New Report Analyzes the Impact of COVID-19 on Gamblers in Ontario
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A new report reveals how the global COVID-19 pandemic impacted the behavior of gamblers in Ontario, Canada.
Ontario’s Responsible Gambling Council”s Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices (CABP) and the Ontario Gabbling Research Society (OGRS) released a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gamblers in Ontario. The study included 3 separate waves with surveys conducted between April and December 2020. Each of them included more than 2,000 gambers. 608 gambler participated in all three waves.
The study analysed the mental health of Ontario gamblers. It found that between Wave 1 and Wave 2, mental issues fluctuated, but life satisfaction remained stable. About 11% of gambers in each wave admitted to high levels of depression. Severe depression symptoms were observed especially in young adults, aged 18-24 years and Ontarian gambler of South Asian descent. Just under one out of ten gamblers was acknowledged as high risk of problem gambling based on a Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI).
The pandemic pushed gamblers to online gambling. The report found that the pandemics affected the employment situation of gambers. The study also found the financial impact of the Pandemic on Ontarian gamblers.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on Ontarian gamblers' finances.
