Olympiques ice $25K promotion after province deems it illegal
The Gatineau Olympiques are pulling the plug on a promotion that could have ended with one lucky fan taking home thousands of dollars after the province's liquor and gaming authority said it wasn't legal.
On Thursday, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) club announced a new promotion designed to boost attendance, in which one fan would win $25,000 if they could shoot a puck from centre ice into the net.
To be eligible, fans would first have to purchase a two-dollar program. The contest would also only take place if at least 2,500 people attended the game.
However, Joyce Tremblay, spokesperson for the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ), told Radio-Canada Friday it was that element — tying the existence of the draw to attendance figures — which was "simply illegal."
"The team does not have the right to ask fans to pay two dollars without knowing if the draw will take place or not," Tremblay said in a French-language interview.
The club also didn't apply for a licence, and even if they had, the application might have been denied on the grounds it was a cross between a contest and a draw — making it difficult for the RACJ to determine what kind of licence to grant, , Tremblay said.
'We need to be more cautious'
The junior hockey club announced Saturday it would be temporarily suspending the promotion.
"In the past we have done various promotions on the internet, and we didn't think this would be any different. Now, we know we need to be more cautious," team president Martin Lacasse told Radio-Canada in French.
Holding a lottery without the necessary licence contravenes the Canadian Criminal Code.
If the club had decided to go ahead with the promotion for its Sunday game against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, it could have left them open to charges, according to the Gatineau Police Service.
Lacasse said he hoped the suspension of the promotion wouldn't keep the Olympiques from drawing a decent crowd Sunday.
The Olympiques play regularly in front of crowds of less than 2,000, and only topped 2,500 fans seven times during the 2018-19 QMJHL season.
