Play Responsibly — SaskatoonChoice

What is SaskatoonChoice?

SaskatoonChoice is a free social adventure game platform based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It is built entirely for entertainment — there is no real money involved at any stage of play.

Virtual credits exist only inside the game. They have zero monetary value and cannot be withdrawn, exchanged, or redeemed for anything of worth. You cannot win real money on SaskatoonChoice, and you cannot lose real money. Every play, every feature, and every token collected is purely for fun.

We are not a gambling operator. We are not licensed under any gaming authority because no gambling takes place here. SaskatoonChoice is entertainment software, the same category as a puzzle app or a word game.

Adults Only — 18+

SaskatoonChoice is designed for adults aged 18 and over. Even though no real money changes hands, we apply an 18+ age requirement because our game simulates entertainment-style mechanics and we believe those are suitable only for adults who can make informed choices about how they spend their leisure time.

If you are under 18, please close this page now. If someone in your household who is under 18 has been accessing this platform, please use your device's parental control tools to restrict access.

It Is Supposed to Be Relaxing

SaskatoonChoice is meant to be a pleasant way to pass the time — the kind of activity you pick up when you want to unwind after a long day on the prairies, not something that adds stress to your life.

Play when you feel good. Start a session because you feel like having fun, not because you feel bored, anxious, or upset. If the game stops being enjoyable — even for a moment — that is a clear signal to take a break. Step outside, make a cup of tea, call a friend. The game will still be here when you feel better.

There is no tournament, no leaderboard, no expiring reward that demands your immediate attention. Nothing on SaskatoonChoice is time-sensitive. You are always in control of how long you play.

Walk Away When It Stops Being Fun

Healthy play has a natural stopping point. Before you start a session, consider setting a personal time limit — even something as simple as "I'll play until my coffee is finished." Some signs that it is time to stop for today:

You are no longer enjoying the plays — you are just clicking out of habit.
You feel frustrated, impatient, or irritable about outcomes.
You have been playing for longer than you intended when you sat down.
You are tired and should be sleeping.
You are using the game to avoid thinking about something stressful.
You are playing while doing something that deserves your full attention (driving, caring for children, attending a meeting).

None of these signs make you a bad person. They are just friendly signals that your mind and body are ready for something else. Listen to them.

Warning Signs to Look Out For

Even on a free social platform, patterns of play can occasionally become problematic. The warning signs below are worth knowing — not to alarm you, but because awareness is the first step toward balance:

Spending significantly more time playing than you planned, repeatedly.
Feeling anxious, restless, or irritable when you cannot access the game.
Thinking about the game frequently when you are supposed to be focused on something else.
Playing as a way to escape problems, loneliness, or difficult emotions rather than for enjoyment.
Noticing that your sleep, work, or personal relationships are being affected by how often or how long you play.
Feeling a strong need to play for increasingly longer sessions to get the same sense of enjoyment.
Feeling guilty or secretive about how much time you spend on the platform.
Finding it difficult to stop even when you decide to, or coming back "just for one more play" repeatedly.

If several of these apply to you, please read the self-check below and consider reaching out to one of the support organisations listed further down this page.

A Short Self-Check

Take a moment to honestly answer the following questions. There are no wrong answers — this is only for you:

Am I playing more than I planned to, on a regular basis?
Am I feeling stressed, restless, or anxious when I cannot access the game?
Has playing started affecting my sleep, work performance, or personal relationships?
Am I using the game primarily to escape from problems or difficult feelings rather than for genuine enjoyment?
Do I feel a growing need to play for longer and longer sessions to get the same sense of satisfaction?

If you answered "yes" to two or more of these questions, it may be worth talking to someone you trust, or contacting one of the professional support organisations listed below. Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.

What to Do If Something Feels Off

If your relationship with social gaming feels out of balance, here are some concrete steps you can take right now:

Take a break

Close the app and commit to a specific amount of time away — a day, a week, or longer. You do not need to explain it to anyone. Just step back and notice how you feel.

