Deposit limits, time-outs and GAMSTOP
The tools UK licensed casinos have to give you, how each one works, and when to reach for it.
You don't need to have a problem to use any of these. Plenty of people set a limit on day one the same way they'd set a budget for a night out. Think of them as settings, not alarms.
Deposit limits
A cap on how much you can pay in over a day, a week or a month. Every casino licensed by the Gambling Commission must offer them, usually at sign-up and again in your account settings.
Lowering a limit applies promptly. Raising it doesn't: there's a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours, and you may have to confirm the change. That delay is deliberate, so a decision made mid-session has time to cool.
Where to find it: usually under "Responsible gambling", "Safer gambling" or "My limits" in the account menu.
Reality checks
A reminder that pops up after a set time, showing how long you've been playing and, at many sites, what you've won or lost. You choose the interval.
Worth setting to something short, like 30 minutes. Time on slots passes quickly.
Time-outs
A short break from one casino, typically from 24 hours up to six weeks. During a time-out you can't log in to play, and the casino shouldn't send you marketing.
Good for: the evening after a bad loss, or a month where money's tight.
GAMSTOP: one sign-up, every UK licensed site
GAMSTOP is the free national self-exclusion scheme. You register once, with your name, date of birth, address and email, and choose 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. Every online gambling business licensed in Great Britain has to take part, including all five brands on our list.
Here's what that means for you:
- It usually starts working within 24 hours.
- You can't cancel it early. That is the whole point.
- When the period ends it doesn't switch off by itself; you have to contact GAMSTOP to lift it.
- It covers online gambling only. Land-based venues have their own schemes: SENSE for casinos, plus multi-operator schemes for betting shops, bingo halls and arcades.
If you use GAMSTOP, please don't look for sites that sit outside it. Those operators aren't licensed in Great Britain and won't give you the protections described on this page.
Self-exclusion with one casino
A longer block, for at least six months, at a single operator. The casino has to close your account for play and take reasonable steps to stop you opening a new one.
Note that several brands can share one operator. Excluding from one may cover its sister sites too, or it may not. Ask their support team.
Bank gambling blocks
Many UK banks and card providers let you block gambling payments from inside their app. Some add a delay before the block can be switched off again.
Search your banking app for "gambling block" or ask your bank.
Blocking software
Apps such as BetBlocker (free) and Gamban stop gambling websites and apps loading on your phone or computer. They pair well with GAMSTOP.
Which tool when?
| If you're thinking… | Start with |
|---|---|
| "I just want to keep it tidy." | Deposit limit plus a reality check |
| "I overdid it tonight." | A 24-hour or one-week time-out |
| "I keep going back to one site." | Self-exclusion with that operator |
| "I want to stop, everywhere." | GAMSTOP, a bank block and blocking software, together |
And if you'd like to talk it through with someone first, that's what the helpline is for. No judgement, no obligation.