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Nova Scotia’s Finance Minister John Lohr says the province is closely watching how other Canadian provinces are expanding online gambling, while opposition leaders urge extreme caution before any similar moves are made in Nova Scotia.
Province Monitors Online Gambling Expansion
Lohr told reporters this week that “gaming is in a time of incredible transformation.” Ontario opened its online gambling market in 2022, and Alberta followed most recently in July. “We’re watching what’s happening in Ontario and Alberta, in particular, very carefully,” Lohr said. “And obviously, those are conversations that are underway right now.”
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Currently, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation operates the only government-authorized and regulated online gambling platform in Nova Scotia. However, Lohr acknowledged that many Nova Scotians are already using unregulated sites. “I think anyone can access thousands of gaming sites on their phone through the internet, and this is a very significant issue,” he said.
Health Concerns Drive Caution
Lohr also expressed concern about the health risks linked to unregulated online gambling. “We don’t feel like we have any handle on it at all as a province,” he said. “There are significant harms for people who become addicted to gambling through it.”
A study released last month found that emergency department visits for gambling disorders had doubled in Ontario since the province expanded online gambling and legalized single-event sports betting. Dr. Peter Selby, a senior scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, warned that young people face particular risks. He noted that online gambling among Ontario high school students rose from about one percent in 2019 to roughly nine percent today. “The problem is the way age verification is done, the way sports betting is marketed by sports figures, celebrities and influencers,” Selby said.
Opposition Calls for Careful Approach
NDP Leader Claudia Chender said she does not want the government to deepen its involvement in online gambling. “I think that we should tread very, very carefully before we get more into that business as a government,” she said.
Meanwhile, Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin argued that a public health risk assessment should come first. He said that assessment must happen before the province considers any expansion of gambling services. Together, both opposition leaders signaled that public health must take priority over potential revenue gains.
As Nova Scotia weighs its options on online gambling, the growing evidence of harm in Ontario adds pressure on the province to act cautiously. Minister Lohr has not announced any specific policy changes, but confirmed that internal discussions are ongoing.
