Responsible Gambling

A Word from Gale

I have been gambling for over 15 years, and in that time I have seen what happens when it crosses the line from entertainment to compulsion. I have watched friends who started out having fun at the tables end up chasing losses they could not afford. I have had my own stretches where I needed to step back, close the laptop, and go for a long walk in the woods before I did something financially reckless. This page exists because I take this seriously.

Every casino on my site is one I have tested and recommend. But no casino - no matter how fast the payouts or how fair the bonuses - is worth gambling money you need for rent, groceries, or your family. If you are depositing more than you can comfortably lose, lying about how much time or money you spend gambling, or feeling anxious when you are not playing, please read this page carefully and reach out to the resources below. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is the smartest bet you will ever make.

Every province in Canada offers free, confidential gambling support. These services are staffed by trained professionals who have heard it all before. They are there to help, not to judge.

Self-exclusion is a voluntary program that lets you ban yourself from gambling venues and online platforms for a set period. It is a tool - a practical one. Here is how it works in the provinces most relevant to my readers:

Important note about offshore casinos: Provincial self-exclusion programs only apply to domestically regulated gambling platforms. Offshore casinos - including the ones reviewed on this site - are not covered by provincial programs. If you need to self-exclude from an offshore casino, contact their customer support directly and request account closure. Every reputable offshore casino will honour that request. Most process it within 24 hours.

Be honest with yourself. If you recognize any of these patterns in your own behaviour, it is time to take a step back - or reach out for help:

• Chasing losses. You deposit again to try to win back what you lost, even when you told yourself you would stop. The voice that says "one more deposit and I'll break even" is the most dangerous voice in gambling.
• Gambling with money you cannot afford to lose. If the money you are depositing was meant for rent, groceries, bills, or savings, that is a problem. Entertainment money is money you would be comfortable setting on fire - because that is essentially what you are doing.
• Hiding your gambling. If you are lying to your partner, family, or friends about how much time or money you spend gambling, ask yourself why you feel the need to hide it.
• Needing bigger bets to feel excitement. If C$10 used to be a thrill and now you need C$100 or C$500 to feel anything, your tolerance has built up the same way it does with any addictive behaviour.
• Feeling anxious or irritable when not gambling. If not being able to play makes you restless, agitated, or distracted, that is a sign of dependency.
• Borrowing money to gamble. Taking out loans, using credit cards you cannot pay off, or asking people for money to fund your casino account.
• Neglecting responsibilities. Missing work, cancelling plans, skipping family events, or falling behind on obligations because you are gambling instead.
• Using gambling to escape. Turning to casino games to numb stress, sadness, loneliness, or boredom - using it as a coping mechanism rather than entertainment.

If you recognized yourself in three or more of those, please call one of the helplines above. The people on the other end of those calls have heard every version of this story, and they are trained to help without judgment. Making that call is the strongest thing you can do.

These are the rules I have followed for 15 years. They are not complicated, but they have kept gambling in the "entertainment" column of my life rather than letting it drift somewhere darker. Take them or leave them - but they work for me.

• Set a budget before you open the casino. Decide how much you are willing to lose tonight. Write the number down if you have to. When that money is gone, close the tab. Do not deposit again. The budget is the budget.
• Never chase a loss. The money is gone. Depositing more to win it back is how small losses become catastrophic ones. I have seen it happen too many times to people I care about. Walk away.
• Take breaks. Set a timer on your phone. Every 45 minutes, stand up, walk outside, take the dog around the block, look at the trees, breathe some air. Your decision-making deteriorates the longer you sit at a screen. Breaks reset your judgment.
• Never gamble when you are impaired. Drunk, stressed, angry, exhausted - none of these states are compatible with good gambling decisions. If you have had a bad day, go for a hike instead. The casino will be there tomorrow.
• Withdraw your winnings. When you are ahead, take the money off the table. Send it back to your wallet. Do not let it sit in the casino balance where it is psychologically easier to give back. A win only counts when the money is in your pocket.