The Impact of COVID-19 on Gambling-Related Crisis Calls in Ontario, Canada: an Interrupted Time Series Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed major strains on programs and organizations designed to help those in crisis. It has also significantly impacted the gambling industry, with incredible shortfalls for traditional land-based gambling, and concurrent record profits in online gambling platforms. The current study explores trends in the calls to gambling crisis helplines in Ontario using interrupted time-series analyses to examine the impact of the pandemic on problem gambling. We found that gambling helpline calls decreased dramatically with the onset of the pandemic. There was also a shift in the types of games people reported playing; the decrease in calls were more pronounced for electronic gambling machines than for gambling related to sports and card games. We also found that the proportion of younger adult callers increased during this time. Taken together, the results from this study indicate a reduction in calls to the Ontario gambling helpline, as well as a shift in the types of gambling people engaged in. The effects of the pandemic on gambling behaviours should continue to be monitored to better understand how it has translated into gambling and non-gambling-related harms.