The Other Side of Legalization: Online Gambling Is Damaging the Mental Health of Young People in Ontario

Lifting restrictions on online gambling is turning into a serious crisis in the healthcare sector. According to a recent study published in the respected medical journal Canadian Medical Association Journal, the legalization of online casinos in the Canadian province of Ontario has led to a catastrophic surge in psychological problems among young people.

The scientific work is based on a large-scale analysis of calls to the ConnexOntario psychological support hotline. Specialists studied statistics covering the period from 2012 to 2025. Out of more than 745,700 requests recorded during these 13 years, around 37,000 were directly related to gambling addiction.

Researchers identified two key moments after which the curve of calls began to rise sharply: the launch of the government gambling platform PlayOLG in 2015 and the full opening of the market to private gambling operators in the spring of 2022.

The main victims of these changes have been the male population. The numbers speak for themselves: among young men aged 15 to 24, the number of complaints about mental health disorders caused by gambling addiction skyrocketed by an astonishing 317%. In the 25 to 44 age category, the situation is only slightly better, the increase was 108%.

Such statistics are hardly surprising against the backdrop of the overall gambling boom in the region. In just three years, the number of active gaming accounts increased by 239%, jumping from 2,160 to more than 7,300 per 100,000 residents aged over 15.

Experts believe that the root of the problem lies in the harsh and aggressive marketing of bookmakers and online casinos, which directly targets the most impressionable audience, young men, promising easy money and vivid emotions.