{"id":105767,"date":"2017-11-22T17:10:20","date_gmt":"2017-11-22T22:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/depquebec.com\/?p=105767"},"modified":"2017-11-22T17:20:50","modified_gmt":"2017-11-22T22:20:50","slug":"part-3-with-argent-web-two-birds-in-the-bush-are-better-than-one-in-the-hand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/depquebec.com\/en\/part-3-with-argent-web-two-birds-in-the-bush-are-better-than-one-in-the-hand\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 3 – With “Argent Web”, Two Birds In The Bush Are Better Than One In The Hand"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It’s been over five years now since Loto-Qu\u00e9bec started selling online lottery, a move that initially sparked great concern among retailers.<\/em><\/h6>\n
So five years later, where are we? As part of our SPECIAL FEATURE LOTO-QU\u00c9BEC, FIVE YEARS OF LOTTERY ONLINE, DepQu\u00e9bec<\/strong> takes a deep look at the phenomenon throughout the week to assess its various impacts on brick-and-mortar retailers.\u00a0<\/em><\/h6>\n
Today, in the third part of this series, we look at the “Argent Web” (meaning Web Cash), the product imposed to retailers by Loto-Qu\u00e9bec in replacement of online sale commissions.<\/em><\/h6>\n
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According to the expression One bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, <\/em>it is better to have an advantage or opportunity that is certain than having one that is worth more but is not so certain.<\/p>\n

So when Loto-Qu\u00e9bec decided, last year, to unilaterally replace the commissions already granted to retailers for online lottery sales by the “Argent Web” (Web Cash), they took on the challenge of convincing them to the contrary.<\/p>\n

But what is it really? Are retailers making a good deal or are they being taken advantage of? Let’s have a closer look.<\/p>\n

Innovators or sorcerer’s apprentices?<\/h5>\n

First, why did Loto-Qu\u00e9bec set up commissions on online sales in the first place if it was to retrieve them four years later?<\/p>\n

The Crown corporation has indeed been among the first gaming Corporations in North America to migrate lottery sale on the Internet in 2012.<\/p>\n

In Canada, however, British Columbia is the true pioneer in this area.<\/p>\n

Already 13 years ago, in 2004, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) launched PlayNow.com, an online lottery and gaming platform.<\/p>\n

In December 2010, when a PlayNow.com customer won the biggest online jackpot in Canadian history, $ 7.6 million of 6\/49 (source: here), Loto-Qu\u00e9bec finally launched its own platform called “espacejeux.com”, and not without having to overcome some resistance from the inevitably orthodox and most often fanatical public health community. As for Ontario, it was not until January 2015 that the OLG launched its PlayOLG.ca platform.<\/p>\n

In the United States, however, such move is not an easy task. As evidence, only five out of 50 states had migrated their lotteries on the Internet at the end of 2017! The reason being that south of the border, they most often have to adopt or modify laws to do so, while Loto-Qu\u00e9bec, for its part, has the freedom to do what it wants without resorting to a vote of the National Assembly.<\/p>\n

However, success remains a delicate and balanced act since a Lottery Corporation must:<\/p>\n