Take control: Your Safer Gambling Tools

Safer gambling tools are for every player — helping you play your way, on your terms. Choose the tools that work for you—for your budget, your time, and your peace of mind. You can mix and match what works best for you. Not every operator offers every tool — but you always have the right to ask, and they can point you in the right direction or provide an alternative.

The Tools

Session Limits

What it does:

No play allowed after a set amount of time per session.

Best for:

Preventing "just one more game" from turning into hours.

How it works:

The timer starts when you log in. When time's up, you're logged out automatically. You can still deposit or withdraw, but no more play until your next session.

Example:

Set a 1-hour session limit. After 60 minutes, you're automatically logged out and can't play again until you start a fresh session.

Time Limits

What it does:

Caps your total playing time over a day, week, or month.

Best for:

Making sure gambling doesn't crowd out other parts of your life.

How it works:

Set your maximum playing time. Once you've used it up, you can't play until the period resets.

Example:

Set a 5-hour weekly limit. Across the week, you play for 5 hours total. Once you hit that, you can't play until the new week starts.

Deposit Limits

What it does:

Caps how much money you can add to your account.

Best for:

Protecting your budget and preventing impulse deposits.

How it works:

Set a maximum for daily, weekly, or monthly deposits. Once you hit that limit, you can't add more until the period resets.

Example:

Set a £200 weekly deposit limit. On Wednesday, you've deposited £200, you won't be able to add more until the following Wednesday, unless you actively raise your limit (which then takes 24 hours to kick in). 

Net Deposit Limits

What it does:

Tracks your actual spend by accounting for both deposits and withdrawals.

Best for:

Players who want a realistic picture of their spending, factoring in wins.

How it works:

Net deposit = deposits minus withdrawals. If you deposit £500 and withdraw £200, your net is £300. Winnings act as credits toward your limit.

Example:

Set a £400 monthly net deposit limit. You deposit £500 but withdraw £150 in winnings. Your net deposit is £350, so you have £50 left to play with.

Reality Check

What it does:

Sends you an alert once you've been playing for a set amount of time. Sometimes also known as Time Keeper.

Best for:

Staying aware of how long you've been playing, especially if sessions tend to run longer than planned.

How it works:

Set your preferred time interval. When the alert triggers, you can choose to end your session or keep playing — the choice is yours, but you'll always know how long you've been at it.

Example:

Set a 1-hour reality check. After 60 minutes of play, you'll get an alert showing your session time, giving you a clear moment to decide whether to continue.

Timeout

What it does:

Blocks access to gambling for a short cooling-off period.

Best for:

People who need space after a difficult session or a moment where things felt out of control.

How it works:

You activate a short break so you cannot log back in or continue play for the chosen period.

Example:

You take a 24-hour timeout after a session where you ignored your usual boundaries.

Self-Exclusion

What it does:

Restricts your access to the site for between 6 months and 5 years.

Best for:

When gambling has become problematic and you need a more lasting break.

How it works:

Choose an exclusion period of up to 5 years. The restriction cannot be lifted early for any reason. We strongly recommend applying the same exclusion across all gambling providers you use. Find out more in the self-exclusion section on the Get Help page.

Example:

Self-exclude for 1 year. Your account will be inaccessible for the full 12 months, and you won't be able to reinstate it until the period has fully elapsed.