From Utoronto · · 2m
Online gambling boom drives ER visits for addiction
Emergency room visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled in Ontario after private companies entered the market, with young men hit hardest.
In brief
Emergency room visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled in Ontario after private companies entered the market, with young men hit hardest. The expansion of legal online gambling in Ontario has led to a measurable spike in severe gambling-related harms, particularly among young men, suggesting the true scope of…
Ontario's gambling market exploded
Canada legalized single-event sports betting in August 2021. Ontario then allowed private companies to operate online gambling sites in April 2022, creating a market with 83 sites operated by 43 companies. Ontarians wagered 82.7 billion CAD in 2024.
ER visits for gambling doubled
University of Toronto researchers found emergency department visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled after Ontario expanded its online gambling market. The study analyzed 757 people with 952 total visits over 14 years.
Young men hit hardest by surge
Males aged 10 to 29 saw visits 154 percent higher than expected, while males aged 30 to 44 saw 116 percent increases. Almost three-quarters of the 757 people studied were male. There were no changes in females.
Gambling visits tied to other harms
More than 70 percent of gambling disorder emergency visits involved another mental health condition or heavy substance use. Almost one-third of visits led to hospital admission, showing the severity of cases reaching the ER.
Young men targeted by betting ads
Researcher Ryan Forrest notes the increase is concentrated among younger males, the demographic heavily targeted by online sports betting promotion. The rapid growth of marketing for these platforms may be driving the spike in harm.
“The concentration of the increase among younger males is particularly concerning given the rapid growth and promotion of online sports betting, which target this demographic.”
True harm likely much larger
Most people with gambling problems never seek care due to stigma. Since emergency departments are not promoted through gambling ads, the ER visit increases suggest far larger hidden harms in the community that go untreated.
“Most people experiencing gambling problems will never seek care, so the concern is that the increases in emergency department visits for gambling disorders we observed may be revealing much larger increases in gambling-related harm.”
Alberta follows Ontario's path
In July 2026, Alberta became the second Canadian province to allow private online gambling operators. Other regions are considering or facing pressure to expand their markets, potentially repeating Ontario's harm patterns.
Researchers urge caution and safeguards
Senior author Daniel Myran recommends jurisdictions considering online gambling expansion carefully weigh the risks and implement safeguards like marketing restrictions and better treatment access. Ontario's data provides a cautionary example.
“Data from Ontario provide an important caution about the potential harms that can accompany rapid expansion of online gambling.”
What it means
The expansion of legal online gambling in Ontario has led to a measurable spike in severe gambling-related harms, particularly among young men, suggesting the true scope of damage may be much larger.
