The best time to set gambling limits is before you start. GB-licensed sites offer deposit limits, and often loss limits, time reminders, time-outs and self-exclusion; GAMSTOP lets you exclude yourself from every GB online operator at once, and most banks can block gambling payments from your card.
This guide explains each tool, what it is good for and how to use it. Our safer gambling page lists the support organisations in one place.
Why limits work best set in advance
Slots have a house edge, so the expected result of playing is a loss. Most people decide sensibly how much they are willing to lose while they are calm, and less sensibly halfway through a losing session. Limits take the decision out of that moment.
They also work because of how slots feel. Near misses, small returns dressed up as wins and fast play all make it harder to keep track. Our guide to near misses and losses disguised as wins explains why.
The tools at a glance
| Tool | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Caps what you can deposit per day, week or month | Everyone, from day one |
| Loss limit | Caps net losses over a period, where offered | Keeping a firm budget |
| Reality check | A reminder after a set time | Keeping track of time |
| Time-out | Blocks your account for a short period | A cooling-off break |
| Self-exclusion (one site) | Closes your account for months or years | Stopping with one operator |
| GAMSTOP | Self-exclusion from all GB online operators | Stopping online gambling |
| Bank gambling block | Stops your card paying gambling merchants | An extra barrier |
Deposit limits
A deposit limit caps how much you can put into your account over a day, week or month. Since 31 October 2025, GB-licensed operators must prompt you to set one before your first deposit.
To set one, look in your account settings for a section called something like “Safer gambling”, “Responsible gambling” or “Limits”. Choose an amount you could lose without it affecting bills, savings or anything else you care about.
Lowering a limit takes effect straight away. Raising one normally involves a cooling-off period before the higher limit applies. That delay is a feature, not a nuisance.
A deposit limit is per site. If you hold accounts with several operators, set one on each, or close the accounts you do not use.
Loss limits
Some sites also offer loss limits, which cap your net losses over a set period. They track the money that matters more directly than deposits, because they count what you have lost rather than what you have put in.
Reality checks and time reminders
A reality check is a pop-up that appears after a set time, telling you how long you have been playing and, often, how much you have won or lost. Set it to an interval that suits you; many people find shorter is better.
GB online slots must also show your net position and how long you have been playing during each session, under the game design rules that apply from 31 October 2021. A reality check adds an interruption that is harder to ignore.
Time-outs
A time-out blocks your account for a short period, typically from a day to a few weeks depending on the site. You cannot deposit or play until it ends. It is useful if you notice you are playing more than planned, or after a session that went badly.
Self-exclusion with one operator
Self-exclusion is for when you want to stop gambling with a site for a longer period, usually months or years. The account is closed, marketing should stop, and the operator should not let you open a new account during the exclusion. Self-exclusion cannot normally be reversed early.
If you exclude from one site, consider whether you need to exclude from others too.
GAMSTOP
GAMSTOP is the free national online self-exclusion scheme for Great Britain. It has been mandatory for GB-licensed online operators to participate since 31 March 2020. Register once, and you are excluded from all of them.
- Periods: 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.
- Early end: the exclusion cannot be cancelled before the period runs out.
- After it ends: it stays in place until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it.
GAMSTOP covers online gambling with GB-licensed operators. It does not cover land-based venues, which have their own schemes, or sites without a GB licence, which you should not be using. See our GAMSTOP page for more.
Bank gambling blocks
Many UK banks and card providers let you block payments to gambling merchants, usually through a setting in their app. Some apply a delay before you can turn the block off again. It works across every gambling site, licensed or not, which makes it a useful partner to GAMSTOP.
Credit cards cannot be used for gambling in Great Britain at all; that ban has applied since 14 April 2020, as covered on our credit card ban page.
Other practical steps
- Delete apps and saved logins. Friction helps.
- Unsubscribe from marketing. Opt out of emails, texts and push notifications in your account settings.
- Use blocking software. Device-level blockers can stop gambling sites loading at all.
- Tell someone. Saying it out loud to a friend or family member makes a limit easier to keep.
Signs it is time to use the stronger tools
- Spending more than you planned, or more than you can afford.
- Chasing losses by depositing again or raising stakes.
- Hiding gambling from people close to you.
- Feeling anxious, irritable or low about gambling.
- Borrowing money or missing bills because of it.
If any of these sound familiar, a time-out or self-exclusion is a reasonable step, and talking to someone helps.
Where to get help
- National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare: 0808 8020 133, free, 24 hours.
- GAMSTOP: online self-exclusion across GB-licensed operators.
- Gamblers Anonymous: peer support meetings.
- Gordon Moody: residential and online treatment.
- NHS gambling clinics: specialist treatment through the NHS.
- Samaritans: 116 123, any time, if you are struggling to cope.
The short version
- Set limits before you start, not halfway through a session.
- Since 31 October 2025, operators must prompt you to set a deposit limit before your first deposit.
- Lowering a limit is immediate; raising one has a cooling-off delay.
- Time-outs are short breaks; self-exclusion is for stopping.
- GAMSTOP excludes you from all GB online operators for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.
- A bank gambling block adds a barrier that works across every site.
- Free help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133, 24 hours.
Questions people ask
How long does GAMSTOP self-exclusion last?
You can choose 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. The exclusion cannot be cancelled early, and when it ends it stays in place until you actively ask for it to be removed.
Can I raise a deposit limit straight away?
Lowering a limit takes effect immediately, but raising one is normally subject to a cooling-off period before it applies. That delay is deliberate, so that a decision made in the moment does not take effect in the moment.
What is the difference between a time-out and self-exclusion?
A time-out is a short break from one site, usually from a day up to a few weeks. Self-exclusion is a longer commitment, with one operator or across all GB online operators through GAMSTOP, intended for people who want to stop.
Do I have to set a deposit limit?
Since 31 October 2025, GB-licensed operators must prompt customers to set a deposit limit before their first deposit. Setting one is strongly advisable whether or not you are asked.
Next guide: How Slots Are Tested and Regulated in Great Britain