Responsible Gaming at Powerplay: Tools and Practical Advice
Gambling Should Stay a Pastime
Powerplay is for adults of legal gambling age in their province, and it's meant as paid entertainment, like a concert ticket or a night out. Money spent here should be money you can afford to lose. It should never be grocery money, rent or savings.
Most players never have a problem, but anyone can drift into habits they don't like. The tools below are easiest to use before you need them.
Account Tools You Can Set Up in Minutes
Deposit limits: set a daily, weekly or monthly cap in CAD. Lowering a limit takes effect immediately. Raising one only happens after a cooling-off period, so you can't undo it on impulse. Loss and wager limits work the same way if you prefer to control spending at that level.
Reality checks show a pop-up reminder of how long you've been playing and what you've won or lost. Time-outs block your account for a short break, from a day to several weeks. Self-exclusion closes access for a longer period, six months or more, and we stop all marketing to you during that time. All of these are in the Responsible Gaming section of your account, on desktop and in the Canada Powerplay app.
Habits That Keep Play Healthy
Decide on your budget and session length before you log in, not halfway through. When the budget is gone, stop for the day. Never chase losses: a bigger bet to win back what you've lost is the most common way a bad night becomes a bad month.
Keep gambling separate from strong emotions and alcohol. Don't play to escape stress, boredom or loneliness. Treat big sporting moments, like a Stanley Cup run or the Grey Cup, as reasons to enjoy the game rather than reasons to bet more.
Warning Signs Worth Taking Seriously
Ask yourself honestly: Am I spending more time or money than I planned? Am I hiding my gambling from family or friends? Have I borrowed money, missed bills or skipped commitments because of it? Do I feel anxious or irritable when I can't play?
If any of these sound familiar, take a time-out now and talk to someone. Stepping back early is far easier than recovering later.
Where to Get Help in Canada
Every province and territory offers free, confidential problem gambling support, usually through a provincial helpline or a responsible gambling council. Many are available 24/7 and can provide counselling, self-help resources and support for family members. Search for your province's problem gambling helpline, or ask our support team to point you in the right direction.
Your bank can also help. Many Canadian banks let you block gambling transactions on your cards, and device-level blocking software can prevent access to gambling sites altogether.
Protecting Young People
We verify every player's age, and anyone under the legal age found on the site will have their account closed. If minors use your devices, keep your login details private, don't save passwords in the browser, and use parental control software to block gambling sites.
If you think a minor has accessed an account, contact Powerplay support immediately.