Safer Gambling

Our commitment

We only compare casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, which means every site on our list must offer the safer-gambling tools described below, must be connected to GAMSTOP, and must not market to people who have self-excluded. We write our reviews for adults who want to gamble for fun, and we would rather you used these tools early than needed them late.

Practical tools every licensed casino provides

Deposit limits

You choose a maximum amount you can deposit per day, week or month. Since 2025, new customers at UK-licensed sites must set a deposit limit before making their first deposit. Lowering a limit takes effect immediately; raising one only after a cooling period, which protects you from decisions made in the heat of the moment.

Session and time limits, and reality checks

Set how long you want to play in one sitting, and turn on reality checks — pop-ups that tell you how long you have been playing and how much you have won or lost. Time passes differently in front of a slot; a reminder every 30 or 60 minutes keeps it honest.

Cool-off periods (time-outs)

A time-out locks your account for a short period — 24 hours, a week, a month or six weeks — without closing it. It is the right tool if you feel you are chasing losses or playing more than you planned.

Loss and profit overview

Every licensed casino shows your complete account history: deposits, withdrawals, wagers and net position. Look at it regularly. If the number surprises you, that is a signal worth acting on.

Self-exclusion

Self-exclusion closes your account for a minimum period (usually six months to five years) and stops the operator from contacting you with offers. You can self-exclude from a single casino through its account settings, or from all of them at once using GAMSTOP.

GAMSTOP — national self-exclusion

GAMSTOP is the free national self-exclusion scheme for Great Britain. Once you register, every online gambling company licensed by the Gambling Commission must block you from opening or using an account for the period you choose: six months, one year or five years. Registration takes a few minutes and cannot be reversed early. It is the single most effective step you can take if online gambling has become a problem.

Blocking software and bank blocks

Gamban blocks access to gambling websites and apps on all your devices; a free licence is available through the TalkBanStop partnership. Most UK banks, including Monzo, Starling, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC and Santander, offer a gambling block in their app that declines card payments to gambling merchants, usually with a 48-hour or longer delay before it can be switched off. Using GAMSTOP, Gamban and a bank block together is the approach recommended by GamCare’s TalkBanStop programme.

Free, confidential help

• National Gambling Helpline (GamCare): 0808 8020 133, free, 24 hours a day, every day. Live chat is also available at gamcare.org.uk.
• BeGambleAware: information, self-assessment and links to treatment at BeGambleAware.org.
• Gordon Moody: residential and online treatment for people severely affected by gambling — gordonmoody.org.uk.
• Gamblers Anonymous UK: peer-support meetings across the country — gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
• NHS: specialist gambling clinics accept self-referrals in most regions; search “NHS gambling clinic” or ask your GP.

Ask yourself

There is no single test for problem gambling, but honest answers to the following questions are a good start:

• Do you bet more than you can comfortably afford to lose?
• Do you go back another day to try to win back money you lost?
• Have you borrowed money, or sold anything, to gamble?
• Do you gamble to escape stress, boredom or low mood?
• Has gambling caused arguments, missed work or money trouble at home?
• Have you tried to cut down and found you could not?
• Do you hide how much time or money you spend gambling?

If you answered yes to any of these, talk to someone today. The helpline advisers are not there to judge — they will listen and help you decide what to do next.

Under 18s

Gambling is strictly for adults aged 18 and over. Licensed casinos verify age before allowing play, and it is an offence to gamble underage or to allow a child to gamble. If you are concerned about a young person, BigDeal (a GamCare service for under-25s) offers advice at bigdeal.org.uk.

A last word

Nobody wins in the long run against a house edge; the entertainment is the product. Decide what a night’s play is worth to you before you log in, set the limit, and stop when you reach it — win or lose. If that is getting harder, the people and tools on this page are here for you.