CMAJ study highlights concerning rise in calls to Ontario gambling hotline by younger males
Still, the numbers in the Canadian Medical Association Journal report require some important context. Also, the Ontario market sees yet another rise in revenue with its January numbers.
That launching one of the world’s largest open online gambling markets has led to an increase in Ontarians contacting one of the province’s largest gambling helplines is, sadly, not surprising. What’s most concerning is the increase in young males looking for help related to gambling.
On Monday, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published a study showing the growth in gambling-related calls to ConnexOntario, a free and confidential 24-hour information and referral service for mental health, addictions, and problem gambling, which is funded by the Ontario government.
Ontario launched its open online gambling market in April of 2022. The average number of monthly calls related to gambling were 4,198 in the pre-launch period of March 2020 through March 2022 and have grown 254% to 14,867 from April 2022 through September 2025.
The growth in gambling-related calls from younger males jumps out in the numbers.
In males between the ages of 15 and 24, the average monthly calls related to gambling grew 385% from 527 in the two-year window before April 2022 to 2,557 after launch. For males 25-44, the numbers are up 282% from 1,414 to 5,397 over the same time period. Those two age groups combined represented 46% of all gambling-related calls from March 2020 to March 2022 and 53.5% of all calls after April 2022.
The numbers were also up for female callers, but not nearly as much. The average monthly calls for females 15-24 grew 92%. The number of calls increased 205% for females 25-44. Though, those two female age groups combined only accounted for 14% of the total calls before market launch and actually declined to 11% of the total post-launch, which, likely, is a further indication of the growing problem among males.
Further, the study reported that, “evidence indicates that only a small proportion of individuals with gambling disorders or gambling harms seek care.” That means the problem is likely much worse than these numbers indicate.
The study interpreted the numbers to mean: “The introduction of online gambling and subsequent privatization with single-event sports betting were each associated with substantial increases in gambling-related helpline contacts, specifically in adolescent boys and young men, suggesting increased gambling problems, care-seeking, or both. This underscores the need to strengthen preventive measures and treatment access.”
Still, the numbers require additional context.
Paul Burns, the president and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, told Gaming News Canada that Ontario’s regulated market has heightened awareness for ConnexOntario and other problem gambling resources, which is a good thing.
“If customers want to get help, they know where to go,” Burns said. “The Connex [information] is present in virtually every ad, it’s had billions of ad impressions. The result is more people called. That’s why you put the number out there. They’re looking for more information, looking for someone to talk to on whether or not they have a gambling problem.
“The [ConnexOntario] awareness went from hardly known to well-known, which is great. That’s part of what having a regulated market [can do by] allowing regulated operators to advertise, share information and provide education so people know how to use the product properly. That’s a positive.
“We need to provide a lot of public education and awareness, and that’s where the industry has been very strong in promoting tools for players to use products responsibly. Self-exclusion tools, Connex, etc.
“One thing won’t solve the problem. We need strong public education combined with strong, enforced regulated markets. That’s what we want.”
Gaming News Canada also reached out to the Responsible Gambling Council for comment on the study, but hadn’t received a response as of late Tuesday evening.
A Toronto Star story on the study said, “The authors suggest the staggering increase in calls to ConnexOntario is likely a combination of a rise in problem gambling as well as more awareness of the helpline. Public health experts say they are deeply concerned about the increase in calls for help by youth, as the brain is more vulnerable to forming addictions at younger ages.”
The study’s co-author, Dr. Daniel Myran, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, is the Gordon F. Cheesbrough Research Chair in Family and Community Medicine at North York General Hospital. Dr. Myran pointed out to the Globe and Mail that, “Gambling disorders and gambling harms are relatively rare. But I think the amount of discussion and attention that we’ve placed on gambling as an issue is not meeting the scale of the harms and problems that it causes. I really worry that gambling can become increasingly common as the access to it grows.
“Gambling disorders or patterns of gambling that get established early in life can continue. And if you’re seeing a big uptick in young people, you really worry about this having a lasting, lifelong impact on them.”
Still, the regulated market at least provides the foundation to best tackle the problem. Gaming News Canada has long argued that protecting consumers needs to be the first priority of a regulated sector, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the key to a sustainable industry.
That requires a strong regulatory and financial commitment to education, prevention, treatment and placing more guardrails around the sector.
What the CMAJ study suggests is that much more needs to be done.
Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC 2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.
Ontario’s January numbers up 22% year-over-year
Last week, after our newsletter went to press, iGaming Ontario released its revenue figures for January.
