Rules & ID
How old do you have to be? Casino age and ID in Canada
Last revised · hotel facts verified
Two numbers cover the country: 19 in Ontario, New Brunswick and British Columbia; 18 in Québec, Manitoba and Alberta. Wherever you are, the gaming floor is covered; a few resorts extend the rule to bars, show venues or the whole building. Check these points before booking.
| Province | Door age | Free helpline | Time out (self-exclusion) |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | 19 | dial 1-888-795-6111 · costs nothing, answers around the clock Gambling Support BC | anywhere from 6 months to 3 years BCLC Game Break |
| Alberta | 18 | dial 1-866-332-2322 · staffed all day and all night Addiction Helpline of Alberta Health Services | 6 months to 3 years, covering Alberta casinos and PlayAlberta.ca AGLC Self-Exclusion |
| Manitoba | 18 | dial 1-800-463-1554 · open every hour of every day Gambling Helpline | you choose the Casinos of Winnipeg, the Shark Club Gaming Centre, PlayNow.com, or all three Voluntary Self-Exclusion |
| Ontario | 19 | dial 1-866-531-2600 · any hour; texting CONNEX to 247247 also works ConnexOntario | you choose 3 months up to 5 years, and it applies at every casino in Ontario OLG My PlayBreak |
| Québec | 18 | dial 1-800-461-0140 · no charge, no names, day or night Gambling: Help and Referral | 3 months up to 5 years, and it cannot be cancelled once you sign Loto-Québec self-exclusion |
| New Brunswick | 19 | dial 1-800-461-1234 · free; confidential; TTY users welcome Gambling Information Line | arranged through Great Canadian Entertainment, which runs the Moncton casino Voluntary Self-Exclusion |
The ID to carry
Government photo ID, always. Since June 2023 every B.C. casino visitor shows one, and staff compare it with the restricted-entry list. Québec staff can ID anyone who seems younger than 25. At Great Blue Heron, in Ontario, the rule is stricter still: bring an original government photo ID and a second photo ID.
Five hotels with their own rules
- Hard Rock Ottawa: the 19 limit runs across the entire site, rooms and restaurants as well.
- Casino New Brunswick and Great Canadian Toronto: reservations need a guest aged 19+; children may share the room but not go into 19+ areas.
- River Rock: no check-in under 19.
- River Cree: with an adult, under-18s may use everything except gaming, a rule since 29 July 2024.
- Fallsview: kids may roam the resort, but the gaming floor turns away strollers and babies carried in arms.
Self-exclusion, briefly
Every province runs a scheme for banning yourself from its casinos for whatever term you set; certain agreements can't be undone before the term ends. If you're weighing it up, ring a helpline from the table above; calls are free and confidential.