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Ontario ER Visits for Gambling Double Post-Expansion
16 Sep
Summary
- Emergency room visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled since 2022.
- Younger males, aged 10-29, show the highest risk and increase in visits.
- Study highlights the 'tip of the iceberg' of gambling harms in Ontario.
Visits to Ontario emergency departments for gambling disorders have nearly doubled since the province expanded its online gambling market in 2022. A recent study analyzed 14 years of data, from January 2012 to June 2025, focusing on patients presenting with gambling-related issues.
The study found a gradual increase in emergency visits for gambling disorders, with a seven percent rise every three months, leading to a nearly 99 percent increase compared to pre-expansion levels by the end of the study period. Nearly three-quarters of these patients were male, and the highest surge in visits was observed in males between 10 and 29 years old.
Researchers suggest that new online gambling formats, like sports betting, and aggressive marketing campaigns may appeal more to younger men. The rapid evolution of online platforms and play-by-play betting could also contribute to this trend. Many with gambling disorders struggle to seek formal treatment due to stigma, often only doing so after significant harm has occurred.
Furthermore, calls to the ConnexOntario helpline have also significantly increased, mirroring the trend in emergency visits. This suggests a broader rise in gambling-related harms that may not be fully captured by emergency department data alone. The study also noted that over 70 percent of these visits involved other mental health conditions or substance abuse, with a third requiring hospital admission.
