Taking a pause from gambling in BC

The line that stays open

At 3 AM, the help line still answers. Gambling Support BC takes calls at 1-888-795-6111, 24/7, and the call is free. It is a provincial government program for any BC resident having difficulties because of gambling, including a loved one's gambling.

Each call reaches a navigator. That person can help right away, find services nearby or connect the caller to a free counsellor. The help can start during that first call. The line is multilingual.

Counselling through Gambling Support BC is free for BC residents. It is short-term treatment, given by qualified professionals. Requests can also go in online at gamblingsupportline.ca, at any hour of the day or night.

Inside every casino

Every casino in British Columbia has a GameSense Advisor available for people experiencing harm from gambling. That includes the nine Metro Vancouver rooms in this guide, from Grand Villa Casino Burnaby to Cascades Casino Langley.

Since June 26, 2023, every person entering a B.C. casino shows government-issued photo ID at the door. Security scans it and checks it against the list of people restricted from entering, such as those enrolled in Game Break. For people who are let in, the system does not save personal information.

Game Break, a pause by choice

Game Break is BC's free, voluntary self-exclusion program. A person picks the length: 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. Once chosen, the term cannot be changed.

Enrolment happens in one of two ways. A person meets a registered gaming worker in person at a gaming facility, or a BCLC employee by electronic means.

The agreement covers entering and playing at BC gaming facilities, and playing on PlayNow.com. Private online casinos fall outside it. The paid links on this site's home page lead to one such private casino, where Game Break does not apply.