BY Kassidy Jacobs & Agathe Soldat
Sean Nantel remembers sitting at a video lottery terminal in the back of the diner where he worked, feeding all of his money into the machine.
“I would sit there and I would admit to myself, as I sat in front of a VLT putting all my money in, that I had a problem. And I would laugh it off and just keep putting it in and putting it in,” says Nantel.
He is now a Gamblers Anonymous sponsor.
Nantel says his recovery depended on taking personal responsibility, but his story unfolds within a system where the Quebec government both profits from gambling, and oversees it’s efforts to reduce harm.
Loto‑Québec generates roughly $3 billion a year from lotteries, casinos and online gambling. Over the same period, the most recent report from the provincial gambling helpline shows an 18 per cent increase in calls last year, pointing to a growing need for intervention.
“What we’re seeing in many instances is pressure on the province to generate more money,” says Sylvia Kairouz, chairholder of the research chair on gambling at Concordia University. “We push up on the economic side, but then we loosen up some protection measures.”
Kairouz argues that this tension is built into Quebec’s gambling model, in which Loto-Quebec serves as both a revenue generator and a promoter of responsible gaming initiatives.
Kairouz adds that the system places heavy emphasis on individual responsibility, even as what she described as ‘highly addictive gambling products’ are widely promoted and increasingly accessible.
Online sports betting has become more and more popular over the years and is now only a few clicks away. But as its popularity grows, so do the concerns about potential risks that could come with it. Video by Agathe Soldat.
Jeffrey Derevensky is a clinical psychologist and director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviours at McGill University. He says Loto-Quebec has taken steps to reduce harm, noting that it is a member of the World Lottery Association and holds a level four responsible gambling certification, the highest level awarded by the organization.
However, Derevensky acknowledges that changes in how gambling is being offered are increasing the risk.
“You no longer have to necessarily run to the corner store to buy something; gambling is available online,” he says. “There are many opportunities to gamble, and it’s coupled with a crazy amount of advertisements that people are seeing everywhere.”
Gamblers Anonymous offers free, confidential peer support across Quebec for people seeking help with gambling problems. Photo by Kassidy Jacobs.
Kairouz says the current system shifts responsibility onto gamblers rather than addressing the role institutions play in designing, marketing and profiting from gambling.
“I think that we are lacking very much; there’s no initiatives that exist in terms of gambling addiction, so there is a void on that level,” Kairouz says. “It’s always shifting the responsibility on the gamblers to put limits on their gambling, whereas we have very addictive products that are promoted.”
She advocates for the creation of an independent gambling regulator separate from Loto-Quebec. Its sole mandate would be to protect players and reduce harm without being influenced by gaining revenue.
“That is the big missing element in the whole gambling landscape,” Kairouz says.
She notes that, unlike substance-related addictions, gambling harm is often less visible, making it harder to detect and address. There are no physical signs, and financial or emotional distress can remain hidden for years.
Scratch tickets from Loto-Québec line a corner store counter, highlighting how government-run gambling is woven into everyday life. Photo by Kassidy Jacobs
Derevensky warns that this invisibility can delay intervention and allow harm to escalate unnoticed, particularly in a system that relies heavily on individuals to recognize and limit their own behaviour.
“Gambling is the hidden addiction,” said Derevensky. “You can’t see it in someone’s eyes like you can if they’re on drugs or smell it on their breath if they’re drinking alcohol.”
Nantel emphasizes that even with the challenges of this dual mandate, support is available.
“I don’t need to wake up every single morning and think to myself where am I going to get the next dollar to put in the machine, How am I going to get away with telling my wife I spent the mortgage again,” says Nantel, “If you see yourself in any of these actions, call the Gamblers Anonymous hotline, I promise you there is help.”
As gambling becomes more accessible and its harms remain largely invisible, researchers say governance and oversight will play a critical role in how these risks are managed over time.
Loto-Quebec and the Regie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ) were contacted for comment on the role of both operating and regulating gambling in Quebec. Loto-Quebec declined to comment, and the Regie des alcools, des courses and des jeux did not respond to requests for an interview.
