Ontario’s agency that conducts and manages iGaming when provided through private operators, iGaming, allegedly withheld a study on problem gambling after its findings reportedly revealed significantly higher rates than the province had anticipated, say internal documents obtained by the Toronto Star.
Controversial Decision
The documents, released through a Freedom of Information request, showed that executives at iGaming Ontario commented on the research findings and discussed strategies to prevent information from leaking, the newspaper claims.
The study was commissioned in 2022, around the time Ontario launched its regulated online gambling market, and was aimed at helping the agency develop responsible gambling policies for the newly legal sector.
The research was not included in the documents released under the request. The Toronto Star is appealing that decision to Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Regulator Questions Study’s Reliability
The internal records reportedly show that the findings were flagged as “deviating significantly from other research.” In a written statement to the Toronto Star, iGaming Ontario said the study’s methodology did not meet the standard required to inform policy development.
Despite of the fact that accredited researchers relied on an online survey panel to conduct the study, the agency decided not to publicly release it, thus leaving questions about its findings and why it chose to withhold it.
According to the newspaper, iGaming Ontario cited potential harm to the province’s economic interests as one of the grounds for refusing to disclose the records.
The agency’s stated concerns about the research methodology also raise questions about whether officials considered the findings unreliable or whether other factors influenced the decision.
Online Gambling Market Under Scrutiny
The controversy comes at a time when Ontario’s regulated online gambling industry generates billions of dollars in wagers.
According to iGaming Ontario’s 2024-25 annual report, players placed CAD 82.7 billion ($58.6 million) in wagers during the year.
The market enables private operators to provide online casino games and sports betting under its regulatory framework.
At the same time, concerns about gambling-related harm have grown alongside the expansion of online access. Reports have highlighted rising insolvency, suicide, and emergency room visits associated with gambling disorders, with particular concerns about the effects on men and younger people.
This April, Ontario’s government decided to partner with the Responsible Gambling Council for the launch of a new safer gaming campaign aimed at boosting awareness regarding the higher problem gambling risk faced by younger men in the province.
Without access to the full report, however, independent observers cannot assess the study’s methodology, verify the reported rates or establish how its findings compare with other research.
The Toronto Star’s appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner could determine whether more of the withheld material becomes public. Until then, the study’s precise findings and the full reasoning behind the agency’s decision remain unclear.