While total online gross gambling revenue was down 6% from December’s all-time record month of $425.4 million, January was still the third best month ever and the third straight month revenue exceeded $400 million. The total was $401.5 million, which is just behind the $406.2 from November.
Year-over-year, January was up 22% over total revenue of $328.6 million in January of 2025.
By product, January’s online casino revenue of $308.9 million was down 4% from the record of $320.5 million set in December. Sports betting revenue of $86.7 million was down 12% from $99.1 million in December. Poker was up marginally from $5.8 million to $5.9 million.
Total online revenue since the sector launched in April of 2022 is now $10.6 billion. Of that, $7.9 billion came from online casinos, $2.45 billion from sports betting and $231.5 million was from poker.
Alberta iGaming Corporation’s Dan Keene on the GNC show
This week, Dan Keene, the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), made his debut on the Gaming News Canada Show, presented by Bede Gaming.
Keene spoke with host Steve McAllister about the input he, Service Alberta/Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally and others have received from the gambling industry on their way to opening the application process. McAllister and Keene also chatted about the AIGC’s current search for staff and other matters on the road to regulation.
Keene also said he is optimistic for a late spring/early summer launch of Canada’s second regulated market and he discussed how Ontario’s open market influenced Alberta’s leaders when they created the gaming framework there.
You can listen to the show here or watch it here:
Clarification from February 18 newsletter
From the Department of Getting It Right:
In the Feb. 18 newsletter section on The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s “disclipinary” action against PointsBet Canada (PB has since appealed the five-day suspension of operations ICYMI), there was a reference in our coverage that PointsBet communicates regularly with the International Betting Integrity Association.
An IBIA spokesperson contacted Gaming News Canada by email Monday to let us know that PointsBet is not an IBIA member and hasn’t been since the Ontario market launched in April 2022.
“Not Worth The Gamble” campaign launched in B.C.
Your humble correspondent was taking a tour of the LinkedIn first thing yesterday morning when he came across a recent post from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) of British Columbia that included this image:
A subsequent search of the Google turned up no media coverage of a Feb. 9 announcement by the CFSEU, so allow us to fill that gap. The unit, through its Joint Illegal Gaming Investigation Team, made public Not Worth The Gamble, a public education campaign “highlighting the real - and often hidden - harms of illegal gambling” in B.C.
From the news release:
In British Columbia, legal gambling is limited to:
• Gambling conducted and managed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC);
• Licensed charitable or community gaming events; and
• Federally regulated horse racing betting and pari-mutuel betting sites.
Any gambling activity that is not authorized or licensed under British Columbia or federal law is illegal.
The announcement also included information on a Toll-Free Gambling Support Line in the province along with a Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch Tipline “to report suspected illegal gambling activity”.
The program highlights potential - and real - problems by illegal/criminal gambling operators including theft of personal/banking information, exploitation of youth and other vulnerable people and “increased criminal activity and neighbourhood disruption”.
As we reported in that same Feb. 18 dispatch, there’s not a consensus with the Canadian gaming industry on the definition of what’s legal and illegal. Several provincial lottery and gaming corporations - including BCLC, which supports Not Worth A Gamble - aren’t on the same page with gaming operators registered and licensed to do business in Ontario’s regulated industry or unregulated operators licensed in other jurisdictions.
As Mark Keast reported on Casino.org last month, 16% of online gamblers in Ontario continue to use online gaming sites that aren’t approved and licensed by the AGCO and iGaming Ontario while 48 regulated operators are in business (some of which were doing business in Ontario and other provinces before the Criminal Code was amended in 2021 to legalize single-event sports wagering) and have delivered - along with OLG - some $2 billion in tax revenue since April 2022.
The results of a survey conducted by Ipsos and released last year by the Canadian Gaming Association showed 60.4% of online gamblers in B.C. were using unregulated websites. Almost 40% used the BCLC’s PlayNow product, endorsed by the CFSEU in the Not Worth The Gamble campaign video:
FanDuel to be exclusive home to PokerStars in Ontario-ari-ari-o
We learned yesterday that PokerStars is getting together with FanDuel to become the exclusive home of PokerStars launching in Ontario, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
The collaboration includes a new poker client and app, and will also allow for shared player liquidity across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan (no dice for Ontario players given the ongoing legal dispute in our home and native land).
The annual gathering of the Canadian gaming industry in our home and native land has a new name, but is bringing back the best and the brightest minds for the SBC Summit Canada.
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is once again the site for the 2026 summit, to take place May 19-21. Register today using the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code and receive a 40% discount on your VIP pass.
People on the Move
Our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Mark Yoseloff, who passed away last week. Dr. Yoseloff was the founding Executive Director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute’s Center for Gaming Innovation.
