“The web is not hurting the lottery,” says Loto-Quebec CEO

Loto-Quebec tower in Montreal on Sherbrooke St. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News)

The growth of online gaming at Loto-Quebec is not cannibalizing its lottery sector at points of sale, according to the CEO.

The appeal of the Crown corporation’s website continues to grow. Its overall growth is around 17 per cent compared to last year, said Loto-Quebec President and Chief Executive Officer Jean-François Bergeron in an interview.

“We are experiencing very good growth in Quebec when compared to other jurisdictions,” he said Wednesday as the organization released its latest financial results.

Bergeron said that this trend on the web is not coming at the expense of in-store lottery sales.

The digital platform attracts more “occasional lottery buyers,” according to the CEO.

“For example, when we reach much more attractive amounts in a draw, $50 million and above, we see an increase in traffic and online purchases to participate in big jackpots,” said Bergeron.

“But there is no cannibalization,” he continues. “What we might lose in sales at land-based points of sale, we make up for online.”

Lottery sales are “on a stabilizing trajectory,” with “slight growth year after year,” said the Loto-Quebec head.

“But there are no additional offers either. So we’re holding steady. It’s still an extremely attractive product. We are in more than 70 per cent of households in Quebec. (...) The web is not hurting the lottery,” said Bergeron.

He notes, however, that the average age is higher for lottery tickets and scratch cards sold at various points of sale, while young adults consume more online offerings.

The CEO attributed the phenomenon to the fact that Loto-Quebec seems to be less present in the lives of this young clientele, particularly due to the electrification of transportation, which can affect the number of visits to convenience stores, for example.

Young people visiting casinos

However, younger generations are very much present in Loto-Quebec’s various establishments, such as casinos and gaming rooms, said Bergeron.

He believes that the state-owned corporation’s sites have become an “interesting alternative” for this clientele to celebrate.

“In our establishments on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, we see a much younger clientele. They come in groups. They gather around a gaming table and play together,” said Bergeron, citing surveys to back up this trend.

According to him, the complementary offerings at these establishments, particularly in terms of entertainment and food, appeal to younger people.

In addition, the Crown corporation is continuing to expand its network of gaming halls. Loto-Quebec announced earlier this month its intention to open a fourth one in Saguenay, while the ground-breaking ceremony for a third such project took place this autumn in Rimouski.

First half results

On Wednesday, Loto-Quebec presented its financial results for the first half of its fiscal year.

For the period from April 1 to Sept. 29, the corporation posted a 1.8 per cent increase in revenue to $1.532 billion compared to the same period last year.

Consolidated net income rose slightly by 0.8 per cent to $777.5 million.

This performance is “slightly above our targets,” said Bergeron.

“Having a growth trajectory and maintaining it is very good for us,” commented the CEO, who was satisfied with the results in an economic context where consumer discretionary spending remains under pressure.

Looking only at the second quarter, i.e., July, August and September, revenues and net income were down about six per cent compared to last year.

This difference is attributed to the fact that the second quarter of 2025 had seven fewer days than the previous year, Bergeron pointed out.

Loto-Quebec also reported that it has created 70 new millionaires since the beginning of its current fiscal year, for a total payout of nearly $973 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 17, 2025.