Some Figures on Games of Chance and Gambling

Discover interesting gambling figures:

Money invested by Loto-Québec

Gambling Research and Statistics

Money invested by Loto-Québec

Over the last six years, Loto-Québec has invested over $155.6 million in the fight against compulsive gambling, with $25 million spent in 2007-2008 alone.

For the last six fiscal years alone, Loto-Québec allocated $135 million to compulsive gambling assistance programs administered by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, and to the management of activities aimed at controlling access to video lottery terminals, administered by the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux. In the same period, Loto-Québec remitted $20.6 million to the Fondation Mise sur toi for the creation of programs that promote responsible gaming, as well as in the implementation of – and continual improvements to – gambling prevention tools used within the corporation’s gaming operations. Thus, Loto-Québec spent $155.6 million to fight compulsive gambling for the period from April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2008.

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

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. Between 1996 and 2001, some $5.3 million has been dedicated to compulsive gambling research.

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

Gambling Research and Statistics

Quebecers’ Gambling Behaviour

According to a study conducted in Québec in 2002*, the three most popular gaming activities are:

• buying lottery tickets (68%);
• entering draws and participating in fundraisers (40%);
• playing in casinos (18%).

Among the other more popular games of chance and gambling, we find: betting on card games among friends and family (10%), bingo (9%) and video lottery terminals (8%).

*Source: Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Chevalier, S, Sévigny, S., Hamel, D., & Allard, D. (2004). Prévalence des habitudes de jeu et jeu pathologique au Québec en 2002 (in French only) [PDF format, 606 KB - Help]. Québec and Montréal, Université Laval and Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

Prevalence of Gambling in Québec

According to a study conducted in 2002*, pathological gambling is not on the rise in Québec. In fact, the number of potential compulsive gamblers among Québec’s adult population has dropped to 0.8% in 2002 from 1% in 1996. Québec is home to between 35,000 and 56,000 potential 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%.

*Source: Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Chevalier, S, Sévigny, S., Hamel, D., & Allard, D. (2004). Prévalence des habitudes de jeu et jeu pathologique au Québec en 2002 (in French only) [PDF format, 606 KB - Help]. Québec and Montréal, Université Laval and Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

Prevalence of Gambling Elsewhere in Canada

Below is a list of the most recent studies on gambling and problem gambling, by province:

• Ontario - Gambling and Problem in Ontario 2005
• Nova Scotia - 2003 Nova Scotia Gambling Prevalence Study: Final Report
  [PDF Format, 3.5 MB - Help]
• New Brunswick - 2001 Survey of Gambling and Problem Gambling in New Brunswick
  [PDF Format, 884 KB - Help]
• Manitoba - Gambling Involvement and Problem Gambling in Manitoba
  [PDF Format, 696 KB - Help]
• Alberta - Measuring Gambling and Problem Gambling in Alberta Using the Canadian Problem Gambling Index
• Saskatchewan - Gambling and Problem Gambling in Saskatchewan
• British Columbia - British Columbia Problem Gambling Prevalence Study
  [PDF Format, 2.6 MB - Help]
• Prince Edward Island - The Prevalence of Problem Gambling in Prince Edward Island
  [PDF Format, 454 KB - Help]
• Newfoundland - Newfoundland and Labrador Gambling Prevalence Study
  [PDF Format, 862 KB - Help]

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 (in French only)

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