What does the CMAJ study say about gambling helpline surges in Ontario?

The study analyzed ConnexOntario calls from 2012-2025, finding a 95.5% rise post-privatization, with 337.8% for young men 15-24 vs. no policies. See full details .

Why are young men most affected by this gambling increase?

Marketing targets sports fans, apps gamify betting, and adolescent brains are vulnerable to dopamine rewards. Rates hit 57.4 per million for 15-24 males post-2022.

How has Ontario's gambling legalization contributed?

PlayOLG (2015) started the trend; 2022 privatization exploded wagers 654%, accounts 239%, driving online/sports betting calls.

What are the risks for university students?

High overlap with 18-24 demo; CCSA reports 32% online gambling, 69% problem rates. Impacts: debt, grades drop. Use campus wellness advice .

What types of gambling are driving the helpline calls?

76% online post-2022; sports betting 88.9% young male queries. Live betting accelerates addiction.

What solutions do experts recommend?

Ad restrictions, self-exclusion registry, campus screening, treatment access. Ontario invests $79M, but more needed.

How can university campuses respond?

Awareness programs, ConnexOntario integration, peer support. Examples: Ontario Tech displays, NFL athlete ed.

What is ConnexOntario and how to access it?

24/7 helpline for mental health/addictions/gambling: 1-866-531-2600, text 247247, chat at connexontario.ca . 61.6% calls get counseling referrals.

Are there national trends beyond Ontario?

CCSA: Young adults 3.3x more online gambling. Other provinces avoid privatization; federal monitoring urged.

What role do universities play in gambling research?

UofT's Dalla Lana led CMAJ study; Greo/Carleton track iGaming impacts. Seek university jobs in public health.

How to spot gambling addiction signs in youth?

Chasing losses, secrecy, mood swings, academic decline. Early intervention via helplines prevents escalation.

Ontario Gambling Helpline Surge Young Men CMAJ Study |

a bunch of money sitting on top of a table — Photo by PiggyBank on Unsplash

Decoding the Surge: Key Findings from the CMAJ Analysis

A groundbreaking study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has illuminated a dramatic rise in gambling-related help-seeking in Ontario, particularly among adolescent boys and young men. Researchers analyzed 13 years of data from ConnexOntario, the province's free 24-hour mental health and addictions helpline, revealing that gambling concerns now account for 5% of all contacts, up from lower levels pre-legalization expansions. Between January 2012 and September 2025, over 37,000 gambling-related calls were logged, with mean caller age at 39 years and 68% male. The study employed interrupted time-series analysis to isolate policy impacts, comparing pre- and post-expansion periods.

The launch of government-run PlayOLG in 2015 marked the first shift, followed by the April 2022 privatization introducing private operators and single-event sports betting. Monthly gambling call rates per million people aged 15+ climbed from 13.4 pre-PlayOLG to 26.2 post-privatization—a 95.5% relative increase. Counterfactual modeling estimates a 198.3% overall surge attributable to both policies combined.

This escalation aligns with explosive market growth: monthly wagers ballooned 654% from $1.08 billion to $8.1 billion between April 2022 and August 2025, while active accounts per 100,000 residents rose 239%. Post-privatization, 76% of calls specified online gambling, with 88.9% of sports betting queries from males aged 15-44.

Line graph from CMAJ study illustrating the sharp rise in monthly gambling-related calls to ConnexOntario post-2022 privatization, especially among young males.

Timeline of Ontario's Gambling Legalization and Market Shifts

Ontario's journey into expanded gambling began with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) establishing casinos and lotteries decades ago. The pivotal 2015 PlayOLG launch offered online lotteries, casino games, and instant wins via a government platform, gradually boosting call volumes by 26.9% initially.

Federal Bill C-218 in 2021 legalized single-event sports betting nationwide, paving the way for Ontario's April 4, 2022, iGaming privatization. This opened the market to 49 private operators across 80+ sites, shifting from monopolistic to competitive dynamics with aggressive marketing. By 2023/24, $63 billion in wagers flowed through 2.1 million accounts—a 78% year-over-year jump—fueling accessibility via apps mimicking video games.

COVID-19 temporarily dipped rates (March 2020-March 2022), but post-privatization acceleration was stark, with segmented regression confirming gradual policy-driven trends (+0.25 contacts/month post-2022 vs. +0.13 post-2015). This context underscores how policy liberalization correlates with heightened problem recognition.

