Canada: Loto-Québec closes Casino de Charlevoix, suspends retail activities

Loto-Québec will be temporarily suspending several of its activities in the Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec and Capitale-Nationale regions, including the closure of Casino de Charlevoix. 

The Quebec Government moved Gatineau and parts of the Outaouais region to the COVID-19 red alert level on Saturday, which includes new restrictions on businesses, and casinos must close. Quebec Premier Francois Legault said Tuesday he was moving three more regions to the maximum “red” pandemic-alert level. The regions south and northeast of Montreal and the Charlevoix region near Quebec City will be forced to close casinos, bars, gyms and other venues and ban indoor and outdoor private gatherings.

Starting this Friday, Loto-Québec will be closing the Casino de Charlevoix, which had reopened in July. It will also close its video lottery terminals (VLTs) in the Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec and Capitale-Nationale regions (Charlevoix included). In addition, Loto-Québec will be suspending Kinzo even in regions that are not on red alert —at present only one Kinzo hall is located outside of a red zone.  Loto-Québec will also be suspending network bingo, even in halls that have remained open.

Casino de Montréal, Casino du Lac-Leamy, Salon de jeux de Québec, Salon de jeux de Trois-Rivières, Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel, and VLTs in Greater Montréal, Chaudière-Appalaches, Capitale-Nationale, Mauricie, City of Gatineau and regional county municipality of Collines-de-l’Outaouais are all temporarily closed. Loto Quebec said the temporary closing of the Casino du Lac-Leamy has resulted in the temporary furloughing of 775 employees.

Lottery sales, which are not impacted by these new COVID-19 restrictions, will continue at all retail outlets. The Casino de Mont-Tremblant remains open, and VLTs will remain operational in all the other Québec regions.