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If you need help right now
If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health crisis anywhere in Canada, call or text 9-8-8 (Suicide Crisis Helpline).
For gambling specifically:
- ConnexOntario — 24/7, free, confidential. Call 1-866-531-2600, text CONNEX to 247247, or chat at connexontario.ca.
- Gambling Therapy — international, free online support groups: gamblingtherapy.org.
Warning signs to take seriously
- You're spending more than you budgeted and repeatedly exceeding limits you set for yourself.
- You're chasing losses — trying to win back what you've lost.
- You're gambling with money meant for rent, groceries, or other obligations.
- You're hiding gambling activity from family or partners.
- You're irritable or anxious when not gambling.
- You've lied about how much you've lost.
Any one of these warrants a conversation with a support service. Two or three is a clear signal to reach out today.
Tools a well-built casino account typically offers
- Deposit, wager, loss, and session-time limits (daily / weekly / monthly).
- Cooling-off periods (24 h to 72 h).
- Self-exclusion — operator-specific and, where available, province-wide.
- Reality-check session reminders.
- Direct links to local support services.
These tools are commonly offered on Canadian-facing operator sites, and availability varies operator by operator. Provincial platforms (Espacejeux, PlayNow, Play Alberta, Atlantic Lottery) offer their own versions. Check the specific operator's own account settings for what's currently supported on the account you're using — third-party summaries lag operator-side changes.
Provincial support lines
| Province | Service | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | ConnexOntario | 1-866-531-2600 · connexontario.ca |
| Quebec | Jeu: aide et référence | 1-800-461-0140 · aidejeu.ca |
| British Columbia | BC Gambling Support Line | 1-888-795-6111 |
| Alberta | AHS Addiction Helpline | 1-866-332-2322 |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Addictions Helpline | 1-855-662-6605 |
| Saskatchewan | Problem Gambling Helpline | 1-800-306-6789 |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Gambling Support Network | 1-888-347-8888 |
| New Brunswick | Problem Gambling Help Line | 1-800-461-1234 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | NL 811 / Bridge the gApp | dial 811 |
| PEI | Addictions Services | 1-888-299-8399 |
| Yukon, NWT, Nunavut | Territorial addictions services | See your territorial health portal |
Phone numbers change occasionally. If one above doesn't connect, 2-1-1 (Canadian community support) can route you locally.
Self-exclusion programs
Self-exclusion means voluntarily banning yourself from one or many gambling venues for a defined period. The person operating the ban (casino, provincial platform) is then responsible for keeping you out. Two levels:
- Per-operator: in the operator's own account settings, on the casino you have an account with.
- Provincial / multi-operator: some provinces run a single self-exclusion programme — for example, Ontario's programme via OLG and province-wide self-exclusion services. Once listed, you can't enter listed operators in that province.
Self-exclusion is one of the most effective tools in the set. It also applies to physical casinos where such programs exist.
For families and friends
If you're worried about someone else's gambling, provincial support lines above also help you — you don't have to be the gambler to call. GamTalk (international) at gamtalk.org runs peer support for affected families.
Two practical tips: do not cover the person's losses (it accelerates the cycle), and don't confront them while an active session is on. Calm, pre-planned conversations work better than in-the-moment arguments.