Help
Help Lines Near Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay
Help starts on the casino floor itself, where a PlaySmart Centre has Responsible Gambling Council representatives on hand. Beyond the building, ConnexOntario and other Ontario lines answer by phone, text or chat.
Written by the Lakehead desk Checked October 2, 2026
A PlaySmart Centre on the floor
In early 2025, a PlaySmart Centre opened on the gaming floor at 50 Cumberland St. South. Representatives of the Responsible Gambling Council work there. They answer questions and hand out resources, for visitors in off the road and for people who live in the city.
PlaySmart is OLG's responsible gambling service, with PlaySmart Centres at Ontario casinos. The service has its own site at playsmart.ca. In Thunder Bay, the centre puts that program on the same floor as the slots and the E-Table Stadium. Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, which runs the casino, holds RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council.
Lines that answer at any hour
- ConnexOntario takes calls about gambling, addiction and mental health across Ontario, free and 24/7. Phone 1-866-531-2600, use the chat on connexontario.ca, or text CONNEX to 247247.
- Anyone in crisis can call or text 988, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, open 24/7.
Taking a break from casinos
OLG's My PlayBreak manages self-exclusion at Ontario casinos, and the span can run 1 to 5 years or only 3 or 6 months. From its start, the break keeps the person out of all Ontario casinos, and no early end is possible. Enrolment means calling the OLG Support Centre line, 1-800-387-0098, or asking staff at a casino, the Cumberland St. South casino included.
Visits are not allowed for anyone trespassed or self-excluded from Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay or any Ontario gaming property. Online, iGaming Ontario operates BetGuard at betguard.ca. With it, a person aged 19 or over can bar themselves in one step from every online gambling site Ontario regulates, OLG.ca too. Land-based casinos lie outside its reach.
Questions from the road
IWho works at the PlaySmart Centre on the casino floor?
The centre is staffed by representatives of the Responsible Gambling Council. They answer questions and hand out resources at the centre, which opened in early 2025.
IICan a casino break through My PlayBreak be cancelled early?
No, once a casino break starts, it cannot end ahead of schedule. Whether it runs for 3 months, for 6 months or for a period between 1 and 5 years, the bar on every Ontario casino holds to its last day.
IIIIs ConnexOntario open at night?
Yes, ConnexOntario costs nothing and picks up 24/7. Phone 1-866-531-2600, use the chat on connexontario.ca, or text CONNEX to 247247.