An Exploration of the Prevalence and Pathological Gambling Behaviour Among Adolescents in Ontario

Abstract

In response to the advent of gambling casinos in Ontario in 1993, The Canadian Foundation on Compulsive Gambling (Ontario) commissioned Insight Canada Research to conduct research with adult Ontarian residents in order to determine the prevalence of problem and pathological gambling in the province, as well as Ontarians’ attitudes and behaviour related to gambling. To complement that survey, the present research effort was initiated, which focuses exclusively on Ontarian adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19. As with the research conducted with adults, The Foundation required an accurate measurement of Ontarian adolescents’ gambling behaviour, the incidence of problems arising from gambling activities, and key sociodemographic characteristics which are closely linked to problem gamblers.