VHL Ontario Limited (the "Company") is dedicated to providing its members with a responsible gaming environment. Not only is it our mission to provide our members with the most entertaining gambling experience but it is also our duty to help prevent compulsive usage of and underage access to our gaming products. As a responsible, regulated gaming company, we comply with all guidelines published by eCOGRA. eCOGRA ensures that approved gaming offerings are properly and transparently monitored to provide player protection.
We have implemented the following company policies and tools:
Protection of minors
In line with Ontario gambling legislation, the standards of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (“AGCO”) and the policies of Internet Gaming Ontario, the Company does not allow anyone under the age of 19 to play its casino or poker games or to place bets through its sports betting products. It is an offense for minors to participate in gambling activity.
Our casino and poker room as well as out sports betting product are not designed to attract children or adolescents. We actively discourage and track persons under the age of 19 who attempt to play at our websites. We use sophisticated verification systems which can identify minors who log in to our software.
Nevertheless, we recognize that the internet is readily accessible in many homes around the world. As a result, gaming companies and parents must work together to protect children from underage gambling. To ensure the safety of your children, we recommend installing filtering software to block minors from accessing certain websites and programs.
Below are links to some such providers and software:
Cyber PatrolGamBlock
Net Nanny
Gamban
Tips for parents:
- Do not leave children unattended near your computer when the casino or poker room software or when the sports betting software is running. You must take special care to ensure that they do not access our services via your devices.
- Protect your gambling programs with password access.
- Do not allow persons under 19 to participate in any gambling activity.
- Keep your username, password and deposit method details out of the reach of children.
- Educate your children about the legality and the potential damage of underage gambling.
- Limit the length of time your children spend online.
- Take particular care regarding the use by minors of facilities such as mobile devices.
Unfortunately, no system is foolproof. If you know a person under the age of 19 who is registered with us, please notify our Operations Department at operations@888brands.net.
Preventing Compulsive Gambling
The Company recognizes that while most people gamble for entertainment, a small number of people can become obsessed with the potential monetary gains our games offer. Even though studies suggest that only a very small percentage of the adult population encounters compulsive gambling problems we take this matter exceedingly seriously and have accordingly implemented a number of measures to address this problem, including but not limited to the following:
- The Company's training program incorporates methods and techniques that assist our employees in recognizing and taking appropriate actions when they identify compulsive or underage gambling.
- We have implemented an easy way to use our self-exclusion program for those who may need our assistance. Upon your request, we will suspend or cancel your membership and will prevent you from entering our casino, and poker room and from using sports our betting products.
- We let you set your own maximum allowed deposit and loss amounts.
- Following your request, as soon as is practicable we will remove your name from our email list and take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material, incentives or promotions from being sent to you.
Remember
- Gambling is a form of entertainment. It is not a way to get rich quickly and pay off your debts.
- Gambling is a game of chance. There are no formulas that guarantee winnings.
- Make sure that the decision to gamble is your choice.
- Never try to chase your losses.
- Check the amounts you spend on a regular basis in the Cashier.
- Make sure you know the rules of the games you play.
Like many things, what is enjoyable in moderation can be disastrous in excess.
Advice and Help
You may seek professional help from the following organizations:
ConnexOntario
Responsible Gambling Council
Gamblers Anonymous
Gambling Therapy Helpline
Self-Imposed limits
As part of our policy, we give you the tools to control the amount of money you use to gamble on our sites. You can set your own loss and deposit limits and request to adjust them at any time. Simply call our Member Support Team and a representative will help you set your limits. You can also set your own loss and deposit limits and request to adjust them at any time online through the cashier.
The deposit limit which you set will automatically apply to all of the following websites only: www.888poker.ca, www.888sport.ca and www.888casino.ca
To help you set limits that are right for you, try answering this short questionnaire:
- Establish what constitutes an acceptable loss before starting to gamble.
- Note how often you play.
- Note how long you play during each gaming session.
Use your answers to determine how much you would like to allow yourself to spend per 24-hour period, per seven day period or per month. Where you set simultaneous periods, the lowest limit will apply. In the event that the restrictions which we set for you on your account are lower than the loss or deposit limits which you have set, the restrictions that we set shall apply.
If you wish to relax or eliminate a self-imposed limit which you have set, you must call the Member Support Team to request the relaxation or elimination of any such limit, and the relaxation or elimination of any such limit shall only be implemented after a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours.
If you are worried about your gambling habits or you want to know more about the signs of compulsive gambling, try our self-assessment test.
