Responsible Gambling
If gambling has stopped being fun, calling one of these lines is the simplest first step. No registration, no judgement, no record.
This page lists the provincial helplines available across Canada, the self-exclusion programmes you can enrol in where you live, and the signs that gambling may have become a problem. None of it is medical advice, and none of it replaces talking to someone qualified.
Provincial helplines
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OntarioConnexOntario
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Canada-wideCAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
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British ColumbiaBC Responsible & Problem Gambling
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AlbertaAGLC Help Line
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QuebecAide au jeu
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ManitobaManitoba Addictions Help
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SaskatchewanProblem Gambling Help Line
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Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Lottery Help Line
Self-exclusion programmes
Self-exclusion is a voluntary agreement to be banned from gambling venues, online accounts, or both, for a set period (typically 6 months to 5 years, sometimes lifetime). It is one of the most effective tools available if you’ve decided you want to stop. Programmes vary by province.
GameSense / iGO Self-Exclusion
Ontario’s regulated iGaming operators participate in a centralised self-exclusion programme. Enrolling once removes you from every AGCO-registered operator’s marketing and prevents account creation while the exclusion is active. Land-based exclusion is managed via OLG GameSense.
BCLC Voluntary Self-Exclusion
Covers Alberta-licensed casinos and (post-Bill-48) regulated online operators. Managed by BC Lottery Corporation.
AGLC Self-Exclusion
Covers Alberta-licensed casinos and (from July 2026) regulated online operators under AGLC’s iGaming regime.
Loto-Québec self-exclusion
Covers Casino de Montréal, Casino du Lac-Leamy and Loto-Québec’s EspaceJeux online accounts.
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Voluntary self-exclusion from MBLL casinos and PlayNow.com Manitoba accounts.
SLGA Self-Exclusion
Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority’s voluntary self-exclusion programme for casinos and provincial online sites.
Atlantic Lottery self-exclusion
Covers casinos and online sites operated by Atlantic Lottery Corporation across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador and Prince Edward Island.
Offshore casinos used by players in the rest of Canada offer their own per-operator self-exclusion inside the account settings. Provincial programmes don’t reach offshore operators, so you may need to enrol separately with each operator you’ve signed up with.
Setting limits before you need them
Every reputable operator offers some combination of the tools below. Set them before you start playing rather than after a difficult session. Operators typically apply a delay (24-48 hours) before raising a limit but apply lowered limits immediately.
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Deposit limits
Daily, weekly, or monthly caps on how much you can fund your account with.
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Loss limits
Caps on net losses over a period, useful when deposit limits alone are too forgiving.
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Session limits
A maximum time per playing session, after which you’re logged out automatically.
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Reality checks
Periodic on-screen reminders of how long you’ve been playing during a session.
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Cooling-off periods
Short, reversible breaks, 24 hours to a few weeks, that lock your account temporarily.
Signs gambling may have become a problem
Any of these alone is reason for a conversation with one of the helplines above. None of them mean you’re broken or have failed, they mean it’s worth talking to someone trained to listen.