The COVID-19 pandemic has kept thousands of people isolated in their homes for extended periods of time, and according to an Ontario-based market research company, an increasing number of Canadians are spending that extra time on gambling.
The poll from Abacus Data surveyed 1,500 Canadians between May 7 and 12. It revealed the following insights:
- 20 per cent of those who gambled before the pandemic, and do so currently, say they are gambling more than usual.
- 6 per cent report they are gambling “much more than usual.”
- 44 per cent had logged in and bet one or two days in the last month.
- 35 per cent say that they’re overspending.
- 25 per cent think they might be developing an addiction.
The research also highlighted how men are gambling more than women. This lines up with previous research that shows more than 80 per cent of online gamblers in Canada are men, compared to only 17.6 per cent women.