HomeLimits and help
Limits before the casino, help after
A limit on money and time is easier to keep when it is set at home, before the trip to Bay Street. Help in Ontario is one phone call away, and the numbers are listed below.
By the Bay Street deskChecked October 13, 2026
Set the limit at home
Decide two numbers before leaving home: how much money to spend and how long to stay. Treat that money as the cost of the outing, like a ticket, not as money to win back. Take breaks away from the floor and check the clock. When the amount is gone, the visit is over.
Every casino game has a house edge, a built-in advantage written into its rules. Over time, players as a group lose more than they win, so losing is the expected result. In Ontario, no one under 19 may enter or stay in a casino, except staff at work.
Where to get help in Ontario
- ConnexOntario is Ontario's help line for problem gambling, mental health and addiction: call 1-866-531-2600, free and confidential, at any hour. People can also text CONNEX to 247247 or chat at connexontario.ca.
- My PlayBreak, OLG's self-exclusion program, lets a person bar themselves from every Ontario casino for 3 or 6 months or 1 to 5 years. The term cannot be shortened; to enrol, call the OLG Support Centre at 1-800-387-0098, ask casino staff or visit a PlaySmart Centre.
- OLG's Virtual PlaySmart Centre answers at 1-833-888-2306, 7 days a week, from 11 am to 7 pm.
- BetGuard, at betguard.ca, opts a person out of every regulated online gambling site in Ontario for 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom term. Run by iGaming Ontario, it covers OLG.ca too, but not casinos people walk into, such as the one on Bay Street.
When the worry is about someone else
The help line is not only for the person who gambles. ConnexOntario also takes calls from people worried about someone else's gambling, such as a family member or a friend. The line is free and confidential, and it answers at any hour on 1-866-531-2600. Text CONNEX to 247247 or chat at connexontario.ca to reach the same service.
Short questions, short answers
Is ConnexOntario open at night?
Yes, the line at 1-866-531-2600 answers at any hour, and calls are free and confidential. Text CONNEX to 247247 or chat at connexontario.ca.
Can a My PlayBreak term be shortened?
No, a casino break cannot be shortened once it is chosen. Terms are 3 or 6 months or 1 to 5 years, so the length deserves careful thought before enrolling.
Does BetGuard cover the casino on Bay Street?
No, BetGuard covers regulated online gambling sites in Ontario, including OLG.ca. Casinos people walk into, like the one on Bay Street, use My PlayBreak, which bars entry to every Ontario casino.