Parents admit creating illegal gambling accounts for teens as youth betting surges in Ontario

A Toronto mother recounted how she eventually used her ID to open a gambling-app account for her 16-year-old son, a practice echoed by at least two other parents who admit facilitating under-19 betting. Lawyers and addiction specialists warn that teenage gambling has become widespread, with school-based counseling and reports of students wagering thousands on sports and casino games. Ontario's recent approval of commercial gambling apps, recently mirrored by Alberta, has produced over $100 billion in bets and a spike in addiction-related issues, though officials count on ID verification that many youths circumvent.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario fined Betty Gaming Ltd. $120,000 for permitting minors to create accounts, while the Ontario Provincial Police say no charges have been laid, focusing on education instead. Unregulated sites also operate, and a 2024 police case involved a scheme that threatened underage gamblers with violence. Parents cite relentless advertising, including “responsible-gaming” spots featuring athletes, as a factor driving the hidden epidemic.