Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2026/03/07
Study Finds Uptick in Young Men Contacting Gambling Helpline in Ontario
According to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, there has been a rise in gambling-related calls by young men to Ontario’s mental health helpline.
The study found that since Ontario legalized online gambling in 2022, calls to the helpline ConnexOntario had increased by 300%. As well, data analyzed between January 2012 and September 2025 indicate that the organization was contacted more than 745,700 times, of which 37,000 were gambling-related.
Researchers also found an increase in gambling calls after January 2015 when the Ontario government launched its province-owned gambling platform PlayOLG.
The majority of callers were young men aged 18 to 24, with an average monthly rate increase per million people of 317% between the launch of PlayOLG and the legalization of online gambling in 2022. For men aged 25 to 44, the call rate increased by 108%.
The researchers behind the study argue that the province needs to implement stronger harm-reduction measures and expand treatment options to counter the rise.
PrizePicks Announces Departure from Canada to Focus on US
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator PrizePicks is packing its bags and leaving Canada as it shifts its focus to expanding in the US-regulated market.
Speaking to Canadian Gaming Business, a spokesperson said, “On March 3, PrizePicks announced its planned exit from the Canadian market. We are currently hyper-focused on our continued expansion across the U.S. and delivering the best product experience for our players.”
PrizePicks will stop accepting wagers on its fantasy lineups from March 10, adding that players must withdraw all funds they have accumulated by April 2 before its Canadian operations fully shut down on April 3.
The DFS operator had actually never obtained a license to operate in Ontario, the only province so far with a legalized iGaming market. Instead, it offered its products outside of the province. PrizePicks also noted that it would not pursue a license in Ontario.
Outside Canada, the operator is dedicated to its US operations. It is currently active in all 50 states and was recently approved to re-enter New York with a DFS license. On top of that, PrizePicks partnered with federal exchange Kalshi in November to launch its own prediction markets.
Alberta Targets Online Casino Launch for Spring, Summer
Alberta’s new regulated iGaming market might be coming sooner than expected, with the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, Dan Keene, saying that the province is currently targeting a launch in either spring or summer.
“I would say don’t wait,” Keene said on a Gaming News Canada podcast, regarding operators wanting to join the market. “We’re targeting a spring/summer launch and there’s just tremendous momentum that’s happening. So stay tuned.”
Alberta will follow Ontario, which launched its own market in 2022, becoming the second Canadian province to legalize commercial and individual online casinos.
While Alberta already has its own government-owned iGaming platform, PlayAlberta, which is regulated by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, it was expected that the offshore market accounted for 70% of all online gaming in the province.
Operators BetRivers and PointsBet have already announced pre-registration links for bettors to sign up before the launch, while PENN Entertainment and Flutter (owner of sportsbook FanDuel) have also expressed intent to launch in the region.
Ziv (Steve) Chen
CEO at Major League Content
Ziv has been working in the iGaming industry for more than two decades, serving in senior roles in software developers like Playtech and Microgaming. He then followed his lifelong passion of writing and became a fulltime journalist, covering casinos, sports betting, legislation and other gambling topics and news with a specialty in North America.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-steve-chen-94b01b5/
