Responsible gambling in Canada
Gambling should cost you only what you’ve set aside for fun. If it has started to cost more — money, sleep, time with people — the lines below are free, confidential and staffed by people who hear it every day.
Help by province and territory
| Where | Line | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | ConnexOntario, 24/7; text CONNEX to 247247 [1] | 1-866-531-2600 |
| Québec | Jeu : aide et référence / Gambling: Help and Referral, 24/7 [2] | 1-800-461-0140 |
| British Columbia | Gambling Support Line, 24/7 [3] | 1-888-795-6111 |
| Alberta | Health Link, including problem gambling, 24/7 [4] | 811 |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Gambling Helpline, 24/7 [5] | 1-800-463-1554 |
| Saskatchewan | Problem Gambling Helpline [6] | 1-800-306-6789 |
| New Brunswick | Gambling Information Line [6] | 1-800-461-1234 |
| Prince Edward Island | Problem Gambling Help Line [6] | 1-855-255-4255 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Problem Gambling Help Line [6] | 1-888-899-4357 |
| Nova Scotia and the territories | Current numbers on the Responsible Gambling Council list [6] | see the list |
The Responsible Gambling Council keeps the national list of lines and self-help tools at responsiblegambling.org — the quickest place to check a number for your region.
Crypto doesn’t switch off the usual tools
Provincial self-exclusion programs cover the sites they regulate. Offshore crypto casinos aren’t part of them, so the casino’s own tools are the ones that apply there:
- Deposit limits and cool-off periods in the account settings or through live support. Set them before you deposit, not after a loss.
- Self-exclusion on request. Ask support to close the account for a fixed period or for good, and keep the confirmation email.
- A separate wallet. A wallet that only holds what you’ve set aside for play makes the limit physical.
- Blocking software on your phone and computer can block gambling sites across the board, offshore ones included.
Signs worth taking seriously
- Chasing losses with a bigger deposit or a different coin.
- Moving money from savings, credit or crypto you meant to keep.
- Hiding how much you play from people close to you.
- Feeling restless or irritable when you try to stop.
If any of these sound familiar, one call to the line for your province is a good first step. You don’t have to decide anything on that call.
Age
You must be 19 or older to gamble in most of Canada, and 18 or older in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. Offshore casinos set their own minimum age in their terms; the provincial age still applies to you.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these pages. Casinos change terms without notice, so each line carries the date we read it.
- ConnexOntario — read September 25, 2026
- Jeu : aide et référence / Gambling: Help and Referral — read September 25, 2026
- Government of British Columbia — Gambling Support BC — read September 25, 2026
- Alberta Health Services — Addiction Helpline and Health Link 811 — read September 25, 2026
- Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries — Manitoba Gambling Helpline — read September 25, 2026
- Responsible Gambling Council — help for Canadians, lines for all provinces and territories — read September 25, 2026