Ontarios bet on online gambling and the impact its having on youth [Video]

As online gambling sites become more prevalent in Ontario, experts are warning that kids could be collateral damage.

As online advertisements geared towards sports gambling seem to be everywhere these days, staff at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) say their problem gambling service has started seeing younger people come in.

“We have known for quite some time that youth aged 10 to 24 tend to have higher rates of problem gambling compared to adults,” says Dr. Daniela Lobo, an addictions psychiatrist and medical head of problem gambling and technology services and CAMH.

The most recent Ontario Student Drugs Use Health Survey found that one-third of students reported one or more gambling activities in 2019, and 4 per cent of secondary students reported experiencing mild to severe gambling problems.

The CAMH report says children and youth are especially susceptible to the effects of gambling advertisements.

“Unlike other substances and activities known to carry risk and regulated by …