A study commissioned to measure problem gambling in Ontario has become the focus of a growing transparency dispute after internal records suggested officials withheld findings that were higher than expected. Documents obtained by The Toronto Star also refer to a possible “gag order,” efforts to limit criticism from researchers and the use of a public relations firm to manage the fallout.
The revelations raise questions about how openly Ontario is assessing gambling-related harm as its regulated online casino market continues to generate billions of dollars. The study’s findings remain unpublished, leaving the public without a promised baseline for measuring the effects of the market’s expansion.
NDP Demands Full Disclosure
Ontario NDP politicians Kristyn Wong-Tam, Shadow Attorney General, and Dr. Robin Lennox, Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, accused Premier Doug Ford’s government of prioritizing gambling revenue over public health.
Wong-Tam said the government should be honest about gambling’s consequences, while Lennox called for greater investment in prevention, treatment and accessible mental health services.
The NDP is demanding the immediate release of the complete study, including all three rounds of data collection, the final August 2024 draft and records withheld from the media. It also wants details and costs associated with the public relations contract, including how officials decided to keep the research from the public.
A Promised Safety Measure Left Unanswered
Before Ontario launched its regulated online gambling market in April 2022, iGaming Ontario commissioned a two-year study through the Responsible Gambling Council. The project was intended to track participants across three survey waves and establish a baseline for gambling participation and problem gambling.
But internal notes reportedly showed concern that the initial results differed significantly from previous research. The survey relied on online panels, which can produce higher estimates if participants do not represent the wider population. That methodological concern warrants scrutiny, but it does not explain why the public has been left without the completed findings.
iGaming Ontario has defended the province’s responsible gambling standards but did not answer the Star’s detailed questions where they sought a review of further redactions in the released records.
Gambling Growth and Harm Indicators
The stakes are substantial. iGaming Ontario reported more than C$82.7 billion in wagers during the 2024–25 fiscal year, with nearly C$3 billion flowing to the province.
Meanwhile, figures cited in the Star’s investigation point to rising harm indicators. These include emergency visits for gambling disorders that doubled and gambling-linked insolvencies that have more than tripled. Moreover, the Chief Coroner has reported more suicides involving people with gambling problems. These trends do not, on their own, prove that market expansion caused the increases, but they reinforce the need for reliable, publicly available research.