Poker finally legalized in Quebec

[feelixthegreek]

The concern over language doesn't seem legit. There's plenty of English spoken at the Aviation Club. Is Quebec more French than France?

[jjshabado]

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The concern over language doesn't seem legit. There's plenty of English spoken at the Aviation Club. Is Quebec more French than France?

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Language is a very 'touchy' subject in Quebec. For instance there's a law that all signs in Quebec have to have French and it has to be bigger than the English portion of the sign.

I'm just saying its highly unlikely they could forbid French at the table. It seems stupid to forbid English, so it seems like both languages is the only option. Is that how it works at the Aviation club?

[NoRiverRats]

As French as France in parts, but wayyyyyy more paranoid about the awful English that surround the province. So the government goes out of the way to promote the use of French first, even requiring French signs to be bigger than English ones. And since the Casinos are government run, they strongly respect/enforce government edicts.

It will be interesting to see how it works out since one Casino is right on the border with Ontario and has a huge English-speaking clientele. While many of us speak both languages, quite a few don't.

[ArcticAction]

For me, it's more of an interesting curiosity than a worry ... I'd be quite pleased to sit at a fully bilingual table (it might help to improve my execrable French, although I imagine that bad beat stories sound much the same in any language).

I think the point is that there are a number of casinos in the country (especially in western Canada - I don't know what the policies are at the Ontario casinos such as Windsor and Rama) that explicitly and consciously prohibit (and, if necessary, penalize) the use of any language other than English by players during play of hands by means of prominent "English only during hands" signage and dealer/floor enforcement.

As a practical matter, it has always seemed evident to me that this precautionary anti-collusion policy is targeted at the use of such languages as Vietnamese and Chinese ... the community demographics of large western Canadian cities such as Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver are such that one is much more likely to be seated at a table with speakers of these languages than with a player whose mother tongue is French.

Nonetheless, given that the country is officially bilingual, this has always struck me as rather problematic, so it would almost seem that "turnabout is fair play" if only French were allowed to be spoken by players during hands in Quebec poker rooms.

Nonetheless, given Montreal's cosmopolitan and genuinely bilingual character, my hope is that the room would ultimately adopt a fairly laissez faire approach where the use of either official language by players is welcomed during hands. However, there wouldn't be any tolerance for unilingual players complaining that they couldn't understand what others were saying and asking for a "one language only during play" ruling.

Anyone know if there any poker rooms in Switzerland or Belgium? These offically multilingual countries might have already resolved the issue. From the TV coverage of Monte Carlo Millions and other Eurotournaments, it seems that English is the lingua franca of play, but I can't tell from TV whether the use of other languages during play of hands is actually prohibited and penalized.

I've read (but have not seen for myself) that the rule in U.K. casinos is that there is no talking at all by players during hands. "Shut up and deal" (apologies to J. May) might be the safest policy, after all.

[ArcticAction]

By the way, it looks like the draft regulations on this issue were published in the official Quebec Gazette dated July 4, 2007 ...

http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/home.php#

... unfortunately, one has to pay to order the publication on-line, so stingy Quebecois 2+2ers might find it easiest to look at a copy at a public library, unless they already have access to the publications through work.

No news release on the Loto-Quebec website, yet.

[lmcjaho]

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tabanack that good news ssss deee

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Okay mccheese - you officially owe me for one keyboard - I will collect from you next time you are at Plaza...


(keyboard ruined by spitting Pepsi all over it after reading your post)

[baiter]

I don't think bilingual tables will be an issue. My experience at the Aviation Club was completely normal - all the dealers spoke English and translated politely anytime I asked. When the action came to me they automatically addressed me in English. I'm sure the staff in Casino Montreal can do the same.

By the way, this is awesome news! Casino Montreal was the first place I ever gambled (18) and won HUGE my very first night. It's also only an hour and a half from my girlfriend's country house in Vermont! WOO HOO!

I hope global warming can heat up Montreal a bit and I can move up there...:-)

[jjshabado]

When does this take effect, and when are casinos planning on opening poker rooms?

I'm going to be in Ottawa in a couple of weeks, and I'm just wondering if the Hull casino will have Poker (I'm doubting it though?)

[lmcjaho]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think bilingual tables will be an issue. My experience at the Aviation Club was completely normal - all the dealers spoke English and translated politely anytime I asked. When the action came to me they automatically addressed me in English. I'm sure the staff in Casino Montreal can do the same.

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I wouldn't count on this - Quebec is much more Anti-Anglo than France, and I am sure the best we can hope for is an "English or French only" policy...

[jjshabado]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't think bilingual tables will be an issue. My experience at the Aviation Club was completely normal - all the dealers spoke English and translated politely anytime I asked. When the action came to me they automatically addressed me in English. I'm sure the staff in Casino Montreal can do the same.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't count on this - Quebec is much more Anti-Anglo than France, and I am sure the best we can hope for is an "English or French only" policy...

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely. French will be allowed, the question is if English will be as well (which I think is likely). English-only is <1% likely to happen.