Youth Gambling Surge: Ontario Study Reveals Alarming Rise in Teen Betting

The landscape of gambling has fundamentally changed, particularly across North America. Where brick-and-mortar casinos once stood as high barriers for minors, today's teenagers swipe through a plethora of betting offers on their smartphones. A new long-term study from Ontario, Canada, now provides hard data for a development that many experts had already feared. Access to online betting appears to be alarmingly easy for minors despite legal restrictions.

The findings from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) paint a bleak picture of the current situation. Researchers examined the behavior of students in an environment that has been flooded with gambling advertisements since the market opened in April 2022. A major point of concern is the normalization of betting in the daily lives of young people, which has already left deep marks. It is no longer just about occasional bets but a systemic issue within digital leisure activities.

Numbers and facts

The statistical analysis of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) is clear. One in ten students surveyed reported betting online on sports at least once in the past year. The trend in general online gambling is even more pronounced: here, the proportion of students rose from 8 percent in 2023 to 12 percent now. This represents a massive jump of 50 percent within a very short time. In total, 20 percent of young people stated they had participated in "any type of gambling" during the reporting period, whether online or offline.

The gender distribution is particularly striking. While boys and young men aged 15 to 44 account for a staggering 60.3 percent of all calls to gambling helplines, the problem is also growing among girls. According to the CAMH survey, the rate of female students playing online doubled from 3 percent in the previous year to 6 percent currently. A total of 11,108 students in grades 7 to 12 participated in the anonymous survey, which was conducted in 246 schools between December 2024 and June 2025.

Background

The development in Ontario exemplifies the risks of rapid market liberalization. Since 2022, the province has become one of North America's most competitive markets, featuring nearly 50 operators and over 80 platforms. In the 2024/2025 fiscal year, over $82 billion was wagered across 2.6 million active accounts. This economic success has its downsides. The regulator AGCO recently had to impose a $120,000 fine on operator Betty Gaming because minors were able to access the platform.

"The rapid growth of online gambling among young people is really concerning. The results raise important questions about how young people are able to access gambling products despite age restrictions, and about the influence that widespread gambling advertising and its normalization have on attitudes and behaviours." - Dr. Peter Selby, Principal Investigator of CAMH’s INTREPID Lab

Experts like Hayley Hamilton emphasize that the constant availability on smartphones undermines the control capabilities of parents and authorities. Parents often unknowingly or even consciously assist by opening accounts in their own names for their children. According to lawyer and addiction recovery advocate Harley Redlick, this leads to a real epidemic that teenagers can hardly resist.

Why it matters for German players

In Germany, the situation is more strictly regulated due to the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021) compared to many Canadian provinces. While the sheer mass of providers and advertising dominates in Ontario, the German Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) focuses on strict protection mechanisms. For German players, this means they should only play with providers listed on the official whitelist. These platforms must use the central exclusion system OASIS and the monitoring system LUGAS. The cross-operator deposit limit of 1,000 euros per month and the stake limit of 1 euro per spin for slots are legal standards in Germany to prevent excessive gambling behavior.

The study from Ontario also serves as a warning here. In Germany, sports betting advertising is increasing, which can particularly influence young fans. Youth protection is the top priority for the GGL. Anyone in Germany playing at unlicensed providers from Malta or Curacao forfeits these state-guaranteed safety nets. Effective youth protection only works if identity verification (KYC) is seamless, which is ensured in GGL-licensed casinos through strict verification processes right at registration.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

For operators with a German license, the report from Canada underscores the importance of their compliance departments. Negligent age verification in Germany can lead not only to high fines but also to the immediate revocation of the license. German providers must constantly improve their algorithms for early detection of problematic gambling behavior. Since the Ontario study shows that teenagers find ways around blocks, the technical integrity of the German LUGAS connection is essential. Transparency in advertising and avoiding elements that appeal to youth are not options for GGL casinos but a necessity for survival in the regulated market.