Online Gambling Among Young Canadian Adults: A Call to Action

Highlights how young people in Canada, aged 18 to 29, are at higher risk of suffering from high levels of gambling-related harms, including financial, emotional, psychological and relationship harms. This report is released in partnership between Greo Evidence Insights (Greo), the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC).

Three key items you will learn from this report include:

• Among young adults aged 18 to 29 who gambled online within the past year, 23.5% reported experiencing a high level of gambling-related harms, including reduction of savings, increased credit card debt and compromised wellbeing due to feelings of regret and self-perceived failure.
• About one in three young adults (32 %) reported gambling online.
• Online gambling is significantly riskier than other forms of gambling. Compared to people who played lottery only, people who reported gambling online in the past year were:
  • About 10 times more likely to exceed lower-risk gambling thresholds,
  • Over 45 times more likely to meet the criteria for problem gambling, and
  • More than 20 times more likely to report high levels of gambling-related harm.