Gambling is something that is not new to Canada. It is a huge business that is regulated and permitted by law – a type of entertainment that is enjoyed by both tourists and locals. Canada makes a lot of money from gambling every year, and if you are curious as to how Canadian gambling habits translate into numbers, then please read on as this is what we try to analyze in the following article.
Canada’s Growing Gambling Industry
It is estimated that about 76% of Canadians participate in some type of gambling. Playing casino games and betting on sports is something that is culturally accepted across the country and rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars every year for the Canadian economy. As technology gets better and better, it is safe to say that the number of Canadians gambling will continue to grow.
In fact, technology is something that has already played a huge role in the number of people gambling in Canada. Nowadays, thanks to the Internet, you do not even have to leave the comfort of your own to get your gambling fix. You can simply sign up with an online casino, log into your account from your sofa or bed and play whatever game you feel like.
Game Preferences
During a recent chat I had with Charlotte Fitzgerald which is the editor in chief of the real money online casino comparison site casimoose.ca/real-money/, we have established that the most popular type of gambling activity in Canada by some distance is the lottery – it is estimated that about 65% of Canadian gamblers play the lottery. This was followed by scratchies with 36% and casino games with 22%. A study that was carried out in 2013 showed that 49% of those who took part said that they would play a slot game whenever they go and visit a land-based casino. When the spending potential of the survey respondents were analyzed, it was found that most money is bet on slots. Then it was followed by lottery tickets, and then card games like poker and blackjack. This study did not take sports betting into account, and this is something that is really popular in Canada. However, lottery slips are what most Canadian gamblers put their trust in – in fact, lottery such a part of Canadian life that many people do not even consider it to be gambling.
Age Distribution
The age at which you are legally able to gamble in Canada is 18 or 19 – this will depend on the province that you are living in. However, stats indicate that the younger generation, those between the ages of 18 and 24, would rather play video games than gamble. The average age range of those who gamble the most in Canada is 35-50, with the majority of slot players being between the age of 55 and 64. Interestingly, the old generation seem to gamble a lot more, but this probably should not come as too much of a surprise as this demographic usually has more time on their hands and will usually have more spare money that can be used to gamble.
How Much Do Canadians Spend on Gambling?
So, on average, how much money does the average Canadian spend on casino games. Well, national data states that about 60% the population gambles. From this percentage, about 43% will spend between $1-20 each money, 14% will spend between $20 and $100 a month, while just 3% will wager more than $100 a month.
Do Men Gamble More Than Women?
If you did not look at casino stats, then you would probably assume that men gamble more than women. This is spot on if we only look at gambling online, where 80% of participants are male and just 20% are female. However, brick and mortar stats will give you a more balanced picture. Around 43% of women declare that they do not take part in gambling, while 37% of men say the same thing. What this shows us is that men do gamble more than women, but the percentage difference is not as high as many expect.
Problem Gambling in Canada
Many people who have a problem will often tell you that they do not, and that is exactly the same issue that people have when it comes to an online gambling addiction. With a gambling addiction, many are in denial or believe that they could not stop gambling even if they really wanted to. Around 2% of Canadian gamblers claim that they have thought of themselves as being problem gamblers. However, this is most likely a false statistic as there are bound to be more than 2% of Canadian gamblers with an addiction, but they cannot see that they have a problem. Below we have given you some typical signs of a problem gambler:
- They would rather gamble than do something that they used to enjoy doing
- They are always late for work or appointments due to gambling
- They have a pile of unpaid bills because they spent the bill money gambling
- They no longer care about socializing with family or friends
- They disappear for long periods of time
- They speak about gambling a lot
- They are moody for no apparent reason
If you see a loved one exhibit any of the above behaviors, or you exhibit them yourself, then there is a good chance that they (or you) have a gambling addiction and are in need of some professional help. For more information about problem gambling, head on over to the National Council on Problem Gambling. They have a team of professionals that can help you or a love one overcome any gambling problems that you have.
