Budget and help
A casino evening with a set limit
The calculator turns the amount and the hours you set into a pace per hour and a stop time. Below it are the help lines, starting with Gambling Support BC at 1-888-795-6111, free, confidential and open 24/7.
By the Channel DeskChecked October 2026
Set the limit before you go
The evening, in your numbers
Your amount and your hours: pace per hour and the time to stop.
Set your numbers above.
Divide the amount by the hours: that is the pace per hour. Add the hours to your arrival time: that is when to leave. The floor closes at midnight Sunday to Thursday and at 2 am on Friday and Saturday.
Before you leave home, settle two things: an amount you are ready to spend and a time to head out. Treat that amount as the price of the evening, not as money you expect back. When it is spent, the evening is done.
The calculator only does arithmetic on your own numbers and predicts nothing. Cascades Casino Penticton is open until midnight Sunday to Thursday and until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday, Pacific time. Start late and you have fewer hours, so the same amount means a higher pace per hour. Holiday hours are not published; check a holiday by calling the casino at 250-487-1280.
A short break away from the floor gives you a moment to check the clock and the budget.
Where to get help
- Gambling Support BC answers at 1-888-795-6111, free and confidential, 24/7. Anyone in British Columbia can call, including people worried about a family member's gambling.
- Every casino in British Columbia has a GameSense Advisor available, the casino on Vees Drive included.
- Game Break is BCLC's voluntary self-exclusion program, with terms of 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. You enrol in person at any casino, bringing government-issued photo ID.
- A Game Break agreement covers gambling facilities in B.C. and PlayNow.com, BCLC's own online site. It does not extend to other online sites.
Game Break at the door
People registered in Game Break are refused entry to the casino on Vees Drive. Since June 26, 2023, security scans the government-issued photo ID of every person coming in and checks it against the list of people restricted from entering. For people who are let in, the system does not save personal information.
Questions people ask
Is the Gambling Support BC line free?
Yes, calls to 1-888-795-6111 cost nothing, stay confidential and are answered 24/7.
Can I shorten a Game Break term?
No, a term cannot be changed once it is chosen. The options are 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years, so pick the length with care.
Does Game Break block other online casinos?
No, an agreement covers B.C. gambling facilities and PlayNow.com, BCLC's own online site. Other online sites are outside its reach.