Starting on August 27, Quebecers will be able to buy lottery products on the web

lotoquebec.com/online

Montréal, August 9, 2012 – Starting on Monday, August 27, Quebecers will be able to buy lottery products online, including Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, Québec 49, Banco and Extra. To do so, they must go to lotoquebec.com/online. Announced in November 2011, this initiative falls in line with Loto-Québec’s wish to adapt to this increasingly popular consumer trend and constitutes value added for customers while including retailers in the project. In Canada, the Atlantic Lotteries Corporation (ALC) and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) have been selling their lottery products on the web for a number of years already, as do other organizations throughout the world.

Consumers who buy lottery products online using their computer, smartphone or tablet computer will notice the advantages and user-friendliness of Loto-Québec’s site. By using the Internet to place their lottery bets, players won’t miss any draws, they will be able to view the results of the bets they placed on the web and save their favourite selections.

An innovative opportunity for retailers

Retailers have been Loto-Québec’s full-fledged business partners for the past 42 years, and web based lottery sales are an excellent example of that partnership. The plan has become a reality after months of constructive discussions between the Corporation, retailers and the associations representing them. The resulting concept is indeed innovative: it accommodates customers while at the same time integrating some 8,700 Loto-Québec retailers in online operations.

Online lottery sales will therefore be a profitable opportunity for Loto-Québec retailers, as consumers will have the option of designating a retailer at the time they make purchases. Designated retailers will receive the same commission as when they sell the product in their store. Should the customer not designate a retailer, a percentage of the purchase is still passed on to all retailers on a pro-rated basis to their sales of the products concerned.

At the launch of this initiative, Loto-Québec will hold a promotional contest for consumers who designate a retailer when they purchase lottery products online for the first time. This promotion will run from August 27 to November 18, 2012.

Business partners had their say in the project

Partners and various retailer associations took part in developing Loto-Québec’s project. Florent Gravel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association des détaillants en alimentation du Québec (ADA) praised the process: “The fact that retailers were included in this project demonstrates their crucial role in the sale of lottery products.”

Yves Servais, General Manager of the Association des marchands dépanneurs et épiciers du Québec (AMDEQ), said that “following discussions and meetings over the past months, we were happy to note that the public corporation took our concerns into account. The AMDEQ is, therefore, pleased to see that Loto-Québec has included retailers in the online sale project of certain lottery products. Loto-Québec recognizes the importance of retailers in the sale of lottery products in Québec.”

Martine Hébert, Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) for Québec said that “it is important to consider the interests of small retailers, as they play an essential role in lottery sales. We are therefore pleased to know that they will receive a percentage of online lottery sale revenues.”

Buying lottery products on the web is easy!

Consumers must have an account to buy lottery products on the web. If they have not already done so, they may open an account by going to espacejeux.com and will be redirected as needed. Registration takes only a few minutes, and an account may be opened starting today.

Note that the Corporation has implemented a set of verification and prevention measures on its transaction site, including a check of players’ identity and age, and ensuring that they are residents of Québec and over 18 years of age. Lottery winnings are deposited directly in consumer accounts. However, winners claiming prizes worth $50,000 or more are invited to go to Loto Québec offices located in Montréal or Québec City.
With online lottery sales, customers have a range of options: they may make purchases on the web, prepare a selection on Loto-Québec’s transaction site and have it validated at a Loto-Québec point of sale, or place a bet by visiting any retailer throughout Québec.

Online lottery purchasing is a logical follow-up to Mise-o-jeu sports betting on the Internet, which has been available since March 2012. In addition, last May, Loto-Québec launched a new Lotteries for iPhone and Android mobile application that provides lottery draw results and Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max jackpot notifications. An update for that application will be available on Monday, August 27, 2012.

Loto-Québec lotteries on the web – In short

• Lotteries that may be purchased online are Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, Québec 49, Banco and Extra.
• Lottery products may be purchased online using a computer, a smartphone or a tablet computer. 
• To place lottery bets, consumers must open an account or already be a customer of Loto-Québec’s transaction site.
• To purchase one or several selections on the web, the consumer must be aged 18 years or over and be a resident of Québec.
• When they make their online purchases, consumers may designate a retailer, who will receive the same commission as when he sells the product in his store. If no retailer is designated, a percentage of this type of purchase is passed on to all retailers on a pro-rated basis to their sales of the products concerned.
• Lottery winnings of less than $50,000 will be deposited directly in the account the player opened on Loto-Québec’s transaction site.
• Winners claiming prizes worth $50,000 or more are invited to go to Loto-Québec offices located in Montréal or Québec City.
• The schedule for purchasing lottery products online is the same as at Loto-Québec’s 8,700 retailers, i.e. every day from 5 a.m. to midnight.
• The cost of selections purchased online is the same as those purchased from retailers.

About Loto-Québec

Loto-Québec’s mission is to responsibly manage games of chance in a controlled and measured fashion, in the interest of all Quebecers. At the end of FY2011–12, the Corporation had paid out 46 prizes worth $1 million or more.
 

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Information:

Marie-Claude Rivet
Assistant Director
Media and Public Relations
Loto-Québec
514-499-5079
marie-claude.rivet@loto-quebec.com

 

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