Gambling help in Canada

Gambling problems usually build slowly. Ask yourself whether any of these sound familiar:

• You often spend more money or time than you planned.
• You bet more to get the same excitement.
• You go back to win back what you lost.
• You borrow money, use credit or sell things to gamble or to cover gambling debts.
• You hide your gambling from people close to you, or feel guilty about it.
• You feel restless or irritable when you try to cut back.
• Gambling is affecting your sleep, work, studies or relationships.
• You gamble to escape stress, low mood or other problems.

One or two of these don't mean you have a gambling disorder, but they're a good reason to look at your habits. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction has a short risk assessment tool you can try.

Canada's Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines, from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, set three limits that work together:

• Spend no more than 1% of your household income before tax each month. On C$70,000 a year, that's about C$58 a month.
• Gamble no more than four times a month.
• If you gamble regularly, stick to no more than two types of games.

The guidelines suggest gambling less, or not at all, if you've had problems with alcohol, cannabis or other drugs, live with anxiety or depression, or have a personal or family history of gambling problems. Fast games with frequent bets, such as slots and many online games, can lead to problems more quickly.

• Deposit limits. Cap what you can deposit per day, week or month. Set the limit in your account before your first deposit. Lowering a limit should take effect straight away; check how long an increase takes.
• Loss and wager limits. Some casinos also let you cap your losses or total bets over a period.
• Reality checks. A pop-up that tells you how long you've been playing and how much you've won or lost.
• Time-outs. A short break, from a day to a few weeks, when you can't log in or deposit.
• Self-exclusion. A longer block, often six months or more, that you can't undo early. The casino closes or locks your account and should stop sending you marketing.
• Blocks outside the casino. Ask your bank whether it can block gambling payments, and use your phone's screen-time settings or blocking software to keep gambling sites out of reach.

Self-exclusion with your provincial lottery corporation covers its own sites and venues. It doesn't reach offshore casinos, so if you play on other sites, self-exclude with each one as well.

1. Call your helpline. The line for each province and territory we cover is listed on this page. Calls are free and confidential, and the person you speak to can refer you to counselling or treatment.
2. Talk to your doctor. They can help with the stress, sleep or mood problems that often come with gambling harm, and refer you on.
3. Find people who understand. Peer support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous meet in person and online.
4. Get help with money. A non-profit credit counselling service can help you make a plan for gambling debts.
5. In a crisis, call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, at any time. If you're in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Gambling harm affects family and friends too, and you can call a helpline about someone else's gambling. Talk to the person at a calm moment, say what you've noticed without blame, and avoid paying off their debts, which can make it easier to keep gambling. Protect your own finances, for example by keeping separate accounts.