Responsible gambling: Tips for responsible gambling – Canada
For Canadian players, gambling rules and support services can vary by province; check the options that apply in your province before making a deposit.
Gambling is adult entertainment
The legal minimum age for gambling varies across Canada. Confirm the rule that applies in your province or territory before using any gambling service. Gambling is entertainment, not a way to make money.
Make a pause plan before gambling in Canada
Before gambling in Canada, write down a money limit, a time limit and a date to review your activity. The money limit should come only from disposable funds left after housing, food, bills and savings.
Stop gambling in Canada immediately if you begin chasing losses, hiding activity, borrowing money or moving a limit while playing. Use the local support resource below rather than waiting for the situation to become more severe.
- Review your Canada gambling history at least weekly and compare actual time and money with your limits, including deposits, withdrawals and pending withdrawals. If you avoid the review or leave losses out, pause and ask for outside support.
- Do not use credit, loans, rent or bill money to gamble in Canada. Turn off marketing notifications, enable deposit limits and keep the local support contact somewhere other than the gambling device so it remains available when needed.
- If gambling in Canada creates an immediate financial or personal-safety crisis, close gambling accounts, use payment blocks offered by your bank and contact local health or crisis services without delay.
- During a break, do not follow gambling results or promotions in Canada. Make a realistic repayment or savings plan that does not rely on further gambling, and ask a trusted person to review the situation with you. Losses do not need to be, and should not be, won back.
Keep limits for gambling in Canada separate from casino promotions: a limit should not increase after a win, loss or new offer. Record the starting balance, deposits, withdrawals and time in one place. If the casino history does not match the bank transactions, stop and resolve the difference before making another payment. This keeps the decision tied to actual figures rather than the emotion of a session.
Tips for responsible gambling
- Decide in advance how much you're willing to lose — and stick to it
- Don't chase losses — it usually only leads to bigger losses
- Take breaks — don't play for hours on end
- Don't gamble while intoxicated
- Gambling is not a solution to financial problems
- Keep gambling separate from the rest of your life — family, work and friends first
Recognizing problem gambling
The following signs may indicate a gambling problem:
- You gamble more than you planned
- You try to hide your gambling from loved ones
- You borrow money to gamble
- Gambling causes anxiety or insomnia
- You neglect work, studies or relationships due to gambling
- You try to win back lost money
Help is available
If you recognize signs of problem gambling in yourself or a loved one, help is available free of charge and confidentially.
Self-exclusion
You can set a self-exclusion on most casino sites. Most licensed casinos offer self-exclusion options.
Ontario support for gambling concerns
ConnexOntario provides a free and confidential route to gambling-treatment information and local services in Ontario. Its service is specifically for Ontario, so players elsewhere in Canada should use the support service available in their own province or territory.
Open ConnexOntario gambling supportAge limits
Canada does not have one national gambling age. The applicable minimum age is set provincially or territorially, and operators must verify eligibility under the local rules.