Commission Could Face Compensation Payouts of Millions
Posted: Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
According to a recent report the province run commission Loto-Quebec could face having to pay out over seven hundred million dollars because of a class action lawsuit that has been filed by gambling addicts in the province. The lawsuit has been filed over addiction to VLTs, which are Video Lottery Terminals.
According to the plaintiffs the government agency has played down the dangers of addiction to these VLTs. The trial phase of the lawsuit is set to commence this coming week in the Superior Court in Quebec City. If the plaintiffs win the case the agency could pay out over seven million dollars to cover the cost of their addiction treatment of five thousand dollars each.
A lawyer working for one plaintiff said: “The hearing will be divided in two phases. First, we have to prove that video lottery terminals pose an addiction danger and, if so, then we have to prove that Loto-Quebec didn’t warn gamblers properly. If we win that phase, then all the addicted gamblers will have to file their own claim for compensation.”
However, in defence of Loto-Quebec Finance Minister Monique Jerome-Forget said: “Are we going to stop selling alcohol because some people drink more than they should and sometimes cause accidents? I believe that we share a personal responsibility, all of us, and we have to take the means to work on those tendencies. But Quebec cannot be a prison.”
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