Staying in control
Limits work best when you set them before you feel you need them. In the account settings at the casino you signed up with you will find caps on deposits per day, week or month, along with loss limits and reality checks that licensed sites have to offer.
A reduced limit applies straight away, while an increase only takes effect after a cooling-off period. That delay is built in on purpose and gives you time to think again.
Taking a break
A break should be simple to start, and in our checks it usually is. Most sites let you close your account for a set period, during which you cannot log in and receive no promotional messages.
Time-outs run from 24 hours up to six weeks, and a longer stop needs self-exclusion instead. If a short break feels hard to keep, that difficulty is a signal in itself.
Self-exclusion through GAMSTOP
Sometimes a short break is not enough. GAMSTOP is the free national scheme that every operator licensed by the Gambling Commission has to honour, and one registration blocks you from all of them at once.
You choose a period of six months, one year or five years, and the exclusion cannot be lifted before it runs out. Offshore sites are not part of the scheme, so blocking software and bank gambling blocks matter as well.
Spotting a problem
Gambling problems rarely appear overnight, they build up quietly. A few things worth being honest with yourself about:
- staking more than you planned to
- using money set aside for bills, rent or family
- feeling restless or irritable when you are not playing
- borrowing money to keep playing
- hiding how much you spend from people close to you
No single point proves anything, but several together are worth stopping for.
Where to get help in the UK
The services below are open to anyone questioning their gambling, and to families as well:
- GamCare – free counselling and support, and the operator of the National Gambling Helpline.
- GAMSTOP – the national self-exclusion scheme covering all operators licensed in Great Britain.
- GambleAware – advice, self-assessment tools and referral to treatment services.
- Gamblers Anonymous – a network of support groups where people share experience and help each other stop.
- Gambling Commission – the regulator, where you can check whether a site holds a licence.
Players under 18
Online gambling in Great Britain is for adults aged 18 and over, and sites must verify your age before you deposit or play. If you know someone under 18 who is gambling for money, report it to the operator.
Families who want to block gambling content at home can use filtering software that covers several devices at once. Several banks also let you switch on a gambling block directly in their app.