Reversing Withdrawal Preferences
You may set your Reverse Withdrawal Preferences by contacting our Member Support Team here.
If you choose to turn off the ability to reverse pending withdrawal requests, you will no longer be able to reverse any of your current or future pending withdrawal requests.
If you choose to turn on this ability again, it will not take effect for 7 days. You will only have the option to reverse withdrawals after this period by contacting our Member Support Team here.
Please note that the preferences you set on this website only apply to your account with this website, not any other website owned or operated by us in connection with our registration with the AGCO.
Account Restrictions, Self-Exclusion & "Take a Break"
If you wish to take a break and suspend your use of your account, you can request one of the following:
- A one day "Take a Break" period
- A seven day "Take a Break" period
- A one month "Take a Break" period
- A two month "Take a Break" period
- A three month "Take a Break" period
During a "Take a Break" period we will suspend your account on the following websites only: www.888poker.ca, www.888sport.ca and www. 888casino.ca
New accounts you might attempt to open on such websites when you have "Taken a Break" during the break period may also be suspended or cancelled to the extent detected by us. You can request a "Take a Break" period by contacting our Member Support Team at support-on@888.ca or by clicking here.
If, at any stage, you become concerned about your gambling behavior, you can request self-exclusion for a period of six months, one year, five years or for a lifetime. Should you choose to self-exclude from the websites operated by us in connection with our registration with the AGCO, we shall immediately log you out of your account(s) to the extent directed by you and you shall be unable to log in for the duration of your exclusion, in accordance with the provisions of the User Agreement and the applicable regulations and standards. Any open bets or future gaming transactions which you have made which will occur in the future will be cancelled. Upon your request, we will return the balance of the unused cashable funds in your account to you, subject to the Withdrawal Policy.
Other than with respect to self-exclusion for a period of a lifetime, during a self-exclusion period, the suspended access will be enforced and irrevocable. If you wish to reactivate your account after the self-exclusion period has ended, you must call the Member Support Team to request reactivation of such account and there will be a one day cooling-off period before we are able to provide you access to your account. For the avoidance of doubt, there will be no such cooling off period with respect to any "Take A Break" period.
If you have self-excluded for a period of a lifetime, you can eliminate such self-exclusion one month from the date you have self-excluded by contacting the Member Support Team.
We urge you to contact our Member Support Team to ensure that the relevant accounts with us are suspended and to consider self-excluding from any online gaming operators with which you have an account. Pursuant to iGO’s post-launch Self-Exclusion Policy, we will be required to participate in a coordinated, centralized self-exclusion program developed by iGO that may allow you to automatically exclude yourself from all online gambling websites registered with AGCO.
You shall not be permitted to open or use a new account with any other site operated by us in connection with our registration with the AGCO, during your selected self-exclusion period, until such self-exclusion period has ended and you request that the relevant account is opened by you. In the event you are in breach of the foregoing, we shall be entitled to block any new account you open with another website operated by us in connection with our registration with the AGCO.
Upon registering for self-exclusion, you shall be provided with resources and information about where to get help. We will, as soon as is practicable, take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material, incentives or promotions from being sent to you for the duration of the self-exclusion period.
Please note: If you accept push notifications on the open web, download any of our applications to your device from the Apple AppStore or directly from our website to your device and you accept to receive push notifications, we will not be able to block receipt of such notifications even if you choose to self-exclude or have "Taken a Break" from any website operated by the Company. The only way to prevent receipt of such notifications is by changing the settings on the device itself.
If you are unsure about requesting self-exclusion, ask yourself the four questions below:
- Is gaming interfering with your work or other responsibilities?
- Are you trying to make up for prior gaming losses?
- Are you recovering from an addictive disorder?
- Do you play under the influence of alcohol or other influences?
If your answer is yes to at least one of them, we recommend that you request self-exclusion and seek professional help. You can also use the following software which will prevent your computer from accessing online gambling websites:
Cyber Patrol
GamBlock
Net Nanny
Game History
You can view your game history via your account page or it will be made available via the game itself.
Use of Our Social Responsibility Tools
You may only use our social responsibility tools as specifically stated in this Responsible Gaming Policy and as applicable to you. We are unable to process any requests to use our social responsibility tools provided by any other means (for example by SMS, WhatsApp or through social networks such as Facebook).
Support
Should you have any questions or concerns related to responsible gaming, please call our 24-hour live customer Support line at 1-833-779-0896.
For further assistance please click here.