Emergency department visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled after Ontario expanded its online gambling market
Emergency department visits for gambling disorders in Ontario nearly doubled after the online gambling market was expanded, with young men most affected.Summary
A new study published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that emergency department (ED) visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled in Ontario after the province expanded its regulated online gambling market to private companies and legalized single-event sports betting in 2021-2022. The increase, observed by researchers at ICES, was concentrated among young men, with visits 154% higher than expected among males aged 10-29 and 116% higher among males aged 30-44. No similar increase was seen among females. Over 70% of these ED visits involved another mental health condition or heavy substance use. The authors suggest the findings, combined with earlier data showing increased calls to a mental health helpline, provide strong evidence that the rapid expansion of online gambling has led to increased gambling-related harm, particularly in younger male demographics. They caution other Canadian provinces considering similar expansions to weigh the risks and implement additional safeguards.
(Source：Medical Xpress)