Interactive: Sports betting boom is sending more people to the ER

After Canada legalized single-event sports betting in August 2021 and Ontario opened its online gambling market to private operators in 2022, emergency room visits for gambling disorders nearly doubled in the province, according to a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers analyzed ER visits among people aged 10 to 105 before and after the policy changes. The biggest increases were among men aged 10 to 29. Lead author Ryan Forrest said online sports betting can heavily target that age group. Senior author Daniel Myran added that most people with gambling problems never seek care, so ER trends may understate the broader harm. Over 70% of visits also involved mental health or substance-use conditions.