Summary:
- 105,000 attempts were made from Quebec to access Ontario bookmakers since NFL started.
- Ontario’s online gambling market is only open to residents.
- Quebec online sports betting options are limited.
GeoComply Solutions Inc. just recently opened in office in Toronto and decided to celebrate the opening by providing insight into the gambling market.
Figures were published involving the mobile sports betting market, showing that players in Quebec want in on the action.
Quebec Players Try to Access Ontario Sites
The figures from GeoComply showed that over 100,000 attempts were made from Quebec to access mobile bookmakers in Ontario. Providers like TigerGaming offer premium deals, and players in Quebec want in on the action. However, the mobile gaming sites are only open to residents of the province.
The huge number of blocks are a total that range from present day, back to when the NFL season began. The thriving market in Ontario has players from everywhere wanting to participate. Some of the blocked attempts were reportedly from federal government employees who work in Ottawa but live in Quebec.
A sign, via data collected by @GeoComply, of interest in an Ontario-like online sports betting market in Quebec.
GeoComply says it blocked 105K attempts from Quebec to access Ontario-regulated sportsbooks since the start of this NFL season. (h/t @GamingNewsCA) pic.twitter.com/AtZzRjxcmb
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) November 22, 2023
Ontario is the only province in Canada that offers multiple private companies that feature iGaming. Most areas, like Quebec, restrict legal gambling online to a gaming corporation or government-owned entity. Because of this, players in other locales are not able to access brand-name gaming sites. Ontario is actually home to over 70 sites, giving residents plenty of options for betting.
Hope for Change in Quebec
Sports betting companies are trying to get politicians in Quebec to change the laws and allow for online gaming like the services in Ontario. DraftKings and FanDuel have teamed up to create a coalition with other companies to change the way Quebec’s sports betting industry operates.
The effort has not been fruitful, but it has gained support from professional sports leagues. This could help create more movement for legislation and allow the province to modernize its iGaming sector. Quebec has over eight million people living in the province, and it could create a massive sports betting market if allowed to feature private companies.
Quebec is not the only place where players are trying to access Ontario wagering. GeoComply recently reported that around 750,000 players were blocked trying to use IP spoofing. Of that number, only just over 6,000 were from Quebec.
It will be interesting to see if the pressure from the coalition and sports leagues, plus the data from GeoComply helps to push lawmakers to make changes in Quebec. With the addition of private companies, like TigerGaming and other major entities, it would be the start of big earnings for the industry and a better overall market.
