Quebec residents diagnosed with gambling disorder used specialized rehabilitation services sparingly over 13 years, averaging fewer than two treatments despite free access to care. The finding came from a McGill University and Douglas Research Centre study published in the Journal of Gambling Studies in April.
According to a university release carried by EurekAlert, the researchers followed more than 2,300 people with gambling disorder and linked addiction-centre records with provincial health and social data. The aim was to measure how often patients returned for treatment and which factors were tied to repeat admissions.
Among people who received care, about 42% had multiple admissions. That suggested some patients returned repeatedly, but the overall pattern was still one of limited use of specialized services.
The team found that online gamblers were about 15% more likely to use support services than other gamblers. Fleury said about 10% of participants were identified as online gamblers, probably an underestimate.
The release said online betting, especially sports wagering through websites and mobile apps, can make gambling easier to sustain and harder to control. Ovidiu Tatar said online gambling makes impulse easier, which can increase the risk of relapse and repeated treatment.
Fleury’s main recommendation was to widen screening for gambling-related problems across the health system. She singled out emergency departments, where patients presenting with alcohol or drug disorders may also have gambling addiction.
She also called for more use of liaison nurses, more referrals to outpatient services, and more systematic screening by family physicians. The release said gambling problems can remain hidden for years when doctors do not ask and patients do not disclose them.
The researchers also found that people with mental health conditions were more likely than other gamblers to return for multiple treatments, while those who sought help on their own were more likely to come back. Fleury said gambling disorder often needs sustained, long-term care and should be treated as a chronic condition for some patients, comparable to substance-related disorders.
