2nd Quarter of Fiscal Year 2012-2013 - Loto-Québec reports slightly higher sales and earnings

MONTREAL, Nov. 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - At the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2012-2013, Loto-Québec posted revenues of $917.4 million and overall reported earnings of $344.4 million, up by 1.9% and 2.5% over the same period the previous year.

Generated between June 26^th and September 24^th, this satisfactory outcome is the result of both good business performance and tightly controlled expenditures. In this regard, expenditure growth was slower than the average inflation rate in Québec.

Improved revenues

Earnings in the lottery sector rose by 3.6% to $436.6 million due to improved performance of draw lotteries, particularly Lotto Max. Last summer, winners took home over $288 million, including 12 prizes worth $1 million or more.

The four casinos reported earnings of $231.6 million, an increase of 2.1% over the same quarter last year, specifically 0.8% for the Casino du Lac-Leamy, 1.5% for the Casino de Montréal, 2.7% for the Casino de Charlevoix and 10.7% for the Casino de Mont-Tremblant. The Espacejeux.com web site garnered sales of $5.2 million during the quarter.

Video lottery revenues of $248.3 million are slightly lower than last year. Finally, bingo sector revenues jumped by 7.8% to $9.4 million, largely due to halls hosting the Kinzo game.

Halfway through the fiscal year, Loto-Québec revenues ($1.759 billion) and overall reported earnings ($649.3 million) are similar to the previous fiscal year, considering that the 2012 semester was shorter by two days.

Initiatives to ensure our future

As of August 27^th, Loto-Québec has been providing consumers with the opportunity to purchase lottery products online. This initiative is proof of the Corporation's willingness to adapt to new trends, including increasingly popular e-commerce options. It should be noted that retailers who are designated by the buyer during an online transaction receive exactly the same commission as when tickets are purchased at their stores.

In September, the Société des loteries vidéo du Québec inc. undertook the replacement of gaming terminals, its centralized management system and telecommunications network. Some 12,000 new terminals throughout the network are expected to be installed by August 2013.

The Casino du Lac-Leamy announced upcoming renovation work worth $50 million to create a gaming environment that will enhance social interaction and update décors and equipment. The project is expected to be completed by early 2015.

Progress on Casino de Montréal renovations was marked by the recent inauguration of its four restaurants located on Level 5: Ajia, L'Instant, Le Montréal and Pavillon 67. Designed to be warm and friendly, these restaurants offer a wide variety of food choices, from reinvented classics to more exotic fare. 

Montréal, host of the World Lottery Summit

From September 9 to 12, 2012, Montréal set the stage for the joint World Lottery Association and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries conference. Presented under the theme of "A World of Opportunities... à la Montréal," the event brought together some 1,300 attendees from 70 countries. Loto-Québec is proud of the many employees who volunteered their time for this conference, which generated $4.7 million in spin-offs for the city.

Highlighting responsible gaming

During the conference, Loto-Québec was awarded a plaque attesting to the renewal, until 2015, of its Level 4 certification by the World Lottery Association. Thanks to its well-supported certification application, the Corporation was able to demonstrate to a jury of independent experts that it is able to maintain a balance between its economic and social missions in its daily operations.

In keeping with the spirit of this endeavour, the Corporation has now established a vice-presidency dedicated to responsible gaming. As Vice President, Ms. Guylaine Rioux, member of the Collège des médecins du Québec, will be responsible for ensuring that best practices in responsible gaming are applied in all areas of activity of the Corporation. The creation of this high level department strengthens our commitment to mitigating the prevalence and consequences of compulsive gambling.

KEY FIGURES FOR THE QUARTER
($ thousands)
	Q2, 2012		Q2, 2011		S1, 2012		S1, 2011
	(91 days)		(91 days)		(177 days)		(179 days)
REVENUES
Lotteries	436,575		421,420		850,318		849,164
Casinos	231,571		226,819		426,520		438,740
Video lotteries	248,297		251,760		480,970		494,571
Bingo	9,394		8,718		17,729		16,743
TOTAL	917,403		900,026		1,759,437		1,782,292
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	344,409		336,157		649,279		664,758

The quarterly report is available on Loto-Québec's website.

 

SOURCE: LOTO-QUEBEC

Jean-Pierre Roy
Corporate Director, Media Relations
Loto-Québec
514-499-5151

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