Disproportionate Impact on Adolescent Boys and Young Men

The study's most alarming revelation: increases concentrated almost exclusively among males aged 15-44. For boys and young men aged 15-24, monthly rates soared 316.7% from 13.8 to 57.4 per million post-privatization. Counterfactually, privatization alone accounts for a 144% rise; both policies combined yield 337.8%—over 300% as headlined.

Men aged 25-44 saw 108.4% growth (26.1 to 54.4 per million). This demographic dominated: 60.3% of all post-privatization calls, 69.6% online-specific, 88.9% sports betting. Females and older groups showed minimal or negative changes, highlighting gendered vulnerability tied to marketing targeting sports fans.

Experts like study co-author Ryan Forrest, a doctoral student at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, note: "With online gambling and smartphones, you essentially have a casino in your pocket 24/7." Dr. Daniel Myran adds live betting's addictiveness: rapid wagers during events like the Super Bowl exacerbate chasing losses.

Online Sports Betting and Casino Games Fuel the Crisis

Post-2022, 76% of calls involved online platforms, up sharply from prior eras dominated by electronic gaming machines (45.6%) and lotteries. Sports betting, newly prominent via single-event legalization, comprised 12.4% overall but skewed young male. Live/in-play and micro-betting shorten bet-outcome cycles, intensifying addiction potential.

A companion 2023 study on the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline corroborated early surges in online calls post-April 2022 launch. CCSA's 2025 report on young Canadian adults (18-29) found 32% past-year online gambling, with 69.4% of online gamblers meeting problem criteria (PGSI 8+)—far exceeding lottery-only (0.9%). Men showed higher participation (27.4% vs. 13%) and problems.

For deeper insights, explore the full CMAJ study.

Why Young Men in Universities Are Especially Vulnerable

University-aged males (18-24) overlap heavily with the 15-24 surge group, amplifying campus concerns. Pre-legalization surveys pegged problem gambling at 2-4% among Ontario high schoolers; post-iGaming, CCSA data signals escalation among young adults. Factors include developmental impulsivity, peer sports culture, financial stressors, and apps' game-like features (bonuses, notifications).

Canadian universities report rising awareness: Ontario Tech's peer educators tackled student gambling in 2025; Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health promotes ConnexOntario. NFL partners with Responsible Gambling Council for athlete education at eight institutions. Yet, only one-third have dedicated policies, per reviews.

Brain science: Dopamine hits from wins mimic substances, prefrontal cortex immaturity heightens risk.
Marketing: Ads during NHL/NFL games normalize betting for students.
Accessibility: 24/7 apps bypass barriers.

Check higher ed career advice for student wellness resources amid rising pressures.

Illustration of university students on smartphones engaging with sports betting apps amid campus life.

Stakeholder Perspectives: Experts Weigh In

Nigel Turner, CAMH scientist: Young men favor sports betting; industry gamifies it for youth retention. CMAJ editorials urge ad bans during youth-viewed sports.

Government views: Ontario invested $55M in responsible gaming, $24M treatment including ConnexOntario. Critics argue revenue ($2B+ iGaming) prioritizes profit over prevention.

Student voices via CCSA: High harms despite low perceived risk. For balanced views, see Toronto Star coverage.

Health and Social Ramifications for Campuses

Beyond calls, harms cascade: depression, anxiety, suicidality (gambling links to 10x suicide risk). University students face academic drops, debt, isolation. StatsCan 2018: 62% youth gambled; post-legalization, online spikes participation 1.3x.

Campuses see parallels: U.S. analogs show betting addiction hits low-income students hardest. Ontario unis integrate screening via SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment), linking to ConnexOntario.

Financial: Average losses chase cycles.
Mental: 23.5% high harms in young online gamblers.
Social: Strained relationships, crime proxy.

Solutions and Harm Reduction Strategies

Policy calls: Province-wide self-exclusion, ad curbs, betting limits. Campuses: Awareness campaigns, counseling integration. Responsible Gambling Council tools, apps like PlayWise.

Universities: Embed in wellness (e.g., Waterloo Engineering promotes ConnexOntario). Parents/educators: Discuss risks early.

Explore Rate My Professor for profs researching addictions; higher ed jobs in public health.

Broader Canadian Context and Provincial Variations

Ontario leads privatization; others restrict to government monopolies. National PGSI: 1.6% moderate/severe risk pre-2021. CCSA urges monitoring akin to substances.

CCSA young adults report flags 32% online prevalence.

Future Outlook: Policy Reforms and Research Needs

With iGaming maturing, expect sustained monitoring. CMAJ urges health-framed regulation. Universities position as leaders via research (e.g., UofT's Forrest).

Optimism in tech: AI harm detection, but prioritize prevention.