Free, confidential help, 24/7
If gambling, or any game of chance, is causing a problem for you or someone close to you, help in Alberta is free, confidential and open around the clock.
- Alberta Addiction Helpline: 1-866-332-2322, 24 hours a day. Information and referrals through Alberta Health Services.
- Responsible Gambling Council: Canadian non-profit dedicated to problem-gambling prevention, with guides for players and families at responsiblegambling.org.
- Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC): the provincial regulator, which runs the AGLC Self-Exclusion Program. See aglc.ca.
18+ only
The gaming areas are reserved for guests aged 18 and over, the legal minimum in Alberta. Anyone who appears to be under 25 will be asked for valid government-issued photo identification before entry. Gatsby Evening is an adults-only event from the door to the last dance, and minors are not admitted.
Play money, and nothing else
Every guest receives the same play-money stack at no charge. Chips cannot be bought, sold, traded or exchanged; nothing is staked at any table; and no prize of monetary value is awarded. The ticket pays for dinner and the show, never for chips or a seat at a table.
How we keep the tables relaxed
- Dealers explain the rules and never encourage anyone to keep playing or to play faster.
- Every guest can leave a table at any moment, and there is plenty else to do in the room.
- We do not rank guests, announce leaders or reward the size of a stack.
- Our hosts are briefed to notice when someone seems unwell or upset, and to step in kindly.
- Alcohol is served responsibly by the venue, and guests who are intoxicated may be asked to leave the tables.
Self-exclusion
Guests enrolled in the AGLC Self-Exclusion Program are not admitted. If you have chosen to step away from gaming, we respect that choice and ask that you do not attend. If you are unsure whether the evening is right for you, write to us before you reply and we will answer honestly.
Signs worth noticing
Even without money on the table, it is worth paying attention to how play makes you feel. Talk to someone if you notice any of these in yourself or a friend:
- Playing longer than you meant to, or finding it hard to stop.
- Feeling restless, low or irritable when you are not playing.
- Hiding how much time or money goes into gambling elsewhere.
- Borrowing, or putting bills aside, to keep gambling.
The Alberta Addiction Helpline is there for exactly these conversations: 1-866-332-2322.
Talk to us
If you have a question about how the evening is run, or would like us to keep an eye out for a guest in your party, write to events@rivercree-event.com. Every message is read by our events team.