Community Outreach Program

Community Outreach (CO) is a community-based, problem gambling prevention education program that tours across Ontario.

Our mobile teams deliver events in community gathering spaces throughout Ontario with an interactive display and informational giveaways related to the risks and signs of problem gambling and how to access help locally.

The RGC Reaction Lab

What can make gambling fun is the excitement and emotion of potentially winning a jackpot. Unfortunately, those same emotions can also make it hard to make informed decisions while playing. “Reaction Lab” is an interactive game experience that simulates the body’s reaction when gaming or gambling. As the participant interacts with the game, a biometric of their emotional excitability is read. The game helps players understand how easy it can be to get carried away when gambling, making informed decisions about play difficult when in a heightened emotional state.

RGC’s “Reaction Lab” will be touring Ontario communities until March 2021 to educate gamblers on the need to make a plan before playing.

If you gamble, here are some low-risk strategies you might want to consider:

Decide on a time and budget. Set a loss limit and a win limit before you begin gambling and when you reach either of them, walk away.
Take frequent breaks. It’s important to pause, self-reflect and re-evaluate the time and/or money spent. Set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to take a break.
Check yourself. Be aware of your emotional state. It’s never a good idea to gamble when you are depressed, upset or intoxicated − all of which can make decision-making more difficult.
Leave credit cards at home. If you gamble at a casino, bingo centre or racetrack, only bring what you are prepared to spend and leave any credit and debit cards at home. That will help you stick to your budget.

If you gamble online:

Only gamble on websites that have pre-commitment tools in place to help you manage your play. The RG Check accreditation symbol is a sign that the website has features to help you protect yourself from harm.
Use the gambling website’s pre-commitment tools. You can set a limit for how much time and money you want to spend, and get an alert when you’ve reached your limit.
Use a free gambling site blocker app to restrict or limit your access.

Get free and confidential help for gambling

If you’re concerned about gambling, or the gambling habits of someone you care about, there is free and confidential help available to you in a number of languages:

ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600

Voluntary Self-Exclusion program: Get information on how the Self-Exclusion program can help you take a break from gambling.