Keeping play under control
Slots and crash games are entertainment you pay for. Every game on this site has a house edge, which means that over time it returns less than is wagered, and no strategy, bonus or betting pattern changes that. Played with money you can afford to lose and time you have set aside, gambling can be a fun pastime. When it starts to cost more money, time or peace of mind than you planned, it is time to stop and, if you need it, to talk to someone.
You must be 19 or older to gamble in most of Canada, and 18 or older in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. This page lists the free help lines in every province and territory, the tools that help you stay in control, and the signs that gambling is becoming a problem. Every phone number below was checked against an official source on 22 October 2026.
Free, confidential help lines
Numbers checked on each service's own website, 22 October 2026. In other provinces, your provincial health line can refer you.
Keep gambling in its place
- Set a budget before you start and treat it as the cost of the entertainment, not as money you expect back.
- Set a time limit as well as a money limit; fast games make time disappear.
- Never chase losses. Raising your stake or buying a bonus to win back what you lost is how small losses become large ones.
- Do not gamble with borrowed money, or with money meant for rent, bills or food.
- Avoid gambling when you are upset, stressed, tired or drinking.
- Take regular breaks and keep other hobbies and plans in your week.
Canada's Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines, published by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction at gamblingguidelines.ca, suggest checking three things: how much you gamble, how often, and how many types of gambling you take part in.
Signs that gambling is becoming a problem
Problem gambling rarely starts suddenly. Watch for these signs in yourself or someone close to you:
- Spending more money or time than you planned, again and again.
- Needing bigger stakes to feel the same excitement.
- Going back to win back losses.
- Hiding gambling from family or friends, or lying about it.
- Borrowing money, selling things or missing bills because of gambling.
- Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you try to cut down.
- Gambling getting in the way of work, study, sleep or relationships.
If one or more of these sound familiar, a confidential conversation with a help line is a good first step. You do not need to be in crisis to call, and family members can call too.
Tools that help you stay in control
Licensed casinos offer tools in your account settings. Use them before you need them:
- Deposit limits per day, week or month.
- Loss and wager limits, where offered.
- Session reminders that show how long you have been playing.
- Time-outs that lock your account for a short period.
- Self-exclusion that closes your account for months or years.
In Ontario, BetGuard is the province's self-exclusion tool for regulated online gambling: one registration excludes you from every registered site. In Alberta, AGLC's centralized self-exclusion program covers all registered online gambling sites. In other provinces, ask your provincial gambling help line about self-exclusion programmes. International casinos offer only their own tools, so you would need to exclude from each site separately.
Outside the casino, you can install gambling-blocking software on your devices, and some banks and card issuers can block gambling transactions on request. Ask yours what it offers.
Free gambling help lines by province and territory
These services are free and confidential. Most can also connect you with counselling, support groups and services for family members.
| Province or territory | Service | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | ConnexOntario, 24/7 | 1-866-531-2600 |
| British Columbia | Gambling Support BC, 24/7 | 1-888-795-6111 |
| Alberta | Addiction Helpline (Alberta Health Services) | 1-866-332-2322 |
| Saskatchewan | Problem Gambling Help Line, 24 hours | 1-800-306-6789 |
| Manitoba | Problem Gambling Helpline | 1-800-463-1554 |
| Quebec | Jeu : aide et référence, 24/7 | 1-800-461-0140 (Montreal: 514-527-0140) |
| New Brunswick | Gambling Information Line | 1-800-461-1234 |
| Nova Scotia | Gambling Support Network | 1-888-347-8888 |
| Prince Edward Island | PEI Gambling Support Line | 1-855-255-4255 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Problem Gambling Help Line | 1-888-899-4357 |
| Yukon | Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services | 1-866-456-3838 |
| Northwest Territories | General Help Line | 1-800-661-0844 |
| Nunavut | Kamatsiaqtut Help Line | 1-800-265-3333 |
The Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and territorial numbers are listed by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction on its gambling help page. In Nova Scotia, the 24/7 Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line is 1-888-429-8167.
If you are in crisis
If gambling has left you feeling hopeless or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.
More support in Canada and online
- Responsible Gambling Council: a Canadian non-profit with information on safer play, self-exclusion and finding treatment.
- Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines: Canada's guidelines from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, with a self-check.
- Gambling Therapy: a free global online support service run by Gordon Moody, with advice and emotional support for anyone affected by gambling.
- Gamblers Anonymous: peer support meetings for people who want to stop gambling.
Keeping gambling away from minors
Online gambling is for adults only: 19+, or 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. Free demos use play money, but they are still gambling games and are not meant for children. If you share a device, keep casino logins private, do not save payment details in the browser, and use the parental controls on your phone, tablet or computer to block gambling sites.
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Written by Owen Brassard, Slot analyst
Fact-checked by Nadia Roy, Fact-checker - every figure on this page is compared with the provider's own published material.
Updated · Our review process