Online gambling has become more prevalent among people aged 19 to 25, with no sign of decline.
In 2022, the Ontario government became the first province in Canada to allow online sports and casino betting in a legal, though ostensibly restrictive, way. Since then, the rise and prevalence of online gambling specifically between the ages of 19 to 25 has skyrocketed. The process has left a lasting and devastating impact on the thoughts and feelings on gambling within the sporting community.
Before the change, online gambling in Ontario was restricted and regulated by Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG). Following the expansion, third-party gambling corporations were allowed to operate legally within the province.
Roughly one in three young adults reported gambling online in a 2025 report, with a high number of these people reporting using savings and increased credit card debt to gamble.
While gambling has been part of many human cultures, it had always been an in-person experience that required physical stakes. Online gambling takes that control away. You’re not seeing your stakes disappear, and in the blink of an eye, you’ve decimated your bank account.
The explosion of online gambling isn’t just limited to sportsbooks but casino games as well. With the legislation change, we’ve given dopamine-seeking, undeveloped brains access to Las Vegas in their pocket, and we’re starting to see the consequences of that.
According to a study done by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the number of calls to helplines related to gambling has risen 300 per cent when comparing 2012 to 2025. Among these calls, 68.5 per cent were self-initiated phone calls.
That is a staggering number as almost 70 per cent of callers know they have a gambling problem but simply can’t regulate it. When the liberalization of these gambling sites was launched, strict regulation to try to mitigate the issue of gambling abuse was created. All sites have tools to restrict and limit deposits and losses, among other things.
Even with online gambling sites offering tools for limits and cooldowns, it isn’t enough to stop them from generating $2.2 billion in revenue in 2024 .
This issue is compounded by the fact that Canadian sports fans spend about 20 per cent of every game watching gambling ads. A study done by CBC Marketplace concluded that the average sports broadcast runs roughly three hours and tallied 3,537 gambling messages in an average broadcast.
Third-party gambling is also expanding outside of Ontario and into Alberta. As of July 13, some established gambling commercial corporations could be accessed in the province of Alberta.
Alberta is a sought-after gambling market, as the province is expected to generate $76 million in revenue from legalization. According to the Alberta government, one per cent of that will go to responsible gambling.
As provinces continue to expand the scope of online gambling, the younger demographic will continue to be targeted and exploited to the big business of gambling corporations.
This is a reminder and a call for gambling regulation to continue and expand their outreach about the severe risks of problem gambling which include health risks, relationship strain and financial insecurities.
Online gambling has become a silent addiction for young adults who are under the impression that they will be the small percentage that can beat the house. But the house is everywhere, and, without proper regulation, it seems like it will continue.
Noah Cyr is a fourth-year history student and The Journal’s Senior Sports Editor
Tags
Online gambling, Sports, Sports Gambling
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