March is Gambling Harm Awareness Month, an annual initiative to raise public awareness about the potential harm from gambling through prevention, treatment, referral and recovery services.
While gambling is a recreational entertainment activity for most, it can also lead to harmful experiences and addiction for some individuals and their loved ones. Given the increasing prevalence and access to on-line gambling across Canada and globally in recent times – particularly sports betting – it’s important to understand when this activity can turn from recreational to problematic, and to take steps to minimize potential harms.
Did you know:
- Gambling harm can impact anyone from any age group, social strata, gender or race.
- Gambling harm can happen quickly, or increase over a period of time
- Signs of harm from gambling can be difficult to detect, often known as "The Hidden Addiction".
- Research shows that recreational gambling can start in youth as young as eight and can become harmful at any age.
- Gambling can be passive, such as lottery tickets and charitable gambling, or more perceived skill-based games, such as sports betting and poker. But there is risk and potential for harm in ALL forms of gambling.
- Most people gamble with money, but anything of value can be gambled, like valuables or personal property.
- Your brain can become dependent on gambling similar to how it can be dependent on a substance.
This Gambling Harm Awareness Month, we encourage all Islanders to recognize the warning signs of Gambling Harm to help minimize the negative impact it can have on some individuals and their loved ones.
To help Islanders make informed decisions about gambling, The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) offers lower-risk gambling guidelines, which advise to:
- Gamble no more than one per cent of household income before tax per month
- Gamble no more than four days per month
- Avoid regularly gambling at more than two types of games
Our PEI Gambling and Gaming Support website also has a Gambling Self-Assessment tool that individuals can use to help evaluate their gambling habits and identify potential issues.
For more information on gambling, including risk factors, strategies to engage in responsible gambling, and how to get help and resources, visit PEIGamblingSupport.com
Islanders can also call The PEI Gambling Support line at 1-855-255-4255 to connect immediately with an Island based support professional. It's totally confidential and free for Islanders to use as often as needed, 24/7.