DID YOU KNOW...

Quebecers are among the Canadians who spend the least on gambling and lotteries. [+]

Some Figures on Games of Chance and Gambling

Discover interesting gambling figures:

Gambling Research and Statistics

Money Invested by Loto-Québec

Gambling Research and Statistics

Gambling Behaviour in Québec

A 2009 Québec study* estimates that Québécois spend an average of $483 per year on games of chance. According to information gathered by Loto-Québec, this individual expenditure is the lowest in Canada.

*Kairouz, S., Nadeau, L., Portrait of gambling in Quebec: Prevalence, incidence and trajectories over four years [PDF Format, 1.20 MB - Help]. Concordia University, Université de Montréal, Fonds de recherche sur la société et la culture, 2010

Prevalence of Gambling in Québec

Recent studies* have concluded that pathological gambling does not appear to be growing in Québec. Nearly one-third of Québécois spent nothing on games of chance in 2009. Some 68.4% of Québécois are problem-free players or have a low risk of developing a problem. Approximately 82,000 Québécois (1.3% of the adult population) have a moderate risk of developing a gambling problem. Nearly 42,000 Québécois (0.7% of the adult population) are likely pathological gamblers.

A Statistics Canada survey carried out in 2002 revealed that Québec is the Canadian province with the lowest percentage of pathological gamblers - 0.3% of the adult population - and one of the lowest percentages of gamblers at risk - 1.3%.

Suicides Involving Pathological Gambling as a Factor

Suicide is a highly complex phenomenon, and numerous factors usually come into play when an individual decides to take such an action. Every suicide in Québec is investigated by the Bureau du coroner, whose responsibility it is to identify the factors that contributed to an individual’s decision to take his or her life. Of all the factors studied, mental problems and psychoactive substance abuse are those most often isolated.

* Source: Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux

Image - Compulsive Gambling and Suicide

Source: Information provided by the Bureau du coroner (in French only), Ministère de la Sécurité publique.

Money Invested by Loto-Québec

Over the last years, Loto-Québec has invested more than $269 million in the fight against compulsive gambling, with $31.1 million spent in 2010-2011 alone. This last amount includes $6.1 million provided to Mise sur toi an independent entity, since February 2009.

This places Québec among the world's top jurisdictions with respect to funding for programs to fight the problems related to compulsive gambling.

Amounts paid by Loto-Québec to the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux

Image - Amounts paid by Loto-Québec since 2002 to the fight against excessive gaming

Loto-Québec is also genuinely interested in the scientific study of pathological gambling, having subsidized several projects on this phenomenon since the eighties, which were carried out by university researchers that have acquired a solid international reputation in the field of problem gambling. These centres also conduct studies for other jurisdictions.

Centre québécois d'excellence pour la prévention et le traitement du jeu pathologique, affiliated with Université Laval

International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviours, affiliated with McGill University

Last update: October 13, 2011

If gaming is no
longer a pastime...