The Uncomfortable Truth About Young Adult Gambling: Why Ontario Parents Need to Act Now 

Parents work hard to protect their children from harm. We teach them to look both ways before crossing the street, to be cautious online, and to make good choices. But there is a growing threat that many Ontario parents aren’t even aware of – a threat that is hiding in plain sight on their teenagers’ phones.

Youth online gambling is becoming increasingly normalized, and the consequences are unfolding in real time.

At the Responsible Gambling Council, we have spent more than 40 years working to prevent gambling harm. What we’re seeing now is unprecedented. Today’s teenagers are surrounded by gambling in ways previous generations never experienced. They are exposed to gambling advertising during the games they watch, on the social media feeds they scroll, and through the influencers they follow. The message is clear and constant: betting is normal, fun, and just part of digital life.

But here is the uncomfortable truth: for anyone under 19 in Ontario, online gambling is illegal. And young people face unique risks that make underage gambling particularly harmful.

The Perfect Storm of Risk

That is why the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is working alongside the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to sound the alarm. When law enforcement and public health organizations join forces, it’s because the situation demands urgent attention.

We’re confronting a reality that every parent needs to understand. Young people, particularly males aged 15 to 24, face heightened vulnerability to gambling harm, and it’s not just about access. Their brains are still developing. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for impulse control and risk assessment, doesn’t fully mature until the mid-20s. This means teenagers are neurologically less equipped to recognize when a “sure thing” is actually a losing bet, or when occasional betting has become a problem.

Add to this the normalization that is happening before they are even old enough to gamble legally. Young people spend years watching gambling ads, seeing their favorite influencers promote betting apps, and hearing friends discuss their “wins,” all before they turn 19. By the time they can legally gamble, the behaviour already feels familiar and harmless.

The result is that treatment providers, educators, and families are reporting that young people are experiencing gambling harm; financial loss, declining academic performance, relationship problems, anxiety, and depression. Some are stealing from family members or accumulating debt before they have even finished high school.

Why This Matters Now

In recent years, Ontario has seen a rapidly expanding online gambling market. We have witnessed an explosion of gambling advertising and promotion, much of it reaching young audiences during prime viewing hours and on platforms where teenagers spend their time. Meanwhile, video games and mobile apps increasingly incorporate gambling-like mechanics, loot boxes, prize wheels, and pay-to-play competitions that normalize gambling behaviour long before a young person is legally old enough to gamble.

The legal online gambling age in Ontario is 19. But while operators in Ontario’s regulated market are legally required to restrict access, the reality is far more complicated. Age verification systems have gaps. Teens use older siblings’ or parents’ accounts. They find unregulated offshore sites with no age restrictions at all. And they encounter gambling mechanics in video games and apps that aren’t even classified as gambling.

Even more concerning: normalization is happening before they are legally old enough to gamble. A teenager who spends years watching gambling ads, seeing their favorite influencers promote betting apps, opening loot boxes in games, and hearing friends discuss their “wins” is being conditioned for future gambling, whether we intend it or not.

When organizations like the OPP highlight the need for youth gambling prevention, it underscores a critical point: this isn’t just a public health issue. Underage gambling is illegal, and it’s putting our young people at risk in ways many parents don’t fully understand.

Parents Are the First Line of Defense

Many parents gamble themselves, whether buying lottery tickets, playing online casino games, or betting on sports, and there’s nothing wrong with adults gambling for entertainment. But we need to recognize that what’s recreational for a fully developed adult brain can be harmful for an adolescent one, and that online gambling is against the law for anyone under 19.

The good news? Parents are Ontario’s most powerful prevention tool.

Research consistently shows that parental involvement significantly reduces youth gambling risk. But this requires us to overcome our own discomfort and start having honest conversations with our children—even when we are not sure what to say.

What Parents Need to Do

Start early and talk often. Don’t wait for a crisis. Begin conversations about gambling risks before high school and revisit them regularly. Help your teen understand that gambling takes many forms, not just casinos and lottery tickets, but online betting, in-game purchases, and seemingly harmless apps. Be clear: online gambling is illegal for anyone under 19.

Know the warning signs. Is your teenager suddenly secretive about their phone or computer use? Are they preoccupied with games that involve spending real money for uncertain rewards? Have you noticed unexplained requests for money, or money going missing? Changes in mood, sleep patterns, or academic performance? These could be red flags.

Model healthy behaviour. If you gamble, talk about your limits. Discuss losses openly; they are far more common than wins. Never suggest that gambling is a way to make money or solve financial problems.

Create tech boundaries. Understand what apps and games are on your teen’s devices. Have honest conversations about in-app purchases and online spending. Monitor for games with loot boxes, gacha mechanics, or other gambling-like features. Make it clear that underage gambling is both illegal and harmful.

Connect them to facts. Help your teenager understand how gambling works, why the odds are designed to favour the house over time, and how games are structured to encourage continued play and spending.

A Call for Collective Action

With funding from the provincial government, the Responsible Gambling Council is working to deliver prevention education directly to families across the country. We’re providing parents with the tools, language, and resources needed to have these difficult conversations, and we are making it clear that underage gambling isn’t just risky; it’s against the law.

Visit https://responsiblegambling.org/the-truth-about-youth-gambling-and-what-parents-can-doto access our free resources specifically designed for parents and caregivers. You’ll find conversation starters, warning signs to watch for, and clear guidance on where to turn if you’re concerned about your child’s gambling.

The Bottom Line

Our children are growing up in a world where gambling has been woven into the fabric of digital life. They are receiving messages, from peers, from media, from the culture around them, that gambling is just entertainment, that they can win if they’re smart enough, or that everyone’s doing it.

As parents, educators, and community members, we have a responsibility to counter these messages with truth, support, and evidence-informed prevention. Our teenagers deserve to make it through their formative years without the burden of gambling debt, shame, or harm. They deserve to enjoy games, entertainment, and technology safely, with the knowledge and support to make informed choices.

But they need our help to get there.

The conversation starts at home. It starts with us. And it needs to start now.

Sarah McCarthy is Chief Executive Officer of the Responsible Gambling Council, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to gambling harm prevention. For more than 40 years, RGC has worked to reduce gambling risk through evidence-informed education, research, and community support. For resources on talking to young people about gambling, visit https://responsiblegambling.org/the-truth-about-youth-gambling-and-what-parents-can-do. 

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Sarah McCarthy joined the Responsible Gambling Council as CEO in January 2025. Sarah has 20 years of experience in leading teams to build and deliver social impact through the development of innovative solutions to complex challenges.