Ontario Casino Self-Exclusion: Duration and Official Reinstatement Conditions

An Ontario self-exclusion cannot be cancelled early. BetGuard, the province’s central self-exclusion tool for regulated online gambling, lets you choose a term of 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom length between 6 months and 5 years, and once you have signed up the term can be extended but not shortened. When it ends, you either choose a new term or remove yourself from the registry; if you do neither, BetGuard keeps you centrally self-excluded for seven more years. Operators’ own programs and OLG’s My PlayBreak have their own terms, and the AGCO requires every Ontario operator to state the process for returning to play safely. If you are thinking about ending a self-exclusion, talking to ConnexOntario first, at 1-866-531-2600, free and open 24/7, is the official support route.

How long does each Ontario self-exclusion last?

There are three kinds, and each sets its own durations.

• BetGuard covers all regulated online gambling sites and apps in Ontario, including OLG and ProLine+, and any that launch later. Terms: 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, or a custom term from 6 months to 5 years.
• OLG’s My PlayBreak covers OLG’s casinos, charitable gaming centres and OLG.ca. OLG lists 3 or 6 months or 1 to 5 years for casinos and charitable gaming centres, and 6 months or 1 to 5 years for OLG.ca, plus short breaks of 1 day, 1 week or 1, 2 or 3 months on OLG.ca.
• An operator’s own program. iGO says every regulated Ontario operator runs its own self-exclusion program in addition to BetGuard. Betty’s terms, for example, offer Time Out periods of 1 day, 1 week, or 1, 2 or 3 months, and self-exclusion from 6 months.

Can a self-exclusion be ended early?

Not under the official rules. BetGuard’s FAQ says that once you have signed up, you cannot shorten the term, only extend it. The AGCO’s Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, standard 2.14, require that a person who self-excludes is logged out immediately and cannot log in for the duration of the exclusion. Operators must run their programs with clear terms, and those terms are what decide the end of the period, not a request made during it.

That is the purpose of the tool: it holds even on a day when you might want to undo it.

The rule works in one direction only. BetGuard says you can extend your term at any time, so if a term is about to end and you are not ready, you can add time to it. The same Contact Centre that answers questions about sign-up can explain how.

What happens when the term ends?

BetGuard. When your term ends, you can choose a new term or remove yourself. BetGuard states that if you do neither, it keeps you centrally self-excluded for seven years after your term ends. In other words, the exclusion does not lapse on its own at the end of the term; returning requires a decision on your part.

Operator programs. AGCO standard 2.14 requires each operator’s self-exclusion program to have clear terms, including the process for returning to play safely. The steps differ by operator and are set out in its terms or responsible gambling page.

My PlayBreak. OLG’s page lists the durations, but the steps for returning after a My PlayBreak period were not set out in the sources we read. OLG’s PlaySmart Centres, located at every casino and OLG charitable bingo and gaming centre in Ontario, are the place to ask in person.

What happens to money and open bets?

BetGuard says that once you are enrolled, operators must cancel and refund your outstanding wagers to your player wallet within 24 hours, except bets on events that take place within that window. Unused funds are returned to you automatically or on request. AGCO standard 2.14 also says unused funds are returned on request when you self-exclude from an operator.

Does one program cover the others?

No. BetGuard’s FAQ says it is separate from each operator’s individual self-exclusion program: excluding yourself at one Ontario site does not enrol you in BetGuard, and only you can sign yourself up. OLG says BetGuard does not cover land-based casinos, which are covered by My PlayBreak. The end of one program’s term does not end another’s, so if you used more than one, each has its own end date.

If you are thinking about returning

The official route goes through support first. These services are free:

• ConnexOntario: call 1-866-531-2600, text 247247, or chat; confidential, 24/7.
• CAMH gambling services: free counselling, mainly in groups, at 416-535-8501, option 2.
• BetGuard Contact Centre: 416-479-0008 in the Greater Toronto Area or 1-833-776-7171 toll-free in Canada and the US, in English and French, for questions about your term.
• 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline: if you are in crisis, call or text 988, 24 hours a day.

What we could not confirm

• The steps for returning after a My PlayBreak period: not set out in the OLG sources we read.
• Each operator’s process for returning to play: AGCO standard 2.14 requires one, but it differs by operator.

Before you decide

Find the end date of every exclusion you hold: BetGuard, any operator programs and My PlayBreak. Read what each one says happens at the end of the term. Then talk it through with ConnexOntario or CAMH before you choose a new term or remove yourself. Our guide to self-excluding in Ontario and finding support explains how each program starts, the player eligibility and self-exclusion section covers related rules, and our responsible gambling page lists help lines in other provinces.