Responsible Gambling in Alberta

01Understanding Gambling Risks

Every bet and every casino game carries a real chance of losing the money you stake. Sportsbook prices include a margin for the operator, and casino games have a built-in house edge, so over time players as a group lose more than they win. Gambling is not a way to make money, pay bills or recover debts.

Keeping it enjoyable comes down to a few habits:

• Set a budget before you start, using money you can afford to lose — not money for rent, groceries or savings.
• Decide in advance how long you will play and stop when the time is up, win or lose.
• Do not gamble when you are upset, stressed, tired or after drinking alcohol or using cannabis.
• Never borrow money to gamble, and keep gambling in balance with work, family, friends and other interests.

02Sportsbook Risks

Sports betting has its own patterns that can turn a casual bet into a problem. Knowing them makes them easier to spot.

Live Betting

In-play markets reopen every few seconds, so there is always another bet available. Decide before the game starts how much you will spend on it, and do not top that up mid-game.

Repeated Wagering

Placing bet after bet across many games in an evening adds up faster than it feels. Check your bet history regularly and count the total staked, not only the wins.

Chasing Losses

Raising stakes to win back what you lost is the most common sign that gambling is getting out of control. A loss is the cost of the entertainment — accept it and stop for the day.

Impulsive Betting

A late goal, a tip in a group chat or a "can't miss" parlay can trigger bets you had not planned. If a bet was not part of your plan before the game, skip it.

Excessive Gambling

Knowing a lot about a team does not remove the risk. When betting starts to take up more time and money than you intended, or makes watching sport less fun, it is time to set firmer limits or take a break.

03Minimum Age

You must be at least 18 years old to open an account or gamble online in Alberta. The age confirmation shown when you first visit the site does not replace this: every account's date of birth is checked against government-issued photo ID before real-money play.

Accounts found to belong to someone under 18 are closed. If you share a device with young people, use parental controls or filtering software, and never leave your account logged in.

04Recognizing Problem Gambling

Problem gambling can affect anyone, and it often develops gradually. Common warning signs include:

• Spending more money or time on gambling than you planned, again and again.
• Gambling to escape problems, boredom or low mood.
• Hiding gambling from family or friends, or lying about how much you spend.
• Borrowing, selling belongings or missing payments because of gambling.
• Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut back.

If you recognize some of these in yourself or someone you care about, talking to one of the support services is a good first step.

05Quick Self-Assessment

Ask yourself these questions honestly. They are not a diagnosis, but answering "yes" to even one or two is a reason to pause and take stock.

1. Have I bet more than I could really afford to lose in the past few months?
2. Do I need to bet larger amounts to get the same excitement?
3. Have I gone back another day to try to win back money I lost?
4. Have I borrowed money or sold something to gamble?
5. Has gambling caused me stress, anxiety or arguments at home?
6. Have people told me I have a problem with gambling, even if I did not agree?
7. Have I felt guilty about the way I gamble or what happens when I do?
8. Has gambling caused money problems for me or my household?

GameSense Alberta offers free, confidential conversations about any of these — you do not need to be in crisis to call.

06Deposit Limits

A deposit limit caps how much you can add to your account each day, week or month. It is the simplest way to keep spending within the budget you set in a calm moment.

• Lowering a limit takes effect immediately.
• Raising a limit only takes effect after a 7-day cooling-off period; until then, your existing limit stays in force.
• A pending increase can be cancelled at any time during the cooling-off period.

07Loss Limits

A loss limit caps how much you can lose — your stakes minus your winnings — over a set period, regardless of how much you deposit. It is useful if you sometimes reinvest winnings and end up spending more than planned.

Loss limits will be available alongside deposit limits once real-money play opens. Until then, a deposit limit set to the amount you are prepared to lose works in much the same way.

08Time Limits

It is easy to lose track of time during a game or a casino session. Decide how long you will play before you start, and set a phone alarm or a screen-time limit on your device to remind you.

Session time reminders and limits will be added to the account settings when real-money play opens. If you find you regularly play longer than you meant to, a break is a stronger step.

09Gaming Breaks

A break (sometimes called a cool-off or time-out) locks your account for a fixed period. You can choose 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. During a break you cannot deposit or bet, and the break cannot be cancelled early.

Breaks are useful after a frustrating loss, during a busy period at work or simply when you want a pause without closing your account.

10Self-Exclusion

Self-exclusion is a longer, firmer step. You can self-exclude from Sportsinteraction for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. During that time your account is closed for gambling, you will not receive marketing from us, and the exclusion cannot be reversed before it ends.

AGLC voluntary self-exclusion

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) operates a voluntary self-exclusion program for gambling in Alberta. It is separate from excluding yourself on a single site and is designed to help people step away from gambling more broadly. To ask about enrolling, or to find out what the program covers, contact the AGLC at aglc.ca or speak to GameSense Alberta at gamesense.ca.

11Account Restrictions

Deposit limits, breaks and self-exclusion are set from the account area, which requires you to log in, so nobody else can change them for you. You can also ask our support team to apply a restriction on your behalf if you prefer.

We may also restrict or close an account ourselves — for example, if we have reason to believe the holder is under 18, is excluded, or shows signs of gambling-related harm.

These tools are in your account and require login.

12Support Organizations

These services are free and confidential, and open to anyone in Alberta — players, family members and friends.

Questions about the tools on this site? See the Responsible Gambling FAQ or contact us.