Responsible Gambling
Gambling should remain entertainment. These practical guidelines are designed to help visitors protect their time, budget and decision-making.
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1. Keep Gambling in the Entertainment Budget
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment rather than a way to make money or recover previous losses.
Before playing, decide how much of the evening's budget you are comfortable spending on gambling and keep essential expenses separate.
2. Set a Time Limit
A long session can make it harder to notice how much time has passed or how much has been spent.
Choose a reasonable stopping point and use breaks for dining, conversation or racing to reset the pace of the visit.
3. Do Not Chase Losses
A previous loss does not make the next wager more likely to win.
Increasing stakes or extending a session to recover money can turn a planned entertainment expense into a much larger loss.
4. Understand the Game
Slot denominations, credits, paylines, total wagers, jackpot conditions and bonus features can affect the real cost and structure of play.
Read the game information before increasing a wager or playing a machine you do not understand.
5. Alcohol and Decision-Making
Alcohol can affect judgement and risk perception.
If drinking is part of the evening, keep previously chosen spending and time limits in place rather than changing them impulsively.
6. Emotional State
Avoid gambling when angry, distressed, exhausted or under pressure to win money back.
Strong emotions can make it harder to follow a budget or stop at the time you originally planned.
7. Warning Signs
Warning signs can include spending more than intended, borrowing money to gamble, hiding gambling activity, chasing losses, neglecting responsibilities or feeling unable to stop.
If gambling is creating financial, emotional or relationship problems, reducing or stopping play should take priority.
8. Keep Wins in Perspective
A win can make it tempting to increase stakes or continue longer than planned.
A positive result should not automatically replace the budget or time limit chosen before the session began.
9. Rewards and Promotions
Encore Rewards benefits and promotions should not be used as a reason to spend beyond a comfortable limit.
An offer should remain an optional extra rather than a reason to change the amount you intended to gamble.
10. Racing and Betting
The same budgeting principles apply to race wagering.
Decide in advance what you are prepared to spend across the race card and avoid increasing later bets because of earlier race outcomes.
11. Take Breaks
Leaving the gaming floor, having a meal, watching racing without wagering or ending the visit can all provide a useful reset.
If taking a break feels difficult because of a strong urge to continue gambling, that is a sign to stop and reassess.
12. Age Requirement
Casino gambling in British Columbia is restricted to persons aged 19 and older.
Physical government-issued photo identification may be required for casino entry.