The Canadian province of Quebec has suffered a legal defeat in its plan to block the domains of internationally licensed online gambling operators.

On Tuesday, Quebec’s Superior Court published its July 18 ruling (viewable here, en français) declaring that the online gambling domain-blocking provisions of the province’s Bill 74 are unconstitutional.

The province had sought to force local internet service providers (ISPs) to block international sites in order to boost the fortunes of Espace-jeux, the online division of the Loto Quebec provincial gambling monopoly.

Quebec’s government had attempted to frame its censorship under the risible guise of protecting the health of the province’s residents. But the court found that Bill 74’s “pith and substance is to prevent online gambling not set up and operated by the province from being ‘communicated’ by ISPs, and not the protection of consumers or their health.”