Loto-Quebec betting on on-line gambling
Loto-Quebec is hoping to offer on-line poker to their clients starting next summer.
Loto-Quebec president Alain Cousineau made the announcement during a speech this afternoon to members of the Montreal Metropolitain Board of Trade.
Sol Bauxenbaum, gambling critic with Viva Consulting, says it's more difficult to target compulsive gamblers on the Web and that restrictions don't apply to on-line gambling, adding that this type of gaming is illegal.
"There have been exemptions made for lottery corporations, to have lottery tickets on the Internet but nobody has ever legalized poker on-line. The reason being there is no control on age restriction, time or budgets. It's not a good thing and I think it's highly irresponsible of Loto-Quebec to offer a service of this type," Bauxenbaum tells CJAD News.
Cousineau said that the phenomenon of virtual gaming is growing like gangbusters, via the Internet or other mobile means of communication, such as cell phones, especially among young adults.
"It is but why does that mean that if it can't be stopped that we might as well join the bandwagon and add to the problem?" Bauxenabum asks.
But Loto-Quebec says it believes it can offer a responsible and legal way of doing it.
It's already asked the Quebec government to amend the laws so they can launch the idea.
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