How Do I Self-Exclude From All Ontario Online Casinos? BetGuard Guide

Quick Answer: How Do I Self-Exclude From All Online Casinos in Ontario?

Use BetGuard.ca, iGaming Ontario's centralized self-exclusion tool. One completed registration is meant to stop access to every regulated online gambling website and app offered in Ontario, including OLG online play and regulated sites that launch later. The important limit is the word regulated. BetGuard does not control offshore or other unregulated websites, and it does not exclude a person from physical casinos.

The person must create their own BetGuard account, verify their email, phone number, and identity, and choose a term. Current choices are six months, one year, five years, or a custom term between six months and five years. Once registration is complete, the selected term cannot be revoked, cancelled, paused, shortened, or reduced. It can be extended up to the maximum term that BetGuard offers.

Sign out of casino accounts
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Create BetGuard account
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Verify identity
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Choose 6 months to 5 years
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Regulated Ontario sites block access

This guide was checked on July 17, 2026. BetGuard launched on May 14, 2026, so older Ontario articles may describe a different system. This is desk research from current official sources, not a first-hand registration test, treatment advice, legal advice, or a promise that technology will block every gambling opportunity.

What BetGuard Covers and What It Does Not Cover

BetGuard covers all regulated online gambling websites and apps offered in Ontario. That includes online casino, sports-betting, and poker products in the regulated market, OLG's online gambling, and regulated websites that may launch after a person registers. A person does not need to keep finding and closing each new regulated account one at a time.

Use the TechPicks guide to check whether a casino is in Ontario's regulated market. A familiar brand, Canadian-dollar balance, Ontario advertisement, or foreign licence does not prove that BetGuard covers the exact website. The live iGaming Ontario directory is the better test.

This scope matters because the search phrase “all online casinos” can sound wider than the actual protection. The accurate promise is all regulated online gambling in Ontario.

BetGuard Versus One-Operator Self-Exclusion and OLG My PlayBreak

BetGuard is separate from a self-exclusion program offered by one operator. iGaming Ontario says regulated operators still have their own programs. Joining one casino's program does not automatically place the person in BetGuard, and registering with BetGuard does not rewrite or cancel an older operator-specific agreement.

OLG My PlayBreak is also a separate program. OLG's current terms say BetGuard and My PlayBreak have their own conditions and can have different end dates. Joining one does not change or cancel the other. A person who is already enrolled in an operator or OLG program should keep following that agreement even after adding BetGuard.

The practical choice is about scope:

• Short break on one site: use that operator's break tool when the goal is limited and its rules fit.
• Longer exclusion on one site: use the operator's self-exclusion program and read its term.
• One decision across the regulated online market: use BetGuard.
• Physical Ontario casinos: use the land-based program that applies because BetGuard is digital only.

A person can use more than one layer. The terms may overlap, but the longest or broadest active restriction does not disappear just because a different program ends.

Before You Start: Eligibility, ID, and Account Information

BetGuard is available free of charge to an eligible person who is at least 19. The current terms define an eligible person as someone with valid Canadian or U.S. government photo identification, a permanent Canadian or U.S. mailing address, a valid Canadian or U.S. cell phone number, and a valid email address. An existing casino account is not required.

The person must register for themselves. A family member, friend, employer, or casino agent cannot decide to enroll someone else. The Contact Centre can help the person complete the steps, but it must verify identity and cannot replace the person's choice.

Before finishing registration, sign out of every existing regulated iGaming account and stay signed out. BetGuard's terms say account information should match the details on existing gambling accounts. Incorrect, incomplete, old, or inconsistent names, addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses can make matching less effective.

Have the following ready:

• an accepted, current government photo ID;
• access to the email and cell number that will receive verification messages;
• the current legal name, birth date, and mailing address used on gambling accounts; and
• enough uninterrupted time to read the term before confirming it.

Do not register through a casino advertisement, direct message, or look-alike domain. Type BetGuard.ca yourself or follow iGaming Ontario's official link.

How BetGuard Registration Works Step by Step

1. Open the official site: go to BetGuard.ca and read the before-you-start information, terms, and privacy policy.
2. Create the account: enter accurate contact and identity information for yourself.
3. Confirm contact details: verify the email address and enter the one-time password sent to the valid cell number.
4. Complete identity verification: scan an accepted government photo ID and complete the facial matching step or an approved alternative process if extra verification is required.
5. Select the term: choose six months, one year, five years, or a custom period between six months and five years.
6. Review before confirming: remember that the selected term cannot be cancelled or shortened.
7. Save the confirmation: keep the registration date and term in a private place and use the BetGuard account to view status later.

