What's The Difference Between Setting A Deposit Limit And Self-Excluding?

Gambling has always been considered a favourite pastime for many, whether that’s online bingo, slots or casinos, it's supposed to be a bit of fun. And now, you can enjoy it anywhere, anytime if you have an internet connection.

Chances are that you log on to your favourite casino or bingo site for a game or two because you enjoy the thrill and excitement of possibly winning a share of the jackpot.

However, it can be easy to get carried away and sometimes that can result in negative real-life consequences. One way to make sure that gambling stays fun is to set limits and two of the most common ways are to set a deposit limit or to self-exclude yourself from the game. We'll discuss these limits, what they mean and how you can apply them.

What is a deposit limit?

Setting a deposit limit allows you to control the amount of money that you pay into your account on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

When it comes to gambling, it’s really important that you only spend what you are able to afford and are willing to lose. After all, there are no guarantees that you’ll win anything.

Deposit limits are a great way of helping you to control your spending. Treat gambling like any other form of entertainment like going to the cinema or out for the day shopping. You’d set a budget for that, so do the same for your online gaming.

How do deposit limits work?

Deposit limits work on a rolling basis. So whether you’ve chosen to set your limit daily, weekly or monthly, the limit will start when it was set up and is refreshed at the end of the chosen period.

For example, if you set a £50 daily deposit limit and you load £50 at 1:30 pm, you won’t be able to deposit anymore until 1 pm the following day.

It doesn’t matter how many deposits you make during that 24-hour period (so long as it’s not exceeding the £50 limit you’ve set). Once 1 pm comes, it’ll be reset.

You’re able to review and change your deposit limit at any time. However, if you choose to increase your limit, the change won’t be instant and depending on the site you’re using, it can be up to 7 days before it takes effect.

What does self-excluding mean?

If you feel as though you need to take a break from gambling, then you have the option to self-exclude. It’s UK law for all gambling operators to provide their customers with the option to stop gambling and return any money to the user's account.

Your account will remain closed for a minimum of 6 months but you can also choose to exclude yourself for one, three or five years depending on what you feel is right for you.

Once you’ve chosen to self-exclude, you will not, under any circumstances, be able to access your account. You will also not receive any marketing communications from the company in question either – that’s one way to achieve inbox zero.

What happens once your self-exclusion period comes to an end?

Once your minimum exclusion period has ended, your account will not automatically be reopened. You will need to actively contact customer support to reopen it.

Most operators won’t reopen your account straight away, so you may have to wait 24 hours. If you change your mind during this time then it’s important to call customer services to inform them you no longer wish to access the account.

You can also choose to self-exclude on a permanent basis. If you decide on this then you will not be able to reopen your account at any point and any new accounts that are set up will also be closed down.

Things you should know before self-excluding?

If you gamble remotely then you must self-exclude from each operator that you have an account with, individually.

There is also no cooling off period when you decide to self-exclude. Once you’ve made that decision, you cannot change your mind.

Should you do anything else when self-excluding?

You should also consider turning off browser notifications for the websites that you’re trying to avoid or even installing software that blocks access to those websites completely.

You can also register with a free organisation called GamStop. GamStop is a free service that will enable you to self-exclude from all online gambling companies that are licensed within the UK.

If you feel as though you could have a gambling problem, you can also seek help via Gamblers Anonymous or GamCare which provides 24-hour counselling and gambling support.