Ontario gambling helpline contacts surge after iGaming market expansion

A peer‑reviewed study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal examined calls to ConnexOntario’s gambling helpline from January 2012 through September 2025. The analysis focused on two regulatory milestones: the launch of PlayOLG in January 2015 and the opening of Ontario’s competitive regulated online‑gaming market in April 2022.

During the period, ConnexOntario recorded 745,716 total contacts, of which 37,087 were gambling‑related. Contact rates rose after each policy change, with the sharpest increase among males aged 15‑24, whose monthly gambling‑related call rate jumped more than 300 % after the 2022 market opening. Men aged 25‑44 also showed a notable rise. Online gambling accounted for the majority of identified gambling‑related contacts after April 2022. The province’s iGaming market now hosts over 49 licensed operators, 80 sites, $63 billion in wagers and more than 2.1 million active player accounts. Researchers could not determine whether the higher call volume reflects more problem gambling, greater awareness of services, or both.