Lottery tickets are now being sold in more than 300 Dollarama stores across Quebec, drawing concerns from anti-gambling advocates. In a statement to CTV News, Dollarama said the company is always looking to add new products for customers. Loto-Québec is calling the move a win/win, saying lottery companies in Ontario and British Columbia have been selling tickets in Dollarama stores for a long time. The government-run lottery corporation added that only three products are offered: Lotto 6/49, Extra and Grande Vie. There are no scratch tickets or other draw-based lotteries. Dollarama is subject to the same rules as other retailers, including to ensure products are only sold to adults. Gambling addiction researcher Andrée-Anne Légaré questions whether it is responsible. “We know that Loto-Québec is looking to expand its market,” she said, adding “The decision to include lotteries and take over the operation may have come as a surprise,” but targeting a retail environment where people may be struggling financially increases the risk of problem behaviour. “Does the decision to target a business that may attract people in economically vulnerable situations risk putting those people at risk of developing gambling problems?” she said. While research shows lotteries aren’t as addictive as other forms of gambling, she said there are risks involved simply by offering them in more and more locations.“It also contributes to the trivialization of games of chance and gambling; it contributes to their normalization,” she said.
