Velmariqa / Guidance
Games are a form of entertainment and should stay that way. This page sets out how to keep play in balance and where to find free support in Canada.
Velmariqa describes game platforms, so it also has a duty to say plainly that time spent playing should stay in proportion to the rest of your life.
Nothing on this site encourages play. The entries exist so that a reader can make an informed choice, including the choice not to sign up.
Decide how long a session will last before it starts, and use a timer rather than a feeling.
Keep gaming out of working hours, study time and sleep. Fatigue is the most common route to losing track of time.
Where a platform sells optional items, set a monthly figure in advance and treat it as fixed.
Sessions running significantly longer than planned, repeatedly and against your own intention.
Withdrawal from work, study, sport or family commitments in order to keep playing.
Irritability or low mood when access is interrupted, or concealment of how much time or money is involved.
This site is intended for readers aged 18 and over. Many of the platforms described have their own age requirements, which are set by the operator.
Where younger players are involved, parental controls and agreed screen-time limits should be configured on the device and the account.
Wellness Together Canada provides free mental-health and substance-use resources online for people across Canada.
ConnexOntario offers free and confidential information about mental health, addictions and problem gambling in Ontario at 1-866-531-2600.
For immediate danger or a medical emergency in Canada, call 911. For urgent suicide-crisis support, call or text 988.
This version applies to the current calendar year. Questions: editorial@velmariqa.com