Ontario Problem Gambling Calls Surge as ConnexOntario Sounds Alarm on Lagging Funding

As Ontario’s iGaming market continues to rapidly expand, more residents are turning to ConnexOntario for support—but provincial funding has failed to keep pace with the surging demand, according to the helpline’s executive director.

ConnexOntario is the first point of contact for individuals facing challenges related to mental health, addictions, and problem gambling. The not-for-profit organization offers private one-on-one consultations and access to over 5,320 support services.  

Demand Continues to Rise

Since Ontario opened its igaming market to private operators, ConnexOntario has seen a “significant” increase in contacts related to online gambling compared to land-based gambling, said Nerin Kaur.

“Online gambling has made gambling more accessible than ever before,” she said. “People can gamble virtually anywhere, at any time. Combined with increased advertising and the growing normalization of gambling in everyday life, we’re seeing more people reaching out for support.”

According to iGaming Ontario (iGO), there are 47 licensed operators doing business in the province, and 81 gaming websites. Ontario’s open, regulated iGaming market launched in April 2022.

Online Gambling Driving Change

In May, there were 1.257 million active player accounts in Ontario, and the average revenue per active player account was $329. There were 277,000 active player accounts in the first month after the market opened in 2022.

Kaur said that in the 2025-26 year, close to 155,000 people accessed their services through the ConnexOntario website, call centre, and data services, including individuals, family members, loved ones, service providers, researchers, and students, representing all interactions, including problem gambling. 

In 2025-26, problem gambling contacts accounted for 32% of their live agent interactions. In 2021-22, it was 15%.

The largest increases in problem gambling enquiries are among young boys and men aged 15-24, according to ConnexOntario data.

Young Men Most Affected

“Callers frequently describe chasing losses, gambling for longer than they intended, hiding their gambling from family members, experiencing financial stress, or initially believing gambling was a way to make money, only to find themselves in a much more difficult situation,” said Kaur. 

“We’re also finding that many people don’t always recognize when gambling has shifted from entertainment to causing harm or know what warning signs to look for.”

In 2019-20, that number was just over 92,780. And those interactions are getting more complex, she added, with staff on a call for longer periods of time. 

Calls Becoming More Complex

Under current procedures, staff provide supportive listening, helping individuals to understand what’s happening, and educating them about the mental health, substance use and problem gambling system.

The individual is then connected with programs and services that best fit their needs, completes e-referrals if they’re ready to move forward, and follows up to see how they’re doing.

“Gambling can be one piece of what’s going on, but there are often other factors involved as well, anxiety, depression, financial loss, or simply not knowing what to do next,” said Kaur. “People often ask us how to talk to their family, where to start, or what supports are available to them.”

Some people contact them because they’re starting to question whether their gambling has become a concern and simply want to talk it through, she added. Others have recognized changes in their gambling but aren’t sure what to do next. 

Funding Falls Behind Demand

Then some may have already experienced significant financial and emotional impacts.

Government funding hasn’t kept pace with the increase in those seeking help, said Kaur. ConnexOntario is funded entirely by the Ministry of Health.

They received a 5% funding increase in 2023-24, and a 4% increase in 2025-26, taking their current funding level to $4.18 million. That’s nowhere near enough to cover demand, she added.

“Additional investment would help us continue providing timely access to support as demand continues to grow and become more complex,” she said. 

People don’t have to be in crisis to reach out, she added. It can be in the earliest stages, when the individual is starting to question their gambling, to help them better understand what’s happening.

“Our priorities would include expanding our capacity to respond to increasing demand while maintaining timely access, continuing to provide follow-up support for individuals who would benefit from additional check-ins after their initial contact, and continuing to evolve our navigation model to meet the changing needs of Ontarians,” Kaur concluded.