317% rise in young men’s helpline calls after Ontario bet launch

A companion study found gambling-related helpline contacts doubled after Ontario’s 2022 market launch.

The hit

Ontario’s legalisation of online sports betting is linked to a 99% jump in severe gambling-related ER visits by mid-2025, according to a University of Toronto study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The rise climbed steadily by about 7% a quarter since the market’s April 2022 launch & hit hardest among males aged 10 to 44.

Why it matters

For bettors & the industry, this is some of the clearest evidence yet tying legal online markets to severe harm, not just problem gambling in the abstract. Most of the ER visits involved another mental health or substance issue. Researchers say regulators should look at advertising limits & spending caps. The findings arrive as a warning for the U.S., where over 30 states have legalized sports betting.

The record

ER visits for gambling disorders	99% above expected levels by April-June 2025 (University of Toronto study)
Visits among males 10-29	154% above expected levels (University of Toronto study)
Visits among males 30-44	116% above expected levels (University of Toronto study)
Hospitalisation rate	nearly one-third of gambling-related ER visits (University of Toronto study)
ConnexOntario helpline contacts	doubled after April 2022; up 317% among males 15-24 (Canadian Medical Association Journal)

What happens next

Study co-author Ryan Forrest & colleagues are pushing regulators to weigh advertising limits, mandatory spending caps & tighter links between gambling platforms & mental health services. Watch for any policy response from Ontario or other provinces.

Sources: Study: Online Sports Betting Causes Spike in ER Visits – Casino.org

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