What’s the Latest: Online gambling more than doubles among young Montreal men, study finds
A study by Quebec public health researchers found that online gambling has more than doubled among young men in Montreal, despite a decline in overall adult gambling rates. Among the 8,500 adults surveyed, 39 per cent reported engaging in some form of gambling in 2025, which is 15 per cent fewer than in 2018 and 2002.
The study surveyed 8,500 adults in Montreal and found a 15 per cent decrease in the overall number of adults who gamble compared to 2018 and 2002. Additionally, Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, CEO of Maison Jean Lapointe, reported an increase in young men seeking help for online gambling addiction since the COVID pandemic.
Researchers in Quebec have warned that the surge in online gambling among young men poses significant risks, with Sylvia Kairouz stating, “the ease of accessing gambling sites through a phone can make it difficult for people to resist.” In response, Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, CEO of Maison Jean Lapointe, has called for stricter regulation of gambling advertising, suggesting that “gambling advertising needs to either be banned or more effectively regulated.”
What remains unclear — The study did not specify the percentage increase in online gambling among young men in Montreal.
Online gambling among young men in Montreal more than doubles, study finds
A recent study has revealed that online gambling among young men in Montreal has more than doubled, even as overall gambling rates among adults have decreased. Conducted by Quebec public health researchers, the study surveyed 8,500 adults in Montreal. It found that 39 per cent reported engaging in gambling in 2025, a decline of 15 per cent compared to 2018 and 2002.
The study highlights a worrying trend among younger men, particularly those aged 18 to 34, where the likelihood of gambling online has significantly increased. Sylvia Kairouz, a researcher from Concordia University and one of the study’s authors, commented on the ease of access to online gambling, noting, “When you just need to pick up your phone and push a button to gamble, that makes it very difficult to resist.”
Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, CEO of Maison Jean Lapointe, which provides treatment for gambling addiction, confirmed that more young men are seeking help for online gambling issues. “For the last two years now, we’ve seen kids coming to our office with a gambling addiction,” she said, adding that there has been a noticeable decline in cases related to traditional gambling venues like casinos.
Kairouz pointed to the proliferation of gambling advertisements as contributing to the normalisation of online betting among young people. The study indicated that 75 per cent of respondents would prefer fewer advertisements for gambling services. Kairouz called for improved regulations, stating, “Spain has done it. Belgium has done it. So I think the lack of regulation is one of the major problems now.”
Help is available for those affected by gambling-related issues across Canada. In Quebec, individuals can access confidential support via Gambling: Help and Referral at 514-527-0140 in Montreal or 1-800-461-0140 elsewhere in the province.