Morten Tonnesen, who had been acting as an Advisor to the CEO at Bragg Gaming, is named the company’s new Chief Operating Officer and Garrick Morris is promoted to Executive Vice President of Global Content, U.S and Canada. Giles Potter is leaving Bragg and his Chief Marketing Office role.
Some moving parts with Paysafe’s Board of Directors. Joining the board are Edward Wertheim, Karin Timpone, Pete Thompson and Rupert Keeley while Peter Rutland and Matthew Bryant step down.
iGaming NEXT co-founder and former Evolution exec Michael Pedersen has begun his new role as CEO of Swivel Gaming.
OverActive Media appoints Louis Zhang as Chief Financial Officer.
Victoria Darmanin is named interim Chief Financial Officer ar Raketech with Mans Svalborn’s exit.
After five years, most recently as Senior Account Executive – International Gaming, Tarek Barbir leaves GeoComply to become Director of Enterprise Sales, Gaming at zerohash.
Joshua James departs Games Global to become the Head of Talent Acquisition at ARRISE.
Robert Dowling, ex of FluidGaming and Forvana Gaming, co-founds 3rd Party Tech.
Justin Wyborn, former President of Hard Rock Casino in Cincinnati, is named Senior VP and General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.
Bryan Upton, ex of Lucksome, NetEnt and IGT, is the new Senior VP – Games at White Hat Studios.
Coolbet promotes Sami Absurahmanov to Vice President, B2C Marketing.
After 3.5 years, Thomas Dumont leaves Bet99 to join Betty brand Excelsior Works as Head of Brand Marketing.
Debora Almeida has a new title at Flutter International: Head of Integration Management.
After almost 11 years, most recently as Director, People & Culture Europe, Asia & LATAM and Strategic HRBP, Nanna Brynee is leaving Better Collective.
Todd McCully, formerly of Sportradar, is named Head of Sales at Oddin.gg.
Samsung Electronics America names David Gaffin as Director of Product Management, Gaming.
The Florida Gaming Control Commission promotes Shireen Anbardan to Chief Attorney.
Esports industry vet Thuy Ha is appointed Senior Director, Content at ESL FACEIT Group – EFG.
Scott Norton is promoted to Regional Sales Manager – West at Dynamic Gaming.
Jimmy Tristovski, ex of theScore, is named Vice President, Peole & Talent at Brodie Sports Group.
FanDuel promotes Willie Lok to Vice President of Product, Stephanie Mendel to Director of Strategy & Governance, Andrew Geissler to Director, VIP Tech & Tools, Vishal Patel to Product Director, Payments, Justin Dawkins to Employee Compliance Manager, Sam Sohn to Senior Manager, AML & Sanctions and Riley Hicks to Product Manager at FD. Also, Ethan Prevoznak joins the company as a Legal Operations Manager. Aidan Holeman comes on board as a Business Operations Analyst.
Josh Wintjes leaves his Senior Sports Trader post at theScore to become a Retail Sports Specialist at AGLC.
Marc Miller departs Elevate to join Fanatics as Senior Director, Loyalty Benefits. Ryan Stolz is promoted to Senior Manager, Public Relations.
Kaizen Gaming appoints Vasiliki Panousi as Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs.
Yasmine Azzouz is promoted to Strategy & Governance Manager with the Financial Crimes Compliance team at FanDuel.
Isadora Marcante’s role at SBC is expanded to Senior Relationships Manager – LatAm.
The Esports World Cup Foundation promotes Stella Park to Senior Manager/Head of Club & Player Relations.
Danny Scaramella has a new title at FanDuel Casino: Games Manager.
Thomas Tassone moves up the food chain at theScore to Senior CRM Manager.
Acquire.bet promotes Jordan McMahon to Senior Advertiser Operations Manager.
Zemora Matthews has a new title at DraftKings: Workforce Management Consultant. Vasil Dimitrov is promoted to Lead Trader and Anastasiya Stoycheva receives a promotion to Senior People Operations Specialist. After six years with DK, most recently as Associate Director, Product, Gareth Corcoran is among the people being let go by the company in a restructuring move. And, Sarah Kimble is promoted to Senior Director, Internal Ops Enablement.
Danei Katsea-Sarantou is named Senior PR Lead at Campeon Gaming.
Rush Street Interactive promotes Abbey Stephens to Business Development Associate.
Yana Nuzhdina leaves Alea to become Global Business Development Manager at Booming Games.
Anthony Bruno, ex of Pinnacle, joins Bally’s Interactive as Manager, Digital Content and Social Media.
