Gambling Help and OLG My PlayBreak
This page points to help for when gambling no longer feels like an evening out. It gives the ConnexOntario help line, walks through My PlayBreak self-exclusion for casinos, and mentions BetGuard for online play.
Casinos and online casino gaming in Ontario are 19+.
Part 1
ConnexOntario: one call, any hour
ConnexOntario picks up around the clock, any day, at 1-866-531-2600, and calls are free and confidential. Calling is not the only route. You can text CONNEX to 247247, use live chat or send an email.
The service refers people to help rather than treating them itself. Think of it as a switchboard that knows the options. If the worry is about a partner, parent or friend, the same line is a sensible place to start.
Part 2
My PlayBreak and BetGuard self-exclusion
OLG's self-exclusion program goes by the name My PlayBreak. To start it for casinos, phone the OLG Support Centre on 1-800-387-0098, email Self-Exclusion@olg.ca, or speak with staff at the venue. Terms run from 3 months to 5 years.
Casino registration includes a photo. That photo is used with facial recognition cameras at casinos. For OLG.ca, the program sits under the My PlayBreak tab in the account.
Online play elsewhere has its own tool. BetGuard, launched on May 14, 2026, is Ontario's centralized self-exclusion from all regulated online gaming sites. It is open to people 19+, with terms of 6 months to 5 years, through BetGuard.ca.
Part 3
Signs worth taking seriously
- Money set aside for the evening keeps running out, and more gets spent anyway.
- Losses start to feel like something to win back on the next visit.
- Play gets hidden from a partner, family or friends, or the amounts get shaded.
- Borrowing, or dipping into money meant for bills, starts to fund gambling.
- Days without playing bring restlessness or a short temper. Any of these is reason enough to call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600.