AGCO Standard 2.14.1 says iGaming Ontario must add a completed registration to the central registry as soon as practicable and no later than one hour after registration. Operators then check the registry and apply the block. The official terms warn that this does not guarantee every operator restriction is instantaneous, so stay logged out and do not test the block by trying to wager.

If the website or identity check fails, use the official BetGuard Contact Centre rather than creating several accounts with different details. Inconsistent profiles can make matching harder.

What Happens to Existing Accounts and New Sign-Ups

Ontario's standards require regulated operators to prevent centrally self-excluded people from creating new player accounts or accessing existing accounts for as long as the central exclusion remains active. When an operator confirms that a person on its site matches the registry, it must immediately take steps to log that person out.

BetGuard maintains the central registry and answers status checks. Each operator and OLG remains responsible for applying the restriction on its own website or app. This division explains why the terms do not promise that no technical problem or mistaken match can ever occur.

Do not try to work around the restriction with a changed spelling, new email, false address, another person's account, VPN, or different device. The BetGuard terms prohibit attempts to access accounts, create new accounts, deposit, wager, or otherwise bypass the central exclusion during the selected term and the later protection period.

If a regulated site still allows access, stop before depositing or wagering. Save only the details needed to explain the problem, sign out, and contact BetGuard and the operator through their verified channels. A successful login is not permission to ignore the active term. If the site is absent from the official Ontario directory, BetGuard may not control it; add separate blocking tools and avoid sharing more money or identification.

What Happens to Money, Withdrawals, and Open Bets

BetGuard does not hold or pay casino money. The operator that holds the player wallet must follow the account and funds process. AGCO Standard 2.14.1 requires operators to have a way to return unused funds either automatically after confirming central self-exclusion or when the person requests the money.

The same standard says an operator must cancel and refund outstanding wagers to the player wallet no later than 24 hours after the person is added to the registry. There is an exception: the operator does not have to cancel and refund a wager if its event or series of events begins less than 24 hours after registry addition. Do not assume which side of that rule an open bet falls on; ask the operator for the event time and the rule it applied.

BetGuard registration
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        +-- Operator blocks account access
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        +-- Operator handles open wagers
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        +-- Operator returns unused wallet funds

One operator may return unused funds automatically. Another may require a request through support. If access is blocked, use the operator's official contact route and ask what identity check, destination account, and processing step applies. Keep the case number. The Ontario pending-withdrawal checklist can help separate an operator review from later bank or payment delivery. Do not deposit again, pay a release fee, or gamble the balance to make a withdrawal available.

Can You Cancel BetGuard or Change the Term?

No. After registration, the selected exclusion term cannot be revoked, cancelled, paused, shortened, or reduced. This is one of the most important facts to understand before confirming the term. Technical support can correct an account problem, but it cannot turn a five-year choice into six months because the person later changes their mind.

The term can be extended. BetGuard's current terms allow a participant to renew during the selected term or during the later extended protection period, up to the maximum period offered. A renewal replaces and lengthens the earlier term; it cannot create a shorter end date.

“Can I withdraw from BetGuard?” can mean two different things. A person cannot leave the exclusion early. If the question is about withdrawing wallet money, contact the operator holding the funds because the operator must provide the return process.

Does BetGuard Stop Casino Marketing?

AGCO Standard 2.14.1 says regulated operators must, within 24 hours after a person is added to the registry, take all reasonable steps to prevent marketing material, incentives, and promotions from being sent to that person for as long as central self-exclusion continues. BetGuard's FAQ gives the shorter plain-language answer: regulated Ontario operators must not send marketing to self-excluded people.

This does not mean every message disappears. BetGuard's terms allow iGaming Ontario, OLG, or an operator to contact a participant for account administration, program updates, complaints, disputes, legal duties, or another lawful purpose. Research contact can also occur when the person consented, and that consent can be changed through the BetGuard account.

It also does not promise that a person will never see a general gambling advertisement on television, a public website, an app store, or social media. Those ads may not be sent from an operator's player list. iGaming Ontario's Find Help page links to ad and privacy controls that can reduce some online advertising.

