How to Set Personal Gambling Limits

Responsibly playing casino games is imperative for your financial and mental well-being. Controlling gambling losses is the cornerstone principle of responsible gambling, and every licensed online casino provides resources to limit the risks of playing games of chance. Although operators strive to protect players, only you are responsible for implementing the available tools.

Learning how to use the appropriate gambling limits is necessary to stay in control. This guide will illuminate the best methods for setting up personal gambling limits, including tools integral to a casino site or software apps from third parties such as BetBlocker or Gamban that elevate security. Let’s discover how to foster a safe gambling environment on any iGaming hub.

What Are the Personal Gambling Limits?

The point of personal gambling limits is to allow you to decide how much money you are willing to spend in the casino lobby during a specific day, week, or month. The amount can be individually chosen to meet personal circumstances, or you can use a predefined value offered by the operator.

This feature lets you control your gambling habits by imposing restrictions on deposits or losses. Once the gambling limits are confirmed, be it a deposit limit, time limit, or cap on losses, the online casino will automatically cut off access to the lobby once that limit is reached.

Ways to Assess Your Gambling Behaviour

Maintaining control of your gambling impulses is crucial to avoiding issues in the long run. The most challenging aspect is realising you have a gambling problem, and assessing your gambling behaviour is the best process to identify the risk factors. Let’s examine a few key questions that should be part of your self-evaluation test:

• Discover your true motivation for gambling by asking yourself if it is for fun or to make a profit.
• Look at the frequency of gambling. Are you wagering daily, or is it an occasional activity?
• How much money are you spending on gambling? If you’re borrowing money to gamble, it’s a sure indicator that you might have a problem.
• Are you neglecting your family and friends so you can gamble more?
• Do you feel restless when you are not wagering?

Types of Personal Gambling Limits

Several options are available to regulate how much you are betting in an online casino. Each method is created to curb your gambling addiction and does it in a slightly different way, but the final result is identical. Once a gambling limit is activated, it’s impossible to circumnavigate it. Here is a breakdown of the most common methods:

• Loss Limits
  Setting up a loss limit in gambling is ceiling on how much you are willing to lose in the lobby. After reaching that amount, you will receive a warning and be unable to play anymore for a specific period, usually around 24 hours.
• Time Limits
  You can choose a time window for gambling or the maximum amount of money or time you can play with or for at any given time. For example, you can pick one hour per day and take a break when your hours are up.
• Deposit Limits
  You cannot gamble without funds in your account, and you are gambling responsibly by restricting deposits. Once you set a deposit limit, you cannot infuse more cash into the balance, at least for a set amount of time.
• Session Limits
  Session limit is a tool that helps you to limit the time you spend gambling. There isn’t a limit that fits all needs, and the time frames can be one hour, a couple of hours, or six hours. The advantage of this option is that it will not allow you to lose track of time when gambling.
• Betting Limits
  This method allows you to select the maximum amount you can bet per spin or hand at the table games on a single game. The worst tactic is to practise no limit sports betting, as it’s imperative to have a cutoff amount for safe gaming.

Tips for Setting Effective Personal Limits

The most effective way to get the most out of personal gambling limits is to tailor a strategy best suited to your circumstances. Each player is different, and what can work for some of your friends might not be the best tactic for you. Here are a few tips to help you get oriented when defining your gambling limits.

• Set Limits that Align with Your Financial Circumstances
  Are you a high roller or playing on a tight budget? Take an honest look at your finances and create a betting budget that will not hamper paying the bills or buying groceries. The limit should reflect the amount you can afford to lose.
• Begin with Minimal Limits and Gradually Adjust Them
  Be patient and start small before you transition to betting with high limits as you gain experience. Using smaller limits will enable you to learn from your mistakes, and those mistakes will not be costly.
• Clearly Define Your Limits in Terms of Monetary Amounts
  No matter what limit you use, you must first place it into a monetary context. The entire concept of responsible gambling revolves around restricting the loss of money. It makes no difference to settle for an hour as a time limit if you are wagering GBP 20 per spin on slots.
• Take Advantage of Responsible Gambling Tools
  Do not ignore the full list of responsible gambling resources online casinos offer. Every operator provides a guide on how to gamble responsibly and includes various tools such as deposit, betting, time and loss limits to help you curb your losses.
• Regularly Review and Evaluate Your Gambling Behaviour
  Take the time to assess your gambling practices. Make it a weekly event by taking an evaluation quiz and honestly answering the questions. This will signal if you are developing a gambling addiction or if you are playing safely.
• Limit the Gambling Content You See
  Advertisements can influence your gambling habits. You can use software to block gambling pop ups that encourage you to gamble. Staying away from ads is another valuable tactic you can use to stay responsible while trying to limit gambling.

Personal Limits in Practice

Theory is important, but there is no substitute for practice. It is one thing to understand gambling limits and another to activate them on a given platform. We are going to go over the entire sequence of steps for fine-tuning responsible gambling tools to meet preferred parameters. Here’s what you need to do:

Setting Up Account Limits

You can set gambling limits on UKGC-certified operators and online bookmakers not associated with GamStop, all offering independent, responsible gambling resources. The process can vary between online casinos, but not significantly, considering most platforms use a similar design blueprint. The usual process to set account limits would include the following steps:

• Open the Platform
  Access the official URL address of your platform on a desktop or mobile device and sign in with your login credentials or create a new profile if you don’t have one.
• Go to Account Settings
  Check out the account settings dashboard or the website’s footer to locate the responsible gaming action. Typically, this is available under account management or at the footer of the website or app.
• Select a Tool
  After you enter the responsible gaming section, you will see several options, such as Deposit Limits, Betting Limits, Losses Limits and Time Limits.
• Set Your Limits
  Choose the preferred responsible gambling limit and enter the monetary amount or time period you desire to impose on your account.
• Review and Confirm
  Double-check to see if you have accurately set the limits. On some operators, the limits are not triggered immediately. If everything is in order, confirm the changes so the online casino can implement the set limits.

