Patient and his parents came to me with a problem that's becoming far too common in Doug Ford's Ontario

A family-medicine physician in Ontario says a patient and his parents sought help after the teen lost more than $1,000 betting on a Toronto Maple Leafs game on a phone. Iris Gorfinkel, a family physician and clinical researcher in Toronto, linked the case to what she describes as a growing trend since the Ford government opened Ontario’s online gambling market to private operators in 2022. She noted that the extent of government advertising encouraging gambling is “closely guarded,” but cited figures showing online wagers reached $98 billion in 2025, up from $35.5 billion in 2022-23. The development highlights how expanded access to mobile betting is coinciding with increased participation, particularly among young people.