The health impacts of gambling expansion in Toronto

The Medical Officer of Health undertook this staff report in collaboration with the experts in gambling addiction from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to consider, from a public health perspective, the implications of a casino in Toronto. [...] The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto 1 Hosting a new casino in Toronto is anticipated to increase the frequency and severity of problem gambling in the city, and the associated negative health impacts on individuals, families and communities. [...] RECOMMENDATIONS The Medical Officer of Health recommends that: 1. The Board of Health endorse the Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health (see Attachment 1); 2. The Board of Health request the City Manager to make the Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health available to all participants in the public consultation process, including through the City M [...] The scope of this report to the Board of Health complements the summary of the broader impacts of a casino as reviewed in the October 26th, 2012 report from the City Manager. [...] One of the main concerns with the introduction of gambling is how it can impact the development of problem gambling in some people.6,7 Researchers who define problem gambling as including both moderate risk and the most severe form of problem gambling estimate that the prevalence of problem gambling in Ontario is between 1.2%1 and 3.4%.8 Based on data collected through the 2007/08 Canadian Communi