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Lotteries

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Mandate

Loto-Québec is responsible for the sale and marketing of traditional, instant and terminal-based lotteries, as well as the sports lotteries known as Pari sportif. This public corporation manages a sales network of some 8,700 retailers operating lottery terminals located throughout the province.

Number of Employees

The lotteries division has over 250 employees.

Revenus

With sales of nearly $1.902 billion in 2008-2009, this sector accounts for nearly 50% of Loto-Québec's total sales. Growth, however, has stabilized, signifying that this sector has reached maturity, a phenomenon already observed at other Canadian lottery corporations.

At March 31, 2009 ' In thousands of dollars
Lotteries ' Loto-Québec	Sales 2009	Sales 2008	Sales 2007	Sales 2006
Terminal-based lotteries	1,190,663	1,180,880	1,167,833	1,111,906
Instant lotteries	535,689	539,640	504,968	568,790
Traditional lotteries	123,499	137,533	119,185	132,380
Pari sportif sports lotteries	51,683	52,067	50,446	47,554
Total	1,901,534	1,910,120	1,842,432	1,860,630

The Law

Québec law prohibits the sale of lottery products to anyone under the age of 18.

Partnership with NPOs

More than 1,500 accredited organizations are licensed to sell Lotomatique subscriptions.
75 organizations operate 112 kiosks throughout Québec [PDF Format, in French only, 40 KB - Help]. Accredited organizations earn commissions on sales in the same manner as other Loto‑Québec retailers.

Retailers

Some 8,700 retailers operating lottery terminals.
There is a network of more than 126 wholesalers province-wide.

Winners

In 2008-2009, Loto-Québec paid $1,015 billion to lottery winners.
On April 29, 2009, Loto-Québec awarded $32,912,981 for a Lotto 6/49 win, the largest jackpot in Québec's history.

Where do the lottery dollars go?

[2008-2009 fiscal year]
53.39%	to winners
25.56%	to the Government of Québec
9.73%	to cover administrative fees
6.77%	to retailers
1.96%	to ticket printing
2.59%	to cover taxes and special contributions

Lotteries

Terminal-based lotteries

This line of products, which includes Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, Québec 49, La Quotidienne, Banco, Banco spécial, Jour de paye, Astro, Triplex, Tango and Extra, is sold through a network of terminals. Draw frequency varies from once to seven times a week.

Terminal-based lotteries
Lotto 6/49		Lotto Max
First draw:	June 12, 1982	First draw:	September 25, 2009
Draw frequency:	Bi-weekly (every Wednesday and Saturday)	Draw frequency:	Weekly (every Friday)
Québec 49		La Quotidienne
First draw:	October 1, 1997	First draw:	September 10, 1979
Draw frequency:	Bi-weekly (every Wednesday and Saturday)	Draw frequency:	Daily
Banco		Banco spécial
First draw:	September 15, 1989	First draw:	April 30, 2001
Draw frequency:	Daily	Draw frequency:	Draw frequency
Jour de paye		Extra*
First draw:	April 12, 2007	First draw:	April 1, 1990
Draw frequency:	Weekly (every Thursday)	Draw frequency:	Daily
		* Can be combined with Lotto 6/49, Québec 49, Lotto Max, La Quotidienne, Banco, Banco spécial, Triplex, Astro, Tango and Jour de paye.
Astro		Triplex
First draw:	January 13, 2006	First draw:	September 4, 2007
Draw frequency:	Daily	Draw frequency:	Daily
Tango
First draw:	January 16, 2009
Draw frequency:	Weekly (every Friday)

Instant lotteries

Regular lotteries
Weekly (every Friday)
These instant games are designed for consumers wishing to discover the outcome of their ticket quickly. Some 20 different games are launched in this category each year, in addition to the permanent editions of games such as Le 7 chanceux, Explosion and Gagnant à vie.

Entertainment lotteries
This type of lottery offers a more elaborate and more extended game experience, placing greater emphasis on amusement value. Loto-bingo, Bingo +, Mots cachés and Jeu de mots are permanent editions within this category, and Loto-Québec offers some 10 new products of this type each year.
Televised lotteries
Televised lotteries offer the possibility of winning large cash prizes on television. Roue de fortune chez vous and La Poule aux œufs d’or are examples of this type of game.

Traditional lotteries
This category combines all the pre-printed products which require the consumer to wait for a draw, either weekly, such as for La Mini, or sporadically, as during a special show such as Célébration.

La Mini
La Mini's first draw was held on June 5, 1970. Loto-Québec is one of the few lottery corporations in North America still offering its clientele this type of product.
Teleactive lotteries
Launched in 1993, La Poule aux œufs d'or is one of the most popular programs on television in Québec.
Special-edition lotteries
Loto-Québec introduced the first premium lottery, known as "Édition spéciale," in 1998. Example: Célébration.

"Pari sportif" sports lotteries
Sports pool games (Mise-o-jeu, Mise-o-jeu Prédictions, Total) allows sports fans to wager on professional and college sports.

Mise-o-jeu: Launched October 31, 1990.
Cost per bet: $2.
Mise-o-jeu Prédictions: Launched September 6, 2005.
Cost of each selection: $5.
Total: Launched September 29, 1994.
Cost per bet: $2.

Preventive Measures

Loto-Québec is constantly reminding its retailers of the fact that lotteries are for adults only. Since February 2000, when the Law prohibiting the sale of lottery products to minors was adopted, Loto‑Québec has engaged in a sustained public communications and awareness campaign. Its "18+" logo has been featured in Loto-Québec brochures, as well as on lottery terminals, radio and television.
Loto-Québec implemented a reinforcement program entitled "We ask for ID here" to ensure the application of the Law prohibiting the sale of lottery products to minors.
For more than 20 years, Loto-Québec has been applying an advertising standard which bars ads during TV shows aimed at viewers under 18 years of age.
Loto-Québec implemented administrative procedures to uphold the Law prohibiting the sale of lottery products to minors:
- 1st visit from a mystery shopper: in case of an infraction, issuance of a letter advising the retailer of training to be provided in-store
- 2nd visit from a mystery shopper: in case of an infraction, formal notice presented to the retailer
- 3rd visit from a mystery shopper: in case of an infraction, suspension of sales privileges for a period of 15 days
- 4th visit from a mystery shopper: in case of an infraction, suspension of sales privileges for a period of 30 days
- 5th visit from a mystery shopper: in case of an infraction, suspension of sales privileges for a period of one year

Lotteries - Fact sheet [PDF Format, 45 KB - Help, last update on September 22, 2009]

Last update: September 22, 2009