Help on the way
Help that answers on the road
From any stop on highways 11 and 17, ConnexOntario answers calls at any hour and also takes texts and chat, at no cost. At the end of the route, a PlaySmart Centre on the casino floor has Responsible Gambling Council staff ready with answers and resources.
Hosted by Ellie Marchand, a character created for this guideChecked October 14, 2026
Call, text or chat
- ConnexOntario covers problem gambling, mental health and addiction, and it costs nothing. Call 1-866-531-2600 at any hour, text CONNEX to 247247 or chat at connexontario.ca.
- In a crisis, 988 is the Suicide Crisis Helpline. It takes calls and texts 24/7.
Help desk inside the casino
The last stop has its own help point. Since early 2025, a PlaySmart Centre has sat on the gaming floor at Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay. Representatives of the Responsible Gambling Council staff it. They answer questions and give out resources, so a visitor can ask without leaving the floor.
And who runs the program behind the name? PlaySmart is OLG's responsible gambling service. Its material can be read at playsmart.ca before setting out, for anyone who likes to arrive with questions ready.
Stepping away for months or years
My PlayBreak is OLG's self-exclusion program. A casino break can be set for 3 or 6 months, or for 1 to 5 years. It bars entry to every Ontario casino, and it must run its full term. To enrol, call the OLG Support Centre at 1-800-387-0098 or ask staff at a casino. Anyone self-excluded may not visit Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay, whatever stop the trip begins from.
What about online play? BetGuard is run by iGaming Ontario at betguard.ca. It lets a person aged 19 or older opt out of every regulated Ontario online gambling site in one step, OLG.ca included. Casinos a person walks into are outside its reach, so a break from the Thunder Bay floor goes through My PlayBreak.
Asked before setting out
Does ConnexOntario take text messages?
Yes, a text to 247247 with the word CONNEX reaches the line. Calls go to 1-866-531-2600 at any hour, and chat runs at connexontario.ca.
Can a casino break end early once it has begun?
No, a My PlayBreak casino break must run its full term. That applies to the 3 and 6 month options and to terms of 1 to 5 years.
Is there someone to talk to inside the casino?
Yes, the PlaySmart Centre on the gaming floor has been staffed since early 2025 by Responsible Gambling Council representatives. They answer questions and give out resources.