Quebec Class Action Gets Trial Date

Finally, a trial has been scheduled in Brochu v. Loto-Quebec, the long-pending class action lawsuit that seeks to recover more than $500 million as the costs of supposed gambling addiction suffered by users of VLTs in the province of Quebec.  The initial complaint in the case was filed in 2001.  After several years of discovery and interlocutory appeals, the trial is now set for fall 2007.

The plaintiffs claim the VLTs are designed to give gamblers the "illusion of control" and effectively cause gambling addiction.  In addition to the provincial lottery company, which operates all VLTs in Quebec, three gambling equipment companies, Spielo (now owned by GTECH), WMS Gaming and International Game Technology (IGT), have been joined in the case.