Creating a Gambling Schedule

For a novice player, the best advice is to plan before you play. Having a game plan means creating a blueprint for your gaming session, enabling you to stay on track and achieve your goal of gambling responsibly. It’s time to share a few tips for formulating a gambling schedule:

• Formulate a Budget
  The initial phase is to define a gambling budget. It functions as a benchmark around which all other stages revolve. Once you know how much you can bet, you can start preparing the schedule.
• Choose Free Days
  Mark the days of the week when you have the most free time and include them in your gambling schedule. Your gambling activities mustn’t interfere with your everyday obligations.
• Gamble When You Are Focused
  Do not play when you feel tired – you will only throw money away. Select a time of the day when you are in the best mental position.
• Define the Length of Sessions
  Decide how much time you want to play per session. Once you have selected a time frame, you can use it as a basis for the time limits in the responsible gambling section.
• Account for Bonus Periods
  Most operators provide bonuses on certain days of the week. Time your gaming sessions to match those days so your deposit and bets can count towards promotions eligibility, earning you free gaming sessions.

Using External Tools

The responsible gambling tools available on a platform are not the only options for playing safe. Outside help is within reach and can provide an extra layer of protection. Different apps can help you manage the financial aspect of gambling, and in some cases, they are free to use. Let’s explore some of the external methods you can harness:

• Mobile Apps for Mindfulness and Meditation
  The importance of having the proper mindset for online gambling cannot be overstated. Various mindfulness apps enable you to be consciously aware of what is happening. These tools allow you to avoid emotional decisions and stop overspending.
• Financial Management Apps
  Financial management apps can act as personal accountants, keeping the books and notifying you how much you have spent on your gambling activities. These apps not only record financial transactions but can be instructed to prevent deposits to a specific account, such as an online casino.
• Productivity Apps and Time Management Tools
  It’s easy to lose track of time when gambling and time management tools can keep you on the right path. These tools will make an itinerary of your responsibilities and remind you when gambling negatively impacts work or family obligations.

Best Gambling Blockers to Set Gambling Limits

Numerous automated gambling blockers can alleviate the temptation of playing casino games. The apps are well-designed and tested on players with gambling problems. Some are free, while others require a paid licence to shield you from online casinos. Below is a list of the most popular blockers in the UK.

• BetBlocker
  Our review of BetBlocker shows it’s a free tool that can assist you in managing gambling impulses. It can be installed on multiple devices, while it effectively excludes thousands of platforms. There is an option to choose the duration of the gambling ban.
• Gamban
  Gamban is free for UK residents. To use this resource, you must contact an advisor at GamCare via the helpline or live chat. Once you secure and install your licence, there is no way around Gamban, and you will not be able to play at thousands of online casinos.
• Net Nanny
  The name reflects the tool’s purpose, which allows parents to supervise their children’s online activities. However, our Net Nanny review indicates it applies to blocking gambling sites on multiple devices and operating systems, but it’s not free.
• Gamblock
  This app is purposely built to stop underage gambling and playing casino games at the workplace. Our in-house review of Gamblock shows it’s a reliable resource for responsible gambling. One vital feature is that it cannot be circumvented with a VPN.
• BetFilter
  Specially designed to tackle gambling issues, BetFilter is a tested and proven product. Our BetFilter review revealed that it will block gambling sites without interfering with regular online activity. The app cannot be uninstalled as long as the licence is active.

Best Transaction Blockers to Limit Gambling Spendings

Most prominent financial institutions in the United Kingdom enforce a gambling ban, allowing their clients to enter into a cooling-off. These features prevent transactions aimed towards online casinos for a specific period, often 72 hours. Some of the banks that block payment methods for gambling are listed below:

• Halifax Gambling Block
• HSBC Gambling Block
• Monzo Gambling Block
• Natwest Gambling Block
• Barclays Gambling Block

How to Overcome Resisting Temptations

Overcoming gambling urges is not an easy task. It can be challenging to maintain abstinence or engage in recreational gambling. Players often relapse, and that’s why combining multiple strategies is necessary for a healthy approach towards gambling. Responsible gambling limits, effective programmes and the proper mindset are the best methods to stave off temptations.

• Deal with FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
  It’s necessary to develop a conviction that you are not missing out on anything valuable if you are not playing casino games. Addictions affect the brain chemistry, and you will feel you are deprived of something good. Find other things that make you happy to supplement the boost of pleasure hormones you get from gambling.
• Work with Urges to Gamble
  Rekindle an old hobby or develop a new one. Preoccupation with a new activity will keep you busy and stimulate positive thoughts. Planning your days ahead of time is the best way to avoid boredom and relapse into bad habits.
• Use Coping Strategies to Redirect Your Focus
  Implement different strategies to manage your emotions, such as physical exercise, meditation, or talking to friends. Avoid triggers, and stay focused on the present by reorienting yourself to new goals and forging fresh habits. The temptation to gamble will reduce as you become stronger and less stressed.