GeoComply Solutions Inc. recently posted some new numbers on Ontario’s regulated market for iGaming, which revealed that Quebec is interested in the sector. Currently, a coalition of private gambling firms is urging the La Belle Province to follow Ontario’s example, but in the meantime, GeoComply reports it blocked nearly 105,000 attempts from Quebecers to access the market.
At the moment, Ontario is the only Canadian jurisdiction to allow numerous private-owned gambling operators to offer online sports betting and casino play. In the first 12 months, the iGaming sector generated CA$35.6 billion in handle after launch, resulting in approximately CA$1.4 billion in total gaming revenue and calls for other provinces to follow the lead.
Quebecers are Definitely Into iGaming
GeoComply which provides geolocation services to operators in Ontario, reported that the local iGaming model is a magnet for players everywhere. It revealed that its tech helped operators block around 105,000 attempts from Quebec alone to access the Ontario-regulated online sportsbooks, since the start of the latest NFL season in September 2023.
Earlier this year, a group of DraftKings, FanDuel Bet99, BetMGM-co-owner Entain PLC, and Betway, created the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition with the aim of convincing the La Belle Province to follow Ontario’s regulated gaming model. However, the campaign was not of much success but still caught the eye of professional sports leagues who have also agreed.
In September 2023, the Canadian Football League, Major League Soccer, and the National Basketball Association declared their support of the initiative and urged the province to install a similar market to the one of neighbouring Ontario. CFL’s Commissioner Randy Ambrosie believes the market would protect the integrity of the competition and promote responsible play.
Quebec is one of the more populous provinces in Canada with 8.5 million residents, which puts it in the same bracket as U.S. states such as Virginian, where several online sports betting operators are already up and running. By not privatizing its market, the province is potentially losing out on tons of revenue, which is gambled by local players on unregulated and unsafe offshore websites.
Other Findings from the Report
In its fresh market report, GeoComply published that it has blocked approximately 750,000 attempts to access the market from out-of-province players, who tried to use IP spoofing, with around 6,000 of those coming from Quebec. There were also 2,300 outsider attempts during the NFL season via a proxy, and 18.68% or around 430 originated from Quebec.
Further findings from the report, highlight the gravity of the NFL to sports betting in the Heartland Province, even despite the massive hockey hype. According to the geolocation provider, there was a 57% increase in geolocation checks Ontario on NFL Sundays and 250,000 new player accounts were created in September and October, compared to 131,000 in July and August.
