Responsible gambling

Adults only, and only where it is legal

Every province and territory in Canada sets its own gambling rules. The minimum age is 19 in most of the country and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. Ontario has a regulated online market overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario; most other provinces offer online casino games through their provincial lottery corporations. Play only where it is permitted for residents of your province.

The demo is not practice for winning

The free Chicken Road demo helps you understand the rules and the speed of the game. It does not teach you to win, because every lane is random and independent of the one before. A good streak in the demo says nothing about what happens with real money, so use it to learn the game rather than to warm up for a session.

Set limits before you play

Crash-style games run in seconds, so they can swallow more time and money than you planned. Before you start:

• set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits in your casino account,
• use session reminders or a phone timer,
• play only with money you can afford to lose without touching bills or savings,
• do not play when you are tired, upset or have been drinking.

Warning signs

Take a break and think it over if any of these sound familiar:

• you play to win back what you lost,
• you raise your stakes to feel the same excitement,
• you hide how much you play from family or friends,
• you borrow money or use money meant for something else,
• you feel restless or irritable when you cannot play,
• work, school or relationships suffer because of gambling.

Breaks and self-exclusion

Regulated casinos offer cooling-off periods and longer self-exclusion from your account settings. If you feel control slipping, switch them on and ask support to close your account. Several provinces also run self-exclusion programs that cover their own gaming sites, and blocking software can stop gambling sites from loading on your devices.

Free, confidential help

You do not have to deal with it alone. In Ontario, ConnexOntario answers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 1-866-531-2600, by text (send CONNEX to 247247) or by live chat, at no cost. It connects people with problem gambling, addiction and mental health services across the province. Other provinces run their own free support lines, and your family doctor can refer you to local treatment. Talking to someone you trust is often the first step.

Small habits that help

• Decide your budget before you open the casino, not during a session.
• Do not save your card in the casino account; the extra few seconds at each deposit give you time to reconsider.
• Keep a simple note of what you deposit and withdraw each month.
• See every deposit as the cost of entertainment, never as an investment.

What a well-run casino does for you

A properly regulated operator checks your identity and age, lets you set deposit and time limits, offers cooling-off and self-exclusion, and shows links to support services. If a site asks for none of this and offers no way to limit your play, take it as a strong sign to stay away.

If you are worried about someone

Pick a calm moment and describe what you have noticed, without blame: the time spent on the phone, the missing money, the mood after a loss. Avoid paying off their debts or handing over cash for one last time. ConnexOntario also talks with family members, not only with people who gamble.