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Gambling help lines in Alberta

Checked October 8, 2026By the Threshold Desk

The phone, text and chat lines for gambling help in Alberta are free, confidential and open 24/7. Behind each of the eight doors in this guide, GameSense Advisors and an info centre sit in the same building as the gaming floor.

Where help answers

  • 211 Alberta: call 211, text INFO to 211, or use its online chat. It is free, confidential and open 24/7, with referrals for gambling support.
  • Addiction Helpline (Recovery Alberta): 1-866-332-2322. The line is free, confidential and open 24/7, and it covers problem gambling.
  • GameSense, AGLC's responsible gambling program, places GameSense Advisors and an info centre in each casino and racing entertainment centre in Alberta.

Self-exclusion

AGLC runs the Self-Exclusion Program in Alberta. Enrolment happens online only, at selfexclusion.ca, and nowhere else. The first choice is scope. A person can exclude themselves from Alberta casinos and racing entertainment centres, from regulated online gaming, or from both. Regulated online gaming here means the provincial market that AiGC manages and AGLC regulates.

The second choice is length: six months, one year, two years or three years. Exclusion starts immediately once enrolment is done. It cannot be cancelled early, so someone who picks three years stays excluded for the full three years. Before choosing, the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322 and 211 Alberta are both free to call, at any hour.

Age and ID

The legal gambling age in Alberta is 18. Casino staff must check valid government-issued photo ID for anyone who appears to be under 25. River Cree has its own rule for minors. Since July 29, 2024, minors with an adult may use its restaurants and other non-gaming areas, but not gaming areas.

Winner's Edge, the loyalty card used at many Alberta casinos, follows the same line. Members pick up the card at Guest Services with government ID and must be 18 or older.

Questions

Is a call to 211 private?

211 Alberta is free and confidential, and it runs 24/7. Calls go to 211, texts with the word INFO go to 211, and an online chat is also open. Its referrals include gambling support.

Can self-exclusion cover online sites?

Regulated online gaming is one of the options. At selfexclusion.ca a person picks Alberta casinos and racing entertainment centres, regulated online gaming, or both.

Can self-exclusion be cancelled early?

The program does not allow it. Exclusion starts immediately and runs for the full term chosen, from six months up to three years. Anyone weighing the length can call the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322 first, free, confidential and 24/7.

Where to reach them

Back to the wall of doors