Safer gambling
How to keep gambling under control: set limits before you play, use the tools casinos offer, spot the warning signs and find free help.
Gambling should be entertainment you pay for, not a way to make money. Casino games are built so the casino keeps more than it pays out over time. Set a budget and a time limit before you play, use the deposit limits and time-outs your casino offers, and stop if it stops being fun. If you're worried about your gambling or someone else's, free and confidential help is available.
Before you play
- You must be of legal age where you live: 19+ in the parts of Canada we cover (18+ in Manitoba and Quebec), and 18+ in Ireland.
- Decide how much you can afford to lose, and treat it as spent.
- Set a deposit limit in your account before your first deposit.
- Decide when you'll stop, whether you're up or down.
- Don't gamble with credit, borrowed money or money you need for bills.
- Don't gamble when you're upset, tired or drinking.
Tools that help
Casinos offer tools to help you stay in control. Deposit and loss limits cap what you can spend. Reality checks remind you how long you've played. Time-outs give you a short break, and self-exclusion blocks you for months or years. Your bank may also be able to block gambling payments, and your phone's screen-time settings can limit time on gambling sites and apps. Our reviews note which tools each casino offers.
Warning signs
- Spending more money or time than you planned.
- Chasing losses, or betting more to get the same thrill.
- Borrowing money or hiding gambling from people close to you.
- Feeling anxious or irritable when you try to cut back.
If any of these sound familiar, talk to someone. You don't need to wait until things are bad.
Where to get help
- Canada: helplines for each province and territory we cover are on our Canadian gambling help page. In a crisis, call or text 9-8-8.
- Ireland: support services are on our Irish gambling help page.
What we do
Every Casino Reach page carries a safer-gambling message. We don't use urgency, countdowns or pushy buttons, we never suggest that winning is likely or that gambling can solve money problems, and we don't aim our pages at anyone under the legal age.