Play Safely — Responsible Entertainment

What EdmontonValley Is (and Is Not)

EdmontonValley is a free social entertainment platform. It is not a form of gambling, not a financial product, and not a betting service. No real money is involved at any point — not in, not out.

The cascade games on this site use virtual credits that are assigned to you automatically, for free, and reset whenever you choose. These credits have zero monetary value and cannot be transferred, sold, or exchanged for anything of real-world value. Displaying a large number of virtual credits does not mean you have "won" anything.

The visual design of our cascade games resembles certain forms of regulated entertainment. This resemblance is aesthetic only. We are not licensed by any gambling authority because no licence is required — no financial risk exists for the player.

That said, we take seriously the possibility that visually similar entertainment could still trigger problematic thinking patterns in some individuals. This page exists to help you recognise those patterns early.

Self-Check Questions

These questions are adapted from tools used by professional problem-gambling support services. If you answer “yes” to two or more, it may be worth pausing and reading further — or contacting one of the support resources below.

Do you find it difficult to stop using EdmontonValley once you have started, even when you intended to stop?

Are you spending more time on this platform than you planned, and feel that time has passed without you noticing?

Do you feel anxious, irritable, or restless when you are not able to access this site?

Have you thought about virtual credits as though they had real value, or felt genuine upset when you “lost” them?

Are you using time on this platform to escape stress, anxiety, loneliness, or other difficult feelings?

Has using EdmontonValley interfered with sleep, work, study, or relationships?

Do you continue to use this site even after deciding you wanted to reduce or stop?

Have you found yourself thinking about our cascade games during other activities, or feeling preoccupied with returning to play?

Do you play during times that are meant for other important activities (meals, conversations, work)?

Have any people close to you expressed concern about the amount of time you spend here?

If you answered yes to two or more of the questions above, you may benefit from speaking with a professional support service. These conversations are entirely confidential and free of charge in Alberta and across Canada. See the resources section below.

Understanding Problematic Patterns

Even without real money involved, repetitive pattern-matching entertainment can affect some people negatively.

⏱️ Time Loss

Games designed with variable reward patterns can make time pass very quickly. If you regularly look up and discover much more time has passed than you intended, this is worth paying attention to. Try setting a timer before you start.

🧠 Emotional Attachment

Virtual credits have no real value, but our brains are wired to treat numbers going up as a reward signal. If you notice genuine distress when credits decline, this may indicate your emotional responses are engaging beyond the entertainment intent.

📵 Escape Behaviour

Using any form of entertainment regularly to avoid difficult feelings — stress, anxiety, boredom, loneliness — can become unhealthy over time. Entertainment is a valid part of life; using it exclusively as an emotional escape is a different pattern worth recognising.

🔄 Continued Use Despite Intent

Deciding to stop — then finding yourself continuing anyway — is one of the most reliable indicators that a behaviour has moved beyond your full control. This is true whether real money is involved or not.

Practical Healthy-Play Tips

⏰
Set a time limit before you start.
Decide in advance how long you will play — five, ten, or twenty minutes — and use a phone timer. Honour the alarm.
📅
Play at intentional times, not as a default.
If you find yourself opening the site automatically whenever a moment of boredom or stress arises, that automatic quality is worth examining.
💬
Talk about it.
Let someone close to you know you use this platform. Keeping entertainment secret is sometimes a sign that you already suspect something about your relationship to it.
🚶
Take physical breaks.
Stand up, move around, drink water. Sitting for long periods scrolling or playing any digital entertainment has documented effects on mood and sleep.
🧘
Notice what you are feeling before you start.
Ask yourself: am I opening this because I am genuinely in the mood for light entertainment, or am I trying to avoid something? Both are human — only one is healthy long-term.

Support Organisations

All of the following resources offer free, confidential support. You do not need to identify as a "problem gambler" to call — concern is enough.

Gamblers Anonymous

Peer-support meetings across Canada. Anonymity guaranteed.

gamblersanonymous.org ↗

Responsible Gambling Council

Canadian non-profit focused on prevention and research. Ontario helpline: 1-888-230-3505.

responsiblegambling.org ↗

Gambling Therapy

Free online support and live chat for people affected by problematic play. International reach.

gamblingtherapy.org ↗

GambleAware

Evidence-based resources and self-help tools available in multiple languages.

gambleaware.org ↗

Alberta Problem Gambling Helpline

Free, confidential, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counsellors are trained to help with all forms of problematic play — including social and digital entertainment.

1-800-665-9676

Important Reminder

No Real Money. No Real Risk. Real Awareness.

EdmontonValley operates with zero financial stakes. Every symbol, every credit, every cascade result is entirely virtual. There is nothing to win or lose beyond time. We include this section on every page because transparency matters more to us than aesthetics. If you are concerned about your own patterns or someone else's, please reach out to the support organisations listed above.

Alberta Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-665-9676 (free, confidential, 24/7)

[email protected]

Bright Horizon