UK deposit limits mark a new era of player empowerment

UK introduces deposit limit rules

After a thorough discussion in March this year, the UK began phasing in various rules regarding deposit limits. These new rules aim to help players have more control over their accounts and to prevent gambling addiction. Alongside the UK’s other reforms, this will help them have a safer experience.

New rules for deposit limits

Since 31 October, all operators prompt new players to set deposit limits. That is a requirement for all licensed operators, and the limits will be based on the amount customers add to their accounts over a set period. Sites should have buttons allowing players to access and set deposit limits quickly.

Licensed sites also have to prompt players every six months to check their transaction history and accounts, so they can change their limits if needed. These rules are based on a UK Gambling Commission consultation in March, where the regulator received operator feedback. One of the outcomes of this consultation was that only gross deposit limits are defined as “deposit limits”.

The UKGC introduced the rules on 31 October

The importance of limits

Deposit limits are a great tool that allow players to control their funds and prepare budgets. As outlined in iGaming.com’s responsible gaming guidance, they can also help prevent loss-chasing and reduce impulsive decisions.

All legitimate operators allow players to set weekly, monthly or daily limits. Some of the safety features imposed by the limits include:

• warnings when reaching 60%-70% of your limit
• activating the cool-off period after two declined deposits
• automatically blocking further deposits
• mandatory reviews of transaction history

Once a limit is set, players won’t be able to make deposits beyond it until the time period resets. Monthly limits are usually the most popular as they allow you to set aside a decent budget. By prompting players to review their transaction history frequently, operators help promote the use of these limits.

Other limits

Aside from deposit limits, there are many other similar responsible gambling tools. For example, you can set loss limits, which prevent you from losing more than you can afford. These limits can also be set for different time periods, like weekly or monthly. Other standard responsible gambling tools include:

• time limits
• cool-offs
• reality checks
• self-exclusion

Aside from limiting funds, many UK casinos also allow you to limit your playtime. You can set time limits, alerting you whenever you play too long, so you can take breaks. Additionally, all games have built-in clocks that you can use to keep track of time and end your session if necessary.

The UK’s other new laws

One of the UK Gambling Commission’s laws introduced alongside the deposit limits is related to the protection of customer funds. While operators aren’t mandated to protect their customers’ funds in the case of insolvency, they must remind players every six months if they’re not protected. Depending on the level of protection, casinos can be described as having:

• high-protection
• medium-protection
• not protected – customer funds segregated
• not protected – customer funds not segregated

These reminders will give players greater transparency over their funds. It is a point that Online-casinos.com, a hub for factual reviews and responsible gambling highlights, has consistently stressed.

While the voluntary levy is no longer in place, all licensed operators are required to contribute through the statutory levy introduced by government legislation. The funds are used to help research, treatment and prevention organisations

VIP schemes

Another law was introduced in 2020 to curb problem gambling related to VIP schemes. These schemes put additional strain on players as they incentivise playing frequently to earn points for benefits.

That’s why the Gambling Commission introduced a law prohibiting those under the age of 25 from participating in these types of programmes. This decision was made after consulting various operators.

Aside from that, any social media advertising must target only people 25 years old or over. Operators must also work to reduce the amount of advertising seen by children or vulnerable people and monitor player behaviour. These rules were effective, as the number of VIP schemes dropped by around 95%.

Information campaigns and surveys

The Gambling Commission and other responsible gambling organisations frequently launch information campaigns to inform players about problem gambling. Recently, GamCare launched a campaign advertising the national helpline through a video.

Meanwhile, the Gambling Commission conducts surveys on young people and gambling every year and has recently surveyed the UK. According to the most recent report, the regulator estimates that around 48% of adults over the age of 18 participate in gambling. This number is reduced to 28% when excluding those who only bought lottery tickets.

The Gambling Commission also launched a new ‘Consumer voice’ framework in May this year. This helps it to receive better information on players and their gambling behaviours.

The UK’s future

The Gambling Commission is rapidly working to improve its responsible gambling tools. With the introduction of the new levy and rules, GambleAware will also close down by 31 March 2026, but the organisation’s Chair of trustees is proud of what it has accomplished throughout the years and has urged government authorities to continue building upon the system’s current success.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Gambling is confident the statutory levy will improve efforts to prevent problem gambling.

About iGaming.com

Established in 2011 in Varna, Bulgaria, iGaming.com is a group of experts with years of experience in the sector. We are guided by transparency and aim to educate players through our network of websites and connect them with legitimate gaming sites.