Responsible Gambling
By the TheyShoot editorial team. Updated
Gambling should be fun, not a way to make money. If it stops being fun, free and confidential help is available 24 hours a day in the UK and across Canada. You must be 18 or over to gamble in the UK, and 19 or over in most of Canada (18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec).
Help in the UK
- National Gambling Helpline (GamCare): 0808 8020 133, free, 24/7.
- BeGambleAware: advice and support at begambleaware.org.
- GamStop: block yourself from UK-licensed gambling sites at gamstop.co.uk.
Help in Canada
- Ontario: ConnexOntario, 1-866-531-2600.
- British Columbia: BC Gambling Support Line, 1-888-795-6111.
- Alberta: Addiction Helpline, 1-866-332-2322.
- Québec: Jeu : aide et référence, 1-800-461-0140.
- Other provinces and territories run their own free helplines; your provincial health line can connect you.
Warning signs
- Spending more money or time than you planned, or chasing losses.
- Borrowing money or hiding gambling from people close to you.
- Feeling anxious, low or irritable when you aren't gambling.
Ways to stay in control
- Set a budget before you start and treat it as the cost of entertainment.
- Use deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion tools offered by licensed operators.
- Never treat tips, including ours, as a sure thing. Every bet can lose.