Quebec to Legalize Poker

Quebec to Legalize Poker

At long last, poker players in Quebec will be able to play live without leaving the province and without breaking any laws. A new law is slated to go into effect sometime in the fall that will allow Quebec casinos to spread Texas hold’em poker games. Prior to the law, the only variations of poker allowed were ones where the customer plays against the house, such as three card poker and Caribbean poker.

Catherine Schellenberg, spokeswoman for the Lac-Leamy Casino in Gatineau, said that the addition of poker to casinos in the province will help them compete with both their neighbors in Ontario, as well as underground, illegal poker clubs. She said that her casino’s profits fell $8 million last year, in part because potential patrons go elsewhere to play poker.

Jean-Pierre Roy, Loto-Quebec spokesman, also noted, “The Texas hold 'em poker is usually popular among young adults, so we expect it to bring customers that may not otherwise go to casinos.”

Loto-Quebec operates three casinos: Lac-Leamy, Montreal, and Charlevoix. The organization also has other gambling interests, as it operates a public lottery, a video lottery network, and a bingo network.

Of course, not everyone is thrilled with the idea of new games appearing in casinos. The Jellinek Centre, which offers services to problems gamblers, feels that poker will attract more players to casinos, which will in turn increase the number of people who develop gambling problems.

Source: Poker Source Online