Talk to someone you trust

A friend, family member, or colleague. You do not have to have all the answers before starting the conversation. Simply saying "I think I've been spending too much time gaming" is enough to begin.

Set firm time limits

Use your device's screen-time tools to cap how long you can access social gaming apps in a day. Having a technical guardrail removes the burden of willpower.

Replace the habit

Identify what need the game is fulfilling — relaxation, excitement, distraction — and find another activity that meets the same need without the same risks.

Reach out to a support organisation

The organisations in the "Where to Find Help" section below are free, confidential, and staffed by people trained to help. You do not need to be in crisis to call them.

Contact us

If you believe our platform design is contributing to a problem, email us at [email protected]. We take every message seriously and will respond within one business day.

If Someone Close to You Needs Help

Watching someone you care about struggle with excessive gaming — social or otherwise — is difficult. You cannot force someone to change, but you can create the conditions that make change more possible.

Some things that tend to help:

Start the conversation from curiosity, not judgment. Ask "How have you been feeling about gaming lately?" rather than making an accusation. People shut down when they feel attacked.
Be specific about what you have noticed — "You've stayed up past midnight three nights in a row" — rather than general ("You're always on that game").
Offer to help, not to fix. Let them know you are there to support whatever steps they decide to take, rather than presenting a plan they did not ask for.
Take care of yourself too. Family and friends of people with problematic gaming habits can benefit from speaking to a counsellor as well. Organisations like Gamblers Anonymous have resources specifically for families and loved ones.
Do not enable avoidance. Covering for the person — making excuses to their employer, paying debts incurred in other contexts — can delay the moment they feel the natural consequences that often motivate change.

How We Keep This Game Safe by Design

Responsible play is not an afterthought at SaskatoonChoice — it shapes how the product was built from the first line of code. Here are the choices we have made deliberately:

No real-money mechanics

There is no in-app purchase system, no credit-card integration, and no mechanism to assign monetary value to virtual tokens — ever.

No push notifications

We do not send alerts designed to pull you back in. We do not ask for notification permission, and we never remind you that your credits are "waiting."

Visible session clock

The current time is displayed in the game interface so you always know how long you have been playing without having to check your phone.

No social pressure mechanics

There are no public leaderboards, no friend notifications about wins, and no "your friend just beat your score" messages. Progress is personal.

Balance resets on refresh

Virtual credits reset to the starting balance on every new session. There is no compounding loss or pressure to "win back" a depleted balance.

Responsible play messaging throughout

Links to this page and to external support organisations are present in the footer of every page — not buried in a legal document few people read.

Where to Find Help

The following organisations provide free, confidential support for anyone concerned about their own gaming or gambling habits, or those of someone they care about. All are available to Canadians:

Gamblers Anonymous — gamblersanonymous.org

International fellowship helping people recover from problem play through peer support groups and a 12-step programme. Meetings available across Canada and online.

Responsible Gambling Council — responsiblegambling.org

Canadian non-profit dedicated to preventing problem gambling. Offers self-assessment tools, educational resources, and referrals to local support services.

Gambling Therapy — gamblingtherapy.org

Free online support service providing practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by problem gambling, including family and friends.

Gambling Guidelines — gamblingguidelines.ca

Canadian guidelines for lower-risk gambling and social gaming, developed with input from public health experts. Includes self-assessment resources and risk calculators.

If you are in immediate distress, please contact the Crisis Services Canada helpline at 1-833-456-4566 (24/7) or text 45645 between 16:00 and 00:00 ET.

Get in Touch with SaskatoonChoice

If you have questions about our responsible play policies, would like to report a concern, or want to give us feedback on how we can improve player safety, please reach out directly:

SaskatoonChoice

1247 Broadway Avenue
Saskatoon, SK S7K 1L4, Canada

Phone: +1 (306) 487-3291

Email: [email protected]

We respond to all responsible play enquiries within one business day. Your message is read by a real person on our Saskatoon team.