Decide the budget before you start
Set the amount before you open a game, not while you are in one. The deposit limits in your account exist precisely so that the decision is made once, in a calm moment, and then enforced for you. A limit you have to re-decide every session is not really a limit.
Treat it as entertainment you are paying for
The money you spend on a ticket or a spin buys the play, in the same way that a cinema ticket buys the film. Any prize is a possibility, never a plan. Gambling is not a way to make money, cover a shortfall or clear a debt, and no strategy changes that — the odds of each game are fixed and published.
Take breaks, and take them on a timer
Time passes differently while you are playing, which is why reality checks are set by the clock rather than by how you feel. Switch them on at an interval that will actually interrupt you, and stop when one arrives rather than after the next play.
Never chase a loss
Increasing a stake to win back what you have lost is the single most reliable way to lose more. A losing run does not make the next result more likely to win: each draw and each spin is independent of the one before it. If you notice yourself playing to recover rather than to enjoy, stop for the day.
Know where help is before you need it
Gambling Support BC is free, confidential and open 24/7 on 1-888-795-6111. Help is there for people who are worried about their own play and for people worried about someone else's, and calling early is easier than calling late.