Audience
What is Gambling Outreach Support (GOS)?
Gambling Outreach Support is part of the BC Responsible and Problem Gambling Program. There is a Gambling Outreach Support person in every region of BC
What does Gambling Outreach Support do to help someone?
An Outreach Worker provides personalized support to people who want to talk about gambling. We can also connect you to service(s) in your community
How does someone connect with free services in their area?
Call the 24/7 Support line to get connected with the Gambling Outreach person in your area
Is gambling common in BC?
Gambling is a common activity that British Columbians engage in. In fact, over 70% of adults in BC have gambled in the past year and around 3% of people have identified that they struggle with gambling.
Who can access this service?
Free to all British Columbians impacted by gambling regardless of age, culture, language spoken or location
Not sure about counselling?
An outreach person is the first step to getting connected to the right supports. If someone would like to talk to a counsellor we can refer them to one; if they're not sure about counselling there are lots of other options.
What ways do we connect with you?
We can meet you over zoom, phone, text, email and face to face meeting (Covid Friendly of course!)
How do people gamble in BC?
Online gambling is on the rise. Other ways that people gamble are through sports betting, casino games, animal race tracks, stock trading, lottery, Keno, and scratch tickets
What about multicultural services?
Yes! There are Chinese, Korean, Punjabi, French and Indigenous supports available, as well as free interpretation services for other languages.
What kind of referrals would someone receive?
Examples of referrals that we can provide: Counselling, Support Groups, Tools to exclude yourself from online/in person gambling, Legal Consultation, Financial and Budgeting Supports, Food and Shelter Services, Health and Wellness Agencies, Online Self Help Tools
What if I am worried about someone else’s gambling?
All our services are also free and available for people who are concerned about another persons gambling. This could be a friend, family member or even a coworker.
Can someone just stop gambling if they want?
We recognize that there are many reasons people may struggle with gambling. Our services focus on increasing connection, and reducing isolation so that people can get the support they need if they wish to stop/reduce gambling.