Study finds rise in emergency visits for gambling harm in Ontario

A new study published Wednesday in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine says emergency department visits linked to gambling problems have risen sharply in Ontario in recent years, alongside the growth of online gambling and singleevent sports betting. Researchers examined 14 years of hospital data and found 952 gamblingrelated emergency visits involving 757 people. They said the increase followed Ontario’s move to expand private online gambling and Canada’s legalization of singlegame sports betting. The study found that men and boys accounted for most of the visits, with especially large increases among males ages 10 to 29 and 30 to 44. Researchers and doctors said many of the cases also involved substance use, mental health disorders, or suicidal thoughts, and they called for more awareness and stronger limits on gambling promotion.