Sports betting addiction

It started with a few friendly wagers on the playoffs. Now there's money on almost every game, the app is the first thing you open in the morning, and you can't remember the last time you watched sports without checking the lines. If you'd like support, we offer gambling addiction counselling in Kitchener-Waterloo, in person or online anywhere in Ontario.

This article looks at why sports betting has become such a common source of gambling harm in Ontario, what the numbers show, how betting apps are built to keep you playing, the signs to watch for, and where to find help.

Why sports betting has grown so fast in Ontario

Until 2021, Canadians could only wager on sports through parlays sold by provincial lotteries, such as Pro-Line in Ontario. That year, the federal government legalized single-game betting. In April 2022, Ontario became the only province to open a regulated online market to private companies.

The growth in betting was fast. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, Ontarians wagered about $82.7 billion through regulated gambling sites, including about $11.4 billion on sports and other betting, according to iGaming Ontario. Today, dozens of sportsbooks compete for attention, and many of their ads feature athletes, celebrities and promotions aimed at fans.

What the statistics say about problem gambling

Research is starting to show the cost of this gambling growth:

• A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2026 found that gambling-related contacts to ConnexOntario rose sharply after the market opened. Calls from men aged 15 to 24 increased by 317%, and about three in four gambling contacts after 2022 involved online gambling.
• CAMH's 2025 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey found that about 10% of students in grades 7 to 12 had bet on sports online in the past year, roughly ten times the rate from less than a decade earlier.
• In the same survey, almost a quarter of students said they saw or heard gambling advertising every day.

These numbers don't mean every person who gambles on sports will develop an addiction. But they show that sports betting is reaching more people, at younger ages, than ever before.

Why young men are most at risk for gambling harm

Betting fits neatly into how many young men already spend their time: watching games, following stats, playing fantasy sports and talking trash with friends. Betting can feel like a natural extension of being a fan.

Several things raise the risk of addiction. Many guys are confident in what they know about sports, which makes betting feel like skill rather than chance. Group chats and friends share picks and wins, rarely losses. Impulsivity and a strong pull toward excitement are common in the late teens and twenties. And money pressures, like student debt, rent or a first job, can make the idea of a big win feel like a way out.

How betting apps keep you playing

Modern sportsbooks are designed to keep you engaged. Common features include:

• In-play betting, where lines change by the second during a game
• Parlays and same-game parlays that promise huge payouts from small stakes
• Bonuses, boosts and "free bets" that encourage you to deposit again
• Push notifications about games you might want to bet on
• One-tap deposits linked to a bank account or credit card

Because apps are always in your pocket, there's no natural stopping point. You can gamble at work, in class, in bed or in the middle of a family dinner, which makes gambling on sports far more constant than a trip to a casino. Wins, and near misses on the last leg of a parlay, trigger a dopamine response that keeps you coming back.

How a hobby turns into an addiction

Most people who gamble on sports never develop an addiction or a gambling disorder. For some, though, the shift happens gradually. Betting stops being part of watching sports and becomes the reason to watch. Gambling moves from weekends to weeknights, then to whatever game is on. The amount needed to feel excited keeps growing.

Addiction to gambling works on the brain much like addiction to drugs or other substances. Over time, the brain adapts to the rush of betting, and ordinary life can feel flat without it. That's why gambling disorder sits alongside substance use disorders in the DSM-5, the manual clinicians use for diagnosis. It's a mental health condition, not a character flaw, and it responds well to treatment.

Live betting, parlays and the illusion of skill

Knowing sports well can help you predict some outcomes, but it can't beat the odds over time. Sportsbooks build a margin into every gambling line, and parlays carry a much bigger house edge than single wagers. Still, many people believe they're "one good weekend" from coming out ahead.

You might notice that losses feel like bad luck, while wins feel like proof you've figured it out. This often shows up as bigger wagers after a win, and chasing losses after a bad night.

Signs of sports betting addiction

Some signs that betting on sports has become an addiction:

• You can't enjoy a game unless you have something riding on it
• You bet more often, or larger amounts, to feel the same excitement
• You chase losses by depositing again right away
• You hide how much you're betting from your partner, family or friends
• You borrow money, use credit or miss bills because of sports
• You feel restless, irritable or anxious when you can't place a wager
• You've tried to cut back and keep going back

For a broader list that applies to all forms of gambling, not only sports, our article on the signs of gambling addiction covers emotional, financial and relationship warning signs in more detail.

When problem betting becomes a disorder

Gambling disorder is the clinical term for gambling that continues despite serious harm. The disorder can be mild, moderate or severe. It's recognized as a mental health condition, and it often appears alongside anxiety, depression or alcohol use. You don't need a diagnosis to get help. If betting is affecting your finances, sleep, work or studies, that's reason enough to look at it more closely.

How a gambling problem affects money, family and mental health

The impact of gambling usually builds quietly. Gambling debt can grow through credit cards, loans or borrowing from friends. Partners may notice missing money or a phone that never goes down, and gambling becomes a source of conflict at home. Many people with a betting addiction describe shame, secrecy and a constant low hum of stress. Over time, betting can strain relationships, affect mental health and leave you feeling isolated, even when you're surrounded by people watching the same game.

Getting help for a betting addiction

In therapy, we can look at what sports betting has been giving you, whether that's excitement, a sense of control, connection with friends or escape from stress, and help you find other ways to meet those needs. Gambling treatment can help you understand your triggers, manage urges, set up practical barriers and rebuild trust with family. Addiction care is collaborative and free of judgement, and it can also address anxiety, depression or alcohol use that may be part of the picture.

Gambling disorders respond well to therapy, and addiction treatment for sports betting is available in person and online. Support from people around you matters too, and treatment works best when gambling isn't kept secret. Telling one trusted person, joining a peer group, or using self-exclusion tools can all help. Recovery from a gambling problem is common, and many people are able to enjoy watching sports again without needing a bet on the line.

If you've tried to quit gambling before and keep going back, our article on why you can't stop gambling explains what keeps the cycle going. And if you're ready to make a plan, our next article covers how to stop sports betting, step by step.