April 4, 2022 - 
Ontario launched a regulated iGaming market, allowing licensed operators to offer online gambling services to residents. This was a groundbreaking move for Canada, positioning Ontario as the first jurisdiction in the country to allow private online gaming operators to enter a regulated market. This reform shifted online gambling from an exclusively state-run activity (via the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation or OLG) to a broader ecosystem governed by iGaming Ontario under the oversight of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
Players can now access a wide variety of gambling options, including online casinos, sports betting, and poker, through licensed operators, all of which are held to high standards of fairness and security.

A recent National Post articles stated:

"The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey concluded that 12.4 per cent of the male high school students and three per cent of females had gambled online in 2023, but that was just a year after the province set up its commercial gambling program — and the overall volume of bets placed since then has exploded."

“It seems like the government has offloaded this to the families and parents. It’s giving lip service to responsible gambling.”

How does this affect our school-aged children, some as young as 9 or 10? The answer is probably obvious. 

Schools play a crucial role in preventing underage online gambling by providing education and support. Here are some ways schools can help:

* Educational Programs
* Monitoring and Awareness
* Community Engagement
* Evidence-Based Engagement

My goodness - there is so much material on this developing issue. If you need help, please reach out to me so we can address the problem.