Responsible Gambling

Everything on the rest of this site assumes gambling is entertainment you can afford. This page is for when that stops being true — for you or for someone near you. Help is free, confidential, and available right now.

Get Help Today

ConnexOntario — 1-866-531-2600. Free and confidential, 24 hours a day, every day. Ontario-based and the most widely used service in the country.

Your provincial service. British Columbia: BC Responsible & Problem Gambling Program. Alberta: AHS Addiction Helpline, 1-866-332-2322. Quebec: Gambling Help & Referral, 1-800-461-0140. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces each run a free provincial helpline. Every one of them will talk to you whether you gambled on a provincial site or an offshore one.

Gamblers Anonymous runs free meetings in most Canadian cities and online.

Signs Worth Taking Seriously

Gambling harm rarely announces itself. It looks like this:

• Depositing more than you planned, more often than you planned
• Chasing a loss with a bigger stake to get back to even
• Borrowing, or moving money you had set aside for something else
• Hiding how much you play from people who would be worried
• Playing to escape stress, boredom or low mood rather than for fun
• Feeling irritable or restless when you try to stop
• Time spent playing steadily displacing work, sleep or people

One of these is worth noticing. Three is worth a phone call.

Tools That Actually Work

Deposit limits. Every operator we cover has them in the account settings. Set one on the day you open the account, while the decision is abstract — it is much harder to set a sensible limit in the middle of a losing session, which is exactly when it matters.

Session reminders and time-outs. Most sites can pop a reminder at an interval you choose, and can lock the account for a fixed period.

Self-exclusion. A longer lock, from months to permanently. Provincial programs cover provincial sites; offshore operators run their own schemes, which is a real limitation of playing outside a provincial framework and one you should weigh before you deposit.

Blocking software. Gamban and BetBlocker install on your devices and block gambling sites at the network level, independently of any operator's cooperation. BetBlocker is free.

Bank-level blocks. Several Canadian banks and card issuers can block gambling transactions on your account. Ask them.

If It Is Someone Else

You do not need their permission to get advice. The provincial helplines above support family and friends, and they will not ask you to confront anyone. Practical things that help: do not lend money or cover a debt, do not gamble with them or for them, and keep your own finances separate. You did not cause it and you cannot fix it by managing it for them.

What We Will Never Do

We will not tell you a system beats the house edge, because none does. We will not use countdown clocks or fake scarcity to rush a signup. We will not tell you a losing streak is due to turn. And we would rather you close this page and call the number above than open an account today.