Jason Smith, ex of TeamSnap, is appointed Vice President of Business Development for Professional Sports at Fastbreak AI.
The Athletic last week announced a number of additions to its editorial team including former Washington Post Sports Editor Jason Murray as Deputy Editorial Director while Barry Svrluga, Spencer Nusbaum, Candace Buckner and Ava Wallace come on board in reporting/opining/writer roles. Sam Blum also becomes a National Baseball Writer.
Yahoo Sports appoints Kendall Baker as Head of Newsletters.
Craig Tiley is named the new Chief Executive Officer at the United States Tennis Association.
In case you missed, the MLB Players Association promote Bruce Meyer to interim Executive Director, replacing Tony Clark.
Joelle Efford, ex of Alpine Canada, is the new Vice President, Fund Development at Tennis Canada.
Phil Dunne leaves his CEO role at Triathlon Canada to join Speed Skating Canada as Director, High Performance (Long Track).
Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Joseph Broccolini, Dhruv Gupta and Derek Mori are named to the Board of Directors for the Hockey Canada Foundation, and Todd Humprhey is appointed to the foundation’s U.S. arm.
Tracy Clinch is named Chief Executive Officer for the 2029 Canada Games Host Society in Moncton and Saint John, New Brunswick.
MLB names Alfred Smith as Vice President of Technology Services and Claire Skelley as Senior Manager, Communications.
Melissa Ong leaves the Partnerships team at MLSE to join Two Circles as Technical Product Manager.
Dave Giancola is promoted to Senior Director, Global Media by the United States Golf Association.
Thomas Purdy leaves Sportsnet to become Partnership Marketing Specialist at Rogers Sports & Media.
Classified (Jobs) Information
On the Home Front
Atlantic Lottery is hiring a General Manager for the Red Shores Racetrack & Casino in Charlottetown, a Reporting Analyst and a bilingual Player Experience Representative.
BetMGM is looking for some people to go west to either Edmonton or Calgary, including a Manager, Relationship Marketing.
Loto-Québec is in the market for a Senior Director of Security and Surveillance.
Toronto-based OverActive Media is searching for a Senior Manager, Marketing.
OLG is seeking a Senior Audit Manager.
Pinnacle is hiring a Senior Accountant for its North York, ON, offices.
Hard Rock Digital has an opening in Toronto for a Specialist – Customer Service.
Blue Ant Media is looking for a Senior Director, Communications – Studio, Rights & Corporate.
Postmedia Network is in the market for a Video Journalist and Content Creator.
Own The Podium is searching for a High Performance Advisor, Winter Sports.
Golf Canada is looking for a Manager, Digital Content Strategy.
Lululemon is seeking a Senior Global Sports Marketing Manager for its Vancouver office.
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park has a contract position available for a Media Relations Services Specialist.
Toronto-based Brodie Sports Group has need of a District Manager, Ontario and also of a Talent Acquisition Lead.
Athletics Canada is seeking nominations for its Board of Directors.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is hiring a Director of Marketing and Partnerships.
South of the Border
Hard Rock Digital is on the lookout for a Senior Analyst – Trading Hypercare.
Paysafe is searching for an Organic Social Media Specialist.
DraftKings has a remote opportunity out of its Boston location for a Content Marketing Associate, Employer Brand and is also looking for a Director, Product Design.
BetMGM has a hybrid opportunity in New Jersey for a CRM Data & Enablement Manager.
FanDuel is hiring a Lead Product Manager, Payments and an Events Coordinator for its New York offices.
Among the current openings at Fanatics is one for a Senior Manager, Growth Cohort, Sportsbook in New York.
Adyen is on the lookout for an AML Compliance Officer in New York.
EA Sports has an opening in Orlando, Fla., for a Senior Producer, Campaign – EA Sports.
Apple has an opportunity in Culver City, CA, in Games Business Development, App Store.
Netflix has a remote opening for a Senior Manager, Games Licensing Operations.
The Athletic has a remote opportunity for a Group Executive Producer.
The NHL Golden Vegas Knights are hiring a Vice President, Communications.
The NFL San Diego Chargers are on the hunt for a Director, Social + Digital Content.
The PGA of America has an opportunity for a Digital Business Development & Account Lead.
The National Women’s Soccer League has an opening for a Senior Director, High Performance.
Across the Ponds
Swiss business Grand Casino Baden is searching for a Chief Gaming Officer.
In Zagreb, Superbet is looking for a Director of Commercial Partnerships, Gaming.
Red Bull is hiring an Esports & Gaming Manager – Player Marketing.
