Self-exclusion in Ontario and across Canada: terms, balances and the way back

Which self-exclusion actually applies to you?

The answer depends on the province you play in and on how wide you want the block to be. Gambling is a provincial matter under the Criminal Code, so there is no national list. Each province runs its own program, and Ontario has two layers because it has a regulated open market of private operators alongside OLG.

If you play only on one Ontario site and want a short pause from it, the operator's own program is enough. If you hold accounts at several Ontario sites, BetGuard does the job in one step. For a full list of what the regulated Ontario market looks like, see our Ontario online casino overview.

How does BetGuard work, step by step?

BetGuard is the Centralized Self-Exclusion program that iGaming Ontario launched on May 14, 2026. It is open to people aged 19 and older, and iGaming Ontario says it covers more than 75 regulated sites, OLG's included. Opting out blocks access to existing accounts, blocks new account creation and stops marketing from regulated sites.

1. Go to betguard.ca directly. On September 10, 2026, iGaming Ontario warned that third parties were using the BetGuard name to give misleading opt-out instructions, so do not follow a link from an ad or an affiliate page.
2. Complete the opt-out form there. iGaming Ontario says it takes a few minutes and you do not need to visit any operator's site.
3. Pick the term: 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom length.
4. Submit. Under AGCO Standard 2.14.1 you must be added to the registry as soon as practicable and no later than one hour after registration.
5. Once an operator confirms you are on the registry, it must log you out of your account immediately.
6. Within 24 hours of your addition to the registry, each operator must take reasonable steps to stop marketing, incentives and promotions to you.

The operator layer did not disappear when BetGuard launched. The AGCO requires operators to keep their own self-exclusion programs, accept new sign-ups and honour existing agreements. The regulator has said it will revisit that site-level requirement no more than 12 months after the central program launched.

What happens to your balance, open bets and bonuses?

This is where the programs differ most, and where it pays to act before you enrol.

Ontario

Under Standard 2.14.1, within 24 hours of your addition to the BetGuard registry, an operator must cancel your outstanding wagers and refund them to your player wallet. The exception is a person added less than 24 hours before the event starts. Operators must also have a way to return unused funds to centrally self-excluded people, either on request or automatically once the exclusion is confirmed.

For an operator-level exclusion, Standard 2.14 says the wager is brought to an end once you self-exclude. A bet placed on an event that has not started yet must be refunded. A bet on an event that is already under way does not have to be. Operators need a mechanism to return the balance of unused funds when you ask for it. Note the wording: the standard speaks of unused funds and says nothing that obliges an operator to pay out bonus credit, so read the bonus terms on your account before assuming a bonus balance will come back as cash.

On OLG.ca, the My PlayBreak terms say you lose access to the account for the break and any funds in it are returned to you on request. Lottery subscriptions are cancelled.

British Columbia

BCLC closes your PlayNow account automatically when you enrol in Game Break. Any promotional funds credited to the account can no longer be redeemed. The cash balance is refunded:

• Under C$3,000 with bank details on file: paid to that bank account without a call.
• Under C$3,000 without bank details: a BCLC representative phones you for them.
• C$3,000 or more: a representative phones you to record your occupation, which federal anti-money-laundering rules require.
• Under C$5: paid only by direct deposit; if you give no bank account, the balance is forfeited.

Quebec

Loto-Québec's FAQ says the money left in your account is refunded automatically if your banking details are saved. If they are not, a cheque goes to the address on the account.

Alberta

The AGLC agreement excludes you from casinos, racing entertainment centres and PlayAlberta.ca. It also makes you ineligible to receive a prize in a gaming facility under section 34.5 of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation. AGLC's published material does not set out how a PlayAlberta balance is paid back, so withdraw it before you sign, or ask the program specialist at 1-844-468-8034.

What should you do in the hour before you enrol?

1. Withdraw your cash balance to your own bank account. Ontario's standards require withdrawals to go to an account you legally hold, so this is the cleanest route everywhere.
2. Check for open bets on events that have already started. In Ontario these do not have to be refunded under an operator-level exclusion, so they will settle or lapse under the site's rules.
3. Write down which sites you have accounts on, including any you opened years ago. A provincial program only covers the sites it lists.
4. Decide on a term you can live with. Outside BetGuard, every provincial program in the table is locked once chosen.
5. If you are in Ontario, consider BetGuard and the operator program together: BetGuard for the whole regulated market, and OLG's My PlayBreak if you also want casinos and charitable gaming centres, which an online-only OLG break does not cover.

Can you end a self-exclusion early?

In most of Canada, no. OLG's online terms call the selected term irrevocable. BCLC says the exclusion begins right away and cannot be changed. The AGLC agreement has you initial that you cannot modify, revoke, cancel, withdraw or rescind it before it expires. Loto-Québec describes its autoexclusion as irrevocable, and even its short pause of 1 to 89 days cannot be cancelled once set.

Getting back in after the term ends is not automatic everywhere:

• OLG.ca: you call OLG Customer Care at 1-800-387-0098 to reactivate the online account, or to renew the break.
• PlayNow: BCLC emails reinstatement instructions 30 days before the term ends. You complete the Game Plan course, then submit the Return to Play form with your completion code; BCLC confirms your return date by email within seven days. If you do nothing, you stay excluded until 12 months after the term ends.
• Alberta: if you want to stay on the program after expiry, you sign a new agreement.
• Quebec: you can enrol again once the exclusion has ended.

What does self-exclusion not cover?

It does not reach offshore sites. BetGuard covers the regulated Ontario market; the provincial programs cover their own lottery corporation's platform and venues. A site licensed outside Canada, or in Kahnawake, is not part of any of these registries, and a player there has no provincial protection. Our explainer on what a Kahnawake licence means covers that gap in more detail.

It does not always cover land-based play. OLG's online break leaves Ontario casinos and charitable gaming centres open to you; a separate My PlayBreak registration covers those. In Alberta and B.C. the single agreement covers both.

It does not cover lottery in Alberta: the AGLC brochure says self-exclusion does not include lottery, although you may not enter a casino or PlayAlberta.ca to buy tickets.

It is not treatment. The AGLC agreement says so in plain terms, and every program points to outside help. In Ontario that is ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600; in Alberta, the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322; the Responsible Gambling Council serves all provinces. Our responsible gambling page lists the deposit limits and time-outs you can set before you get to the point of a full exclusion.

What if you break the agreement?

Operators in Ontario must take active steps to identify self-excluded people and remove them from the site when they are found in breach. OLG's terms say that trying to open a new online account during the term can lead to being denied access to Online Play. In B.C., BCLC will not pay a major prize to someone identified as being on Game Break. In Alberta, a person who enters a casino or racing entertainment centre during the term may be issued a trespass notice and escorted out, and AGLC contacts the participant after each violation.