Loto-Quebec to blacklist 2,200 online-gambling sites

Under Quebec Canada’s Bill 74, online gambling sites not authorised by Loto-Quebec will be blocked.

Canada.- Quebec Canada’s Bill 74, which was passed in Quebec’s provincial parliament, includes language authorising the ministry of finance to order Internet Service Providers block online gambling sites not authorised by the provincial gambling monopoly Loto-Quebec.

Now Loto-Quebec is forging ahead with a plan to blacklist roughly 2,200 online-gambling sites following last week’s passage of the controversial Bill 74, which authorises the state-run lottery to compile such a blacklist and to assess heavy fines against the province’s internet service providers [ISPs] in case of noncompliance.

It has been said that only Loto-Quebec had the tools to protect the province’s problem gamblers from harm. Loto-Quebec would benefit from the blocking of competitive web locations offering online gambling by CAD27 million (US$20.7 million) per year in additional revenue.

In the past days and due to the unprecedented controversy that Bill 74 has created, the legislation was discussed in the House of Commons. In that opportunity, Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, declared that the Liberal party “believe in net neutrality” and would be having “ongoing discussions” with Quebec.