Montreal Gambling Guide – Where to Gamble in Montreal
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With a population of around 1.7 million, Montreal is the most populous city in the province of Quebec and the second most populous city in all of Canada. The official language is French.
The Quebec Gambling Commission is the predominant overseer of gambling in Quebec. Each province looks after the needs of its jurisdiction for all gambling-related matters, except for pari-mutuel betting.
Casinos
Casinos in Montreal are overseen by the casinos of SCQ. The SCQ operates as a part of the Loto-Quebec entity. Smoking has been outlawed at casinos in the area since 2004, yet drinking of alcohol has been allowed since 2013. It’s an interesting dynamic. Games of chance were legalized in Montreal in 1970, and the legislation has been developing over time. Due to the city's proximity to various US towns and territories (New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine), Montreal’s gambling venues attract some visitors from those places. This sometimes affects the local economy. The single casino in Montreal is Casino de Montréal, the most extensive casino in Canada. It provides over 3,200 gambling devices and beyond 120 table games, like blackjack, craps, Texas Hold Em poker, baccarat, roulette, three-card poker, and Caribbean stud poker. Casino de Montréal is situated on Notre Dame Island. It operates 24 hours and welcomes gamblers who are at least 18 years of age. The casino has been in operation since 1993, and its profits are directed to the Quebec administration. These profits greatly benefit the state. Slot machines along with video lottery devices have been available in Montreal for numerous years. Surprisingly, Quebec was the final province to authorize them. Slot machines operate only in casinos, so the singular location in Montreal to enjoy slots is Casino de Montréal. Video lottery machines are permitted in assorted venues, such as eateries and racinos. In case you are a Quebec resident, the provincial internet platform termed Espacejeux can be used, offering access to table games such as poker and roulette, as well as slots, lottery games, keno, and sports betting. It’s a popular choice among residents. Quebec depends significantly on wagering for its budget, and the Montreal casino is one of the primary sources of income. The newest statistics show earnings of $340m in this region.
Sports betting
There is one NHL team in Montreal – the Montreal Canadiens. The city also is home to an MLS team called the Montreal Impact and a Canadian Football League team called the Montreal Alouettes.
The people of Montreal are very passionate about their sports, which is why sports betting is a popular pursuit in the city.
A platform called Mise-O-Jeu is the city’s single sports betting provider, and it offers several different markets.
The site bears many similarities to the Proline games that are common in various areas of Canada. Players can only place parlay bets; wagers on single events are not allowed due to federal sports betting laws.
A parlay bet must consist of two to eight selections. You need to be a resident of Montreal or Quebec and at least 18 years old to engage in sports betting.
Mise-O-Jeu runs an online platform that you can use to place your bets. The odds are not very competitive compared to the rest of the industry, which comes as no surprise as the platform is the only licensed sports betting offering in the region. This is a key reason why offshore sportsbooks are very popular in Montreal and throughout all of Canada – people want to have access to a wider variety of markets as well as better odds.
Mise-O-Jeu offers markets on events and matches involving the following sports:
- Auto racing
- Golf
- Boxing
- MMA
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Football
- Soccer
- Hockey
You can choose from six different sports betting markets:
- Match Winner 2-Way
This is where you predict the winner. You can only bet on a victory; not on a tie.
- Match Winner 3-Way
This is the same setup as the Match Winner 2-Way market, but you can bet on a tie.
- Match Winner with Spread
This allows you to bet on the outcome of a game while accounting for a given points spread.
- Total Market
This allows you to place over/under bets on sporting events.
Opposing Players
This is a market where you select two players in a given sport, who then go head-to-head on a specific day. Whoever ticks the most boxes, wins.
- Predictions
This is a sports betting prize pool. A fraction of each wager is placed into the pool, and whoever successfully predicts the most outcomes wins the prize pool.
With offshore online sites becoming more popular in Montreal, the government has been working hard to disincentivize people from using these platforms.
One such move was getting internet service providers to block these offshore platforms in Montreal. This law came into effect in 2016, but it didn’t take long for it to be struck down after being deemed unconstitutional.
Animal racing
Horse racing used to be a very popular sport in Canada. There were several racetracks located in Montreal and its surrounding areas. However, they were all closed down recently.
The most prominent of these tracks was the Blue Bonnets Raceway, later known as the Hippodrome de Montreal. It was open for 137 years before closing its doors in 2009. After the site lay derelict for almost a decade, demolition began in 2018.
Harness racing is held in other areas of Quebec, with betting allowed and gaming machines available on site.
Poker
Texas Hold Em has been legal in Montreal since 2007 and is overseen by the Quebec Alcohol, Racing, and Gaming Commission. Currently, you can play poker at the following establishments:
- Playground Poker Club
- Poker Palace Montreal
- Casino de Charlevoix
- Casino de Montreal
- El Jumelgi Poker Room
You can play online poker through the state-run Mise-O-Jeu platform.
Lottery
Lotteries are the oldest type of gambling allowed in Montreal.
Provinces have been allowed to hold their own lotteries since the Criminal Code of Canada was amended in 1969. This led to the creation of the governing body for Montreal lotteries – the Loto-Quebec lottery commission.
If you are a Montreal resident, you can now play draw and instant lottery games in many locations dotted around the city.
Online lottery games have been allowed since 2010 when the Société des loteries du Québec gave the green light. In 2012, the first offerings came to market. Montreal residents can now purchase tickets and play lottery games through this platform. Drawings take place every day.
Bingo
The Société des bingos du Québec presides over any bingo games held in Montreal. Charity gambling such as bingo is a great way for nonprofits to raise funds for their causes. Two of the most popular bingo halls in the city are the Bingo Masson and Bingo Servi-Jeux Enr clubs.
Conclusion
Montreal is one of the largest cities in the country, and its people are passionate about their gambling.
The city is home to several notable sporting teams, so it’s no surprise that sports betting is of keen interest to its inhabitants. There is a diverse range of markets available as part of the Mise-O-Jeu platform. You can place bets both in an online and offline environment.
There is only one casino in the city, but it’s the biggest casino in all of Canada. Casino de Montreal hosts more than 3,200 gaming machines and over 120 table games.
Unfortunately, the city’s flagship horse race track has been closed for some years and is currently being demolished.
Poker and bingo are other popular pursuits with Montreal residents and can be played in a number of establishments as well as online.
Finally, the lottery is the oldest form of gambling in the city and is still popular today.
Overall, Montreal offers a wide array of gambling options that should cater to most players’ needs.