Deposit limits, loss limits and time-outs: which should you use?
A quick guide to every safer-gambling tool on a typical site — what each one does, when it helps most, and how to combine them.
Licensed gambling sites offer a toolbox of safer-gambling features. They work best in combination. Here’s what each one does.
Deposit limits: your first line
A deposit limit caps how much money you can put in over a day, week or month. Because it acts before you play, it’s the single most useful tool — which is why it carries the most weight in our Limits score. Set it to your monthly fun budget.
Loss limits
A loss limit caps how much you can lose over a period, counting wins and losses together. It’s useful if you tend to keep playing with winnings.
Wager limits
These cap the total you can stake. They’re handy on fast games, where the same money is re-staked many times.
Session limits and reality checks
A session limit logs you out after a set time; a reality check reminds you how long you’ve played. Together they stop the clock running away with you.
Time-out
A short break — from 24 hours to a few weeks — that usually can’t be cancelled. Good after a bad session, or before a payday when you know you’ll be tempted.
Self-exclusion
For a longer break, self-exclusion closes your account for six months or more. If you use several sites, look for a national scheme that covers them all, and consider blocking software too. See our help page.
A simple combination
- A monthly deposit limit equal to your fun budget.
- A reality check every 30 minutes.
- A session limit of an hour or two.
- A time-out whenever a session leaves you feeling bad.