Context

There are four criteria that define a game as a form of gambling:

  • the player bets money or a valuable item as part of the game;
  • the bet cannot be withdrawn;
  • the player can either win or lose; and
  • the outcome of the game depends partly or entirely on chance.


So, you are gambling whenever you do such things as bet money or an object on a possible outcome, play the lottery, bingo or keno, play at a video lottery terminal or a slot machine, place sports bets or play poker or card games in a casino.

Source: Centre québécois d'excellence pour la prévention et le traitement du jeu

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Are you a health professional?

If you are interested in learning more, please visit the gambling page on the website of Montréal's Director of Public Health.

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Practical advice

What can you do to protect yourself?

Do you think that you have a gambling problem, or that one of your family members or friendsmight have one?

Click on this link for two screening questionnaires (scroll down for the English section) you can use to determine whether or not you may have a gambling problem. The first questionnaire is for the player, and the second for the people around him or her.

Whom should you contact to get help?

After completing the questionnaire, do you think you need help?

If so, click on Gambling: Help and Referral for information on the resources available to you.

You can also call the Gambling Help and Referral service by phone, 24/7, at 514-527-0140 (Montréal and vicinity) or at 1-800 461-0140 (elsewhere in Québec).

Where can you find additional, credible information? 

For more information on compulsive gambling, visit the following sites:

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
Québec site for Help and Referral on Gambling
Tel-jeunes – Gambling 

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