Better Collective is seeking a fluent-in-German Vertical Content Specialist.
Tipico has an opportunity in St. Julian’s, Malta, for a Quantitative Research Analyst.
SoftConstruct has an opening in Yerevan, Armenia, for a Product Designer (iGaming, Sportsbook and/or Casino).
London-based venture capital firm Velo Partners is seeking an Investment Associate.
Malta-based B2B business Patrianna is looking for a Commercial Analyst.
Kaizen Gaming has an opening in Sao Paulo for a Senior Content Specialist.
EvenBet Gaming is on the lookout for a PR Manager.
UEFA has an opening in Vaud, Switzerland, for a Senior Marketing Strategy & Insights Manager.
Reading and Reflection
You’ll need a subscription to The Athletic in order to read the entire article by Stephen J. Nesbitt on a MLB fan poll conducted by the publication, but we pulled this for our readers:
Covers guy Geoff Zochodne reported on the Alberta government’s budget projections that included estimates for its new sports betting and igaming market in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Mark Keast of Casino.org spoke with Ariane Gauthier of the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition about its ongoing efforts to bring an open, regulated gambling market to La Belle Province.
Keast also interviewed Kambi’s CCO Sarah Robertson about its new(ish) relationship with OLG.
Circa boss Derek Stevens was on X yesterday banging the drum once again for Canadians to come (back) to Las Vegas.
The aforementioned Zochodne posted on X yesterday that DFS/prediction markets business PrizePicks is pulling out of the truth north, strong and free.
Canadian operator NorthStar Gaming has embarked on a cost-cutting mission, reports Erik Gibbs of NEXT.io.
From the Knock Us Over With A Feather Division, theScore wants in on the soon-to-come action in Alberta.
ESPN.com’s Ramon Shelburne has an excellent deep dive in advance of today’s status hearing into the court case involving former NBA player Chauncey Billups and other defendants charged for their connections to rigged poker games.
In case you missed last week’s State of the Industry address by the American Gaming Association, you can watch it in its entirety here.
Sacred Heart University put out the results of a poll around the consumption of sports betting ads by young Americans.
Dustin Gouker raised a Spockian eyebrow via The Closing Line on the news that former NBA player Jontay Porter has signed with a team in the new United States Basketball League.
On its Virtual Investor Day on Monday, DraftKings let it be known it plans to unveil a “super app” to be called DraftKings Sports & Casino, with the first version expected to be ready ahead of March Madness.
In his regular Tennis Mailbag column for Sports Illustrated, Jon Wertheim had a few thoughts on sports betting.
Gaming industry vet Richard Schuetz took a trip down memory lane on The Strip.
There’s a bill in the table-tennis-betting-centre of the North American universe to pull back on “out of control” wagering.
A long-time bookmaker believes sports betting grew too fast, reports Howard Stutz for The Nevada Independent.
PuK Gaming CEO Scotty Tidwell keyboarded a few thoughts of the rather thoughtful sort on the future of mobile gaming.
A former UK soccer player who was convicted almost 11 years ago for match-fixing now educates athletes about integrity in sport.
Speaking of integrity, the FIFA World Cup Task Force has brought on IC360 to lend a hand for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Kalshi took action against two traders who placed wagers using inside information.
Don Trump’s former chief of staff is the executive director of a new coalition named Gambling Is Not Investing.
For now, reports Geoff Zochodne at Covers, prediction markets are steering clear of the horse racing business.
Zak Thomas-Akoo did the Q and A thing with Karolina Pelc and Fraser Dunk on the process for creating an AI business.
Rege Behe spoke with Kinectify founder Joseph Martin about the evolution of his company, and the gambling industry, over the past six years.
Nevada Rep. Dina Titus is taking aim at sports event contracts being offered by prediction markets with her new piece of legislation.
ICYMI, Bragg Gaming released its preliminary Q4 results for last year and a lookahead to 2026.
And Better Collective put out its 2025 Annual Report.
Underdog’s shift in strategy around prediction markets has resulted in 125 job cuts, reports Ben Horney of Front Office Sports.
Global Gaming Innovation also announced a revenue hike in its latest financials.
NEXT.io did the Q and A thing with Menace founder Dmitry Belianin.
Pablo Torres has some information about the unnamed player in the NBA betting scandal.
Finally, Shireen Ahmed of CBC Sports did some columnizing on media coverage in the hockey world.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Please send your news releases and other announcements to steve@gamingnewscanada.ca. Also, if you’re interested in learning about our sponsorship and advertising opportunities in the newsletter and on our podcast, please email Steve McAllister at the aforementioned address.
