More and more Ontario teens are getting into online gambling, according to a new survey.
In its latest Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that the number of Ontario teens engaging in online gambling has “significantly increased.”
Per the survey, one in eight students gambled online during the last school year, while one in 10 bet on sports. In total, one in five students are now engaging in some form of gambling either online or offline.
Notably, this survey, which polled more than 11,000 Ontario students in Grades 7-12, marks a 50 per cent increase in online gambling from its last survey conducted two years ago. What’s more, 80 per cent of respondents said they’d seen or heard an online gambling ad in the past month, with roughly a quarter saying they see them daily.
This comes after Ontario became the first Canadian province to open its online gambling market to private operators. As a result, you’ve likely seen many ads about gambling on TV or the web.
But of course, the proliferation of these ads raises many concerns. Per a Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction study from last year, nearly 70 per cent of Canadians aged 18-29 who gambled online met the criteria for “problem gambling.” Further, around 25 per cent of them reported gambling-related harms like high credit card debt or strained personal relationships. All the while, the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that helpline contacts among the 15-24 demographic have surged 317 per cent.
We’ve seen similar apprehension in Alberta, which also opened up the online gambling market to private operators just a few weeks ago. And during all of these controversies, representatives from iGaming, the agency that manages the private gaming market, have defended themselves by saying that they have regulations in place to prevent their ads from specifically targeting minors or other vulnerable groups.
Regardless, the sheer number of ads and gambling operators can certainly feel predatory. It also can’t be overlooked that the rise in gambling ads comes as many people continue to struggle with mental health issues. Per the CAMH study, 46 per cent of youth in Grades 7 to 12 reported a “moderate to serious level” of psychological distress last year.
While that’s down five percent from the last survey, CAMH told CBC News that this is still much higher than it was a decade ago. All the while, Ontario, in particular, is considered North America’s biggest online gambling market with nearly 50 operators running more than 83 websites.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction or other mental health issues, contact ConnexOntario, a directory of community mental health and addictions services in Ontario. The group is open 24/7 and can be reached toll-free 1-866-531-2600 or via live online chat or email.
Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Via: The Globe and Mail