Published on: March 5, 2026, 04:54h.

Last updated on: March 5, 2026, 04:54h.

• New research sheds light on the implications of gambling on public health
• Analysis involved data from ConnexOntario from January 2012 through September 2025
• Ontario’s market, featuring 48 licensed operators, achieved $4 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2025

Recent findings from Ontario indicate a staggering 317% increase in gambling-related inquiries from young men directed to the province’s mental health helpline over the past decade, particularly following the expansion of Ontario’s igaming market in April 2022.

Insights from ConnexOntario Data

This week, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published the research advocating for improved access to treatment for gambling issues.

The study examined gambling-related calls to ConnexOntario from January 2012 to September 2025.

ConnexOntario operates as a non-profit organization, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, serving as a pivotal resource for linking individuals experiencing mental health troubles, substance abuse, and gambling issues to appropriate support services throughout the province. Support can be accessed via toll-free phone calls, online chat, or text messaging.

$4 Billion in Gaming Revenue

The province’s online gambling framework expanded in April 2022, resulting in the launch of a new regulated market. Prominent operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, and BetMGM received licenses and began operations, competing with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Proline+ platform.

Currently, there are 48 licensed operators in Ontario as reported by iGaming Ontario, with 82 operational websites offering sports betting, casino games, and poker. In 2025, the Ontario gaming market generated $4 billion in gross revenue.

Throughout the study’s period, ConnexOntario received 745,700 contacts, 37,000 of which were related to gambling from young men aged 15-24—a 317% rise from the initial launch of the PlayOLG gambling platform in January 2015 to the subsequent period following the private market introduction in 2022, according to the Canadian Press.

The Journal reported:

The onset of online gambling and the subsequent privatization, including single-event sports betting, correlated with significant increases in gambling-related helpline contacts, particularly among adolescent boys and young men, signaling a rise in gambling issues or help-seeking behavior, or a combination of both. This highlights the urgent need to bolster preventive measures and improve accessibility to treatment.