Public service desk

Gambling should cost you entertainment money and nothing else

Every game listed on this site is built to return less than it takes over time. That is not a scandal, it is how the business works, and it is exactly why a budget matters more than a strategy.

Set the limits first

· Decide the amount before you deposit, and treat it as spent the moment it lands.
· Use the operator’s own deposit, loss and session limits. They are in account settings and they work.
· Never deposit money set aside for rent, food, bills or debt.
· Do not chase a loss. A bigger stake does not make a previous spin come back.
· Keep a clock in view. Casino lobbies are designed not to have one.

Warning signs

· Playing longer or for more than you planned, repeatedly.
· Borrowing, or hiding the spending from people close to you.
· Feeling you need to gamble to fix a financial problem.
· Restlessness or irritation when you try to cut back.
· Gambling to escape stress, low mood or boredom rather than for fun.

If more than one of these sounds familiar, talking to someone is the useful next step.

ConnexOntario

1-866-531-2600 — free, confidential, 24 hours a day, across Ontario.

Call now

Canada-wide support

Every province funds its own problem gambling helpline and counselling service. Your provincial health line can put you through to the right one.

Self-exclusion

Licensed operators must offer self-exclusion and deposit limits inside your account settings. Provincial programmes cover land-based venues separately.

You must be 19 or older to gamble in most Canadian provinces, and 18 or older in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. Casino Insider CA does not operate casinos and cannot restrict, close or self-exclude an account for you — those requests go to the operator directly.