Forrest Ryan
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Can J Public Health. 2025 Sep 15. doi: 10.17269/s41997-025-01108-3.
Recent legislative changes have allowed the rapid expansion of online and sports gambling in Ontario. These changes include the privatization of the online and sports gambling market and the legalization of marketing practices for private operators, leading to an unprecedented growth in opportunities and inducements to gamble. While the stated objectives of these reforms centre on economic growth, consumer choice, and consumer protections, the potential public health implications of this policy shift demand urgent attention. This commentary argues for the necessity of applying a public health lens to understand the wide range of potential harms associated with Ontario's gambling policy changes, particularly as other jurisdictions in Canada and across the Americas consider adopting similar approaches. It advocates for targeted research that reframes policy debates around gambling, moving away from a narrow focus on individual responsibility and towards a broader understanding informed by environmental, social, and commercial determinants of health. The public health community must step up to provide the public and decision-makers with the evidence needed to mitigate harm, protect vulnerable populations, and advance equitable health outcomes.
近期的立法变革使得安大略省的在线博彩和体育博彩得以迅速扩张。这些变革包括在线和体育博彩市场的私有化以及私营运营商营销行为的合法化,导致赌博机会和诱惑出现了前所未有的增长。虽然这些改革宣称的目标集中在经济增长、消费者选择和消费者保护方面,但这一政策转变对公众健康的潜在影响亟待关注。本评论认为有必要从公共卫生角度来理解与安大略省赌博政策变化相关的广泛潜在危害,特别是在加拿大其他司法管辖区以及美洲各地考虑采用类似做法之际。它主张开展有针对性的研究,重新构建围绕赌博的政策辩论,从狭隘地关注个人责任转向基于健康的环境、社会和商业决定因素的更广泛理解。公共卫生界必须挺身而出,为公众和决策者提供减轻危害、保护弱势群体以及促进公平健康结果所需的证据。