Gambling-related Ontario ER visits rise since online betting expansion, study suggests
The study found visits for gambling disorders have doubled in Ontario since the expansion of online gambling and single-event sports betting.
Emergency department visits for gambling disorders have doubled in Ontario since online gambling and single-event sports betting became legal, according to a new study. Researchers from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences analyzed data from January 2012 to September 2025 and discovered a staggering 99 percent increase in gambling-related ER visits among boys and men aged 10 to 44.
By the study's end, visits were 154 percent higher than expected for males aged 10 to 29, and 116 percent higher for those aged 30 to 44. No significant changes were observed among females. The rise coincided with the legalization of single-event sports betting by the federal government in August 2021 and the licensing of private online gambling sites in Ontario eight months later.
The private gambling market in Ontario has expanded rapidly, with over 80 licensed gaming and betting sites hosting 2.1 million active player accounts that generated $63 billion in wagers in 2023/2024. A separate study found that the rate of young men contacting Ontario's mental health helpline for gambling-related issues increased by more than 300 percent after private online gambling was allowed.
The findings emphasize the need for stronger harm-reduction measures and improved access to treatment.
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