Where can I find free, confidential gambling support services in Ontario?

Ontario has built a layered support system for anyone who wants help with gambling — and every part of it is free, confidential, and available to Ottawa residents right now. Here's how the pieces fit together.

ConnexOntario — the human front door

If you or someone you love is struggling, ConnexOntario can help. Their free, confidential services are available to residents across Ottawa and the surrounding areas, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is the right first call whether you're not sure if there's a problem yet, or you're in crisis right now.

ConnexOntario connects Ottawa residents to a range of services for gambling addiction, including individual and group therapy, inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, financial counselling to manage gambling-related debt, family support and co-occurring mental health services, and multilingual and culturally specific programs.

You can reach them several ways:

• Phone: 1-866-531-2600
• Text: Text CONNEX to 247247
• Live chat or email: through connexontario.ca

You can reach out for yourself, a family member, a friend, or someone you support professionally. You do not need a diagnosis, referral, or confirmed treatment plan before contacting ConnexOntario.

BetGuard — if you want to step back from online play

Alongside those human support services, Ontario now has a practical self-exclusion tool built specifically for the regulated online market. iGaming Ontario launched BetGuard in May 2026 — a tool that enables individuals aged 19 and older to voluntarily opt out of all Ontario regulated online gaming platforms through one online portal.

By opting out through BetGuard.ca, players are prevented from accessing their existing accounts, creating new accounts, or receiving marketing communications from any regulated igaming site in Ontario. This includes all igaming websites in Ontario's regulated market, including OLG's.

BetGuard is a centralized self-exclusion tool where you set the length of time you want to opt out of regulated igaming in Ontario. BetGuard verifies your identity and adds you to its central registry for the time you specify. You can choose to opt out for a term of 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, or a custom term.

One thing worth knowing: BetGuard is distinct from each operator's individual self-exclusion program — so if you've previously self-excluded through a single site, that doesn't automatically carry over to BetGuard. You'd register separately at BetGuard.ca. No player account is needed — BetGuard is available to anyone 19 or older provided they have a valid government photo ID, a permanent Canadian or US address, a cellphone, and an email address.

On that note: you can use the BetGuard logo as a quick legitimacy check. Every internet gaming website offered by a fully registered and approved operator in Ontario will have iGaming Ontario and BetGuard logos displayed. If you see these logos, you know that the website operations are managed by iGaming Ontario and regulated by the AGCO. If a site is missing those logos, treat it as a red flag.

The Responsible Gambling Council

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and reducing harm from gambling. For more than 40 years, RGC has created and delivered prevention, awareness, and information programs in Ontario and around the world. Their site at responsiblegambling.org carries self-assessment tools, research, and educational resources that complement the clinical referrals ConnexOntario provides.

On the regulated sites themselves

Every regulated gaming site in Ontario has its own unique tools and customizations that must meet the AGCO Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. At a minimum, operators must provide spend-limit and time-limit setting tools and the ability to take a short-term break or to self-exclude for a longer term. These on-platform controls — deposit limits, session reminders, cooling-off periods — are a normal feature of every licensed Ontario casino, not an afterthought.

The short version: ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) for human support and clinical referrals specific to Ottawa; BetGuard.ca if you want a clean break from the entire online market; and the RGC for education and self-assessment. All three are free, all three are confidential, and all three are built for the 19+ regulated market you're already in.