Article published on 1 October 2009

Responsible Gambling

Online gambling has become one of the most popular and respectable forms of entertainment in recent years. Millions of Canadians now enjoy various forms of online wagering, and the vast majority do so responsibly, contrary to what polemical opponents of the gambling industry would like you to believe.

The Maple Gambling staff are completely committed to gambling responsibly and within each individual's means. It is up to everyone in the gambling industry, including operators, portal owners and the players themselves to promote and practice responsible gambling all the time.

It is a fact of life that a very small percentage of gamblers (both offline and online) do not meet age restrictions, and then there are a few gamblers who can develop a compulsive gambling problem. Maple Gambling will be an advocate that highlights the potential dangers of chronic online gambling, and we repeatedly remind all our visitors that this site is not appropriate for persons under the legal age. This effort to ensure that minors do not attempt to gamble online is prevalent throughout the Maple Gambling website.

We recommend that all our site visitors take some time to get to know the groups and organisations that strive to promote responsible gambling, and those who provide counselling and support for the minority of bettors who have a problem, as mentioned below.

There is unfortunately no way for us to verify the ages of those people who visit our website, but we ask parents to take steps to block sites that contain content that is not suitable for those who are under age. This can easily be achieved by using software such as Net Nanny. Personal computer security needs to be carefully managed and parents should endeavor to password protect accounts.

Responsible gambling finally rests with the individuals who choose to bet and with this in mind here are a few pointers to help when you exercise your free will and rights as a citizen of a democracy:

  • Gamble within your means. Budget how much you can afford to spend when gambling and do not overstep those boundaries.
  • If you do lose your set amount do not try to win back those losses. Accept that losing can happen when you gamble, and only play when your budget allows for it.
  • Do not look at gambling as a way to get you out of financial problems, or see gambling as a career rather than an entertainment.
  • If you feel that you cannot control your gambling, or that someone you know has a possible problem please seek professional help.
  • Online gambling sites frequently have tools that can cap the amount players spend, or even allow players to ban themselves. Use these tools if you are worried.

Responsible Gambling Resources

We recommend the following website if you require additional information and possibly even need professional help regarding responsible gambling:

Gamblers Anonymous