If direct casino marketing continues, save the sender, date, subject, destination address or number, and the BetGuard registration date. Do not click the promotion. Ask the operator to correct its marketing status and contact BetGuard if the problem continues. Avoid forwarding private account or identity documents unless the official complaint route asks for them.

What Happens When the Exclusion Term Ends?

The selected end date makes a person eligible to complete reinstatement. It does not automatically restore account access. At the end of the term, the person can choose a new term, complete BetGuard's reinstatement process, or take no action.

Selected term ends
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        +-- Renew or extend -> exclusion continues
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        +-- Complete reinstatement -> cooling-off and operator steps may follow
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        +-- Do nothing -> protection continues for up to 7 more years

If the person does nothing, the current terms keep them in the registry for an additional seven-year extended protection period. They can renew or complete reinstatement during that period. If no action is taken by the end of the seven years, reinstatement occurs automatically.

After active reinstatement, technical or administrative timing may create a cooling-off period before access returns. Each operator or OLG may also require its own return-to-play process before restoring an account or marketing. A separate operator or My PlayBreak exclusion can still remain active even when BetGuard reinstatement is complete.

There is no need to decide about returning on the first eligible day. A person who still wants distance can renew, leave the protection in place, or speak with a counsellor before changing anything.

Privacy and Identity Verification: What to Read Before Registering

Central matching needs identifying information. BetGuard's privacy policy says registration may collect a person's given and last names, birth date, mailing address, phone number, email address, government photo ID, and image. Email and phone are verified, and the identity process can involve an ID scan, a facial scan, a supplier-created biometric identifier, credit-bureau questions, or manual help when the first match does not work.

The policy says iGaming Ontario uses the result to verify identity but does not keep a copy of the facial scan or photo ID. It may keep other registration and status information needed to operate BetGuard, and operators, OLG, and suppliers use personal information to check whether accounts match the registry. Information may be retained outside Ontario or Canada. The policy also says security measures exist but does not promise absolute security.

Before registering:

• read the current privacy policy and its effective date;
• use only the official BetGuard site or assisted Contact Centre process;
• keep the password and one-time codes private;
• provide accurate information that matches existing accounts; and
• use iGaming Ontario's privacy contact for questions about collection, access, or correction.

Do not send an ID image through social media or an unverified email because someone claims to be helping with BetGuard.

Add Backup Barriers and Get Human Support

BetGuard is a strong market-wide barrier, but its own terms say it is not treatment and cannot guarantee that every gambling opportunity disappears. It does not cover physical casinos or unregulated websites. A safer plan can add device and payment friction instead of relying on one tool.

• Remove saved casino bookmarks and apps.
• Use reputable website-blocking tools and device restrictions.
• Turn off gambling-ad interests and mute gambling terms on social platforms.
• Ask the financial institution what voluntary gambling-payment controls it offers.
• Tell a trusted person about the plan without giving them passwords or asking them to control the BetGuard account.
• Use the separate land-based exclusion route if physical casinos are also a concern.

For free, confidential Ontario support at any time, call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600, text CONNEX to 247247, or use its web chat. The TechPicks responsible gambling resources also point to official help. If someone is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. Immediate danger should go to emergency services.

Support can be useful before registration, during the term, or when the term ends. A person does not need to wait for a severe loss or crisis to ask for help.

If BetGuard or an Operator Does Not Work as Expected

For identity, login, status, or technical help, use the BetGuard Contact Centre. The current official numbers are 416-479-0008 in the Greater Toronto Area and 1-833-776-7171 toll-free in Canada and the United States. The Contact Centre offers English and French support and must verify identity before helping with a personal account.

If a regulated operator still permits access, sends direct marketing, or does not explain the return of unused funds, stop using the account. Save the registration confirmation, operator name, exact domain, date, message, balance, and case number. Contact the operator through its verified support route and BetGuard through its official contact form. The BetGuard terms say complaints about BetGuard should be submitted in writing through its Contact Centre.

When an operator-specific funds or account dispute remains unresolved, follow the correct formal complaint route. The TechPicks guide to reporting an online casino in Canada explains how a regulated Ontario dispute normally starts with the operator and when iGaming Ontario may review it. A complaint does not cancel the exclusion term and does not promise compensation.

If the site is unregulated, Ontario's registry and dispute system may not control it. Stop sending money or identification, secure affected accounts, and use the appropriate fraud, bank, police, or privacy route for the actual problem.

Frequently Asked Questions