PowerPlay How to Get Help

PowerPlay How to Get Help lists the free, confidential Canadian support lines, online chats and counselling services available 24 hours a day across the country.

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If gambling has stopped being fun, free help is one phone call away. None of the services listed below charge a penny, none of them require a referral and none of them share your details with PowerPlay. You do not need to be in crisis to use them. Many people call simply to talk through a worry before it becomes a bigger problem, and the counsellors are trained to take those calls as seriously as the harder ones.

Which national helplines should I know about?

ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600 is the largest 24/7 gambling support line in Canada and serves callers from every province. The Responsible Gambling Council runs a national directory of treatment services, online self-assessment tools and live chat. Gamblers Anonymous hosts free face-to-face and online meetings across every province and territory. Crisis Services Canada on 1-833-456-4566 is a 24/7 mental health crisis line that handles gambling-related distress alongside other concerns. All four are free, confidential and non-judgemental.

Are there provincial services I can call?

Yes, every province runs its own gambling support line and most offer in-person counselling alongside the phone service. Quebec residents can reach the Gambling Help and Referral line on 1-800-461-0140. Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is on 1-866-332-2322. The BC Problem Gambling Help Line is on 1-888-795-6111. The Saskatchewan Problem Gambling Helpline is on 1-800-306-6789. The Manitoba Addictions Helpline is on 1-855-662-6605. The Atlantic provinces each run their own provincial lines, all listed in the Responsible Gambling Council directory. Provincial services are free, confidential and open 24/7 in most cases.

What support exists for family and friends?

Problem gambling affects the people closest to the gambler as much as the gambler themselves. Gam-Anon runs free face-to-face and online support groups for partners, parents, children and friends of problem gamblers. ConnexOntario takes calls from concerned family members and can refer them to local counselling services. The Responsible Gambling Council has a dedicated family resources section with practical advice on how to start a difficult conversation. If you suspect someone you care about is struggling, the most useful first step is usually to listen without judgement and gently point them toward one of the helplines.

What can I do right now if I need to step back?

Three quick, practical steps. First, set a deposit limit or self-exclude through the PowerPlay responsible play hub so the option to deposit more is removed from the table. Second, install a gambling blocker on your devices. Gamban and BetBlocker are both free for personal use and block thousands of gambling sites at the device level. Third, call one of the helplines listed above and have a conversation with a trained counsellor. None of these steps cost money and any one of them buys you breathing room while you decide what to do next.

What does counselling for problem gambling look like?

Most counselling pathways start with a free intake conversation where a counsellor asks open questions about your play history, finances, relationships and mental health. From there you might be offered short-term cognitive behavioural therapy, longer-term one-to-one therapy, group sessions or a combination. Therapy is usually free at the point of use in Canada through the provincial health system. Online and telephone counselling is widely available for anyone who would rather not attend in person. Most providers offer the first session within two weeks of the initial contact.

How effective are gambling blockers?

Gambling blockers like Gamban and BetBlocker work at the device level, blocking thousands of gambling sites and apps including PowerPlay. They are not foolproof because a determined user can uninstall them, but they remove the casual impulse access that is the trigger for many problem sessions. Pair a blocker with a self-exclusion at PowerPlay and the combination is genuinely robust. The blockers are free for personal use and take about five minutes to install on a phone or laptop. Most counsellors recommend them as a first step alongside the helplines.

What if I am in immediate crisis?

If you are in immediate emotional crisis, call Crisis Services Canada on 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645. If you are in physical danger, call 911. Gambling-related financial crises can be addressed once the immediate emotional risk has been managed. None of the gambling-specific helplines will refuse a call from someone in crisis, but the dedicated mental health and emergency lines are better resourced for the first 24 hours of an acute episode.

For account-side actions, see the how to close account guide and the responsible gambling tools.

How can family and friends support someone with a gambling problem?

Family members and close friends often spot warning signs before the person playing does. The most useful thing a loved one can do is open a non-judgemental conversation, listen without interrupting and offer to help with practical steps such as calling a helpline together or installing a gambling blocker. Provincial helplines including ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600 take calls from concerned family members and offer dedicated affected-others resources. Avoid taking over the person's finances or covering their debts, because that tends to remove the consequences that motivate change. Counsellors can advise on the right balance of support and boundaries.

What free Canadian resources cover financial recovery?

The Credit Counselling Society offers free, confidential debt counselling for residents across every province on 1-888-527-8999. Provincial consumer protection offices and community legal clinics handle questions about predatory lending and collections. None of these services charge a fee for the initial conversation and most will agree a no-cost or low-cost repayment plan with creditors on your behalf. Pair financial counselling with a gambling-specific helpline so the underlying behaviour is addressed at the same time as the debt, otherwise the recovery rarely sticks.