door to private operators. The government has not yet announced an official date for a full provincial budget.