Time Out, Self Exclusion or GAMSTOP: Which Break Fits, and How to Set Each One Up

If you want a short pause from one site, use a time out: 24 hours, a week, a month, or anything up to six weeks. If you want a longer break from one site, use that operator's self exclusion, which starts at six months. If you want a break from every UK licensed site at once, register with GAMSTOP for six months, one year or five years. Here's how each one works and how to set it up.

Three Tools, Three Different Jobs

They sound similar, but they do different things, and picking the right one saves you hassle later.

ToolCoversLengthCan you end it early?
Time outOne operator24 hours, 1 week, 1 month, or another period up to 6 weeksRuns for the period you choose
Operator self exclusionOne operatorA minimum period of 6 to 12 months, extendableNo
GAMSTOPEvery UK Gambling Commission licensed online operator6 months, 1 year or 5 yearsNo

UK Gambling Commission rules say online operators must offer a time out of 24 hours, one week or one month, or another period you reasonably ask for up to six weeks. For self exclusion, the operator's minimum period has to be at least six months and no more than twelve, and you can extend it by further periods of at least six months.

When a Time Out Makes Sense

A time out is the lightest option. It suits the moments when you notice you've been playing more than you meant to this week, or there's a payday, a holiday or a big match coming and you'd rather not have the account open. It's also useful as a reset after a session that went on longer than planned.

How to set a time out

  1. Log in and open the Safer Gambling or Responsible Gambling section of your account. It's usually in the account menu or settings.
  2. Look for "Take a Break" or "Time Out". Some sites list it next to deposit limits and reality checks.
  3. Pick the length: 24 hours, one week, one month, or a custom period up to six weeks if the site offers it.
  4. Confirm. You'll normally see an on screen message and get an email.
  5. Repeat on any other account you hold. A time out on one site does nothing to the others.

When Self Exclusion Makes Sense

If a few days or weeks won't be enough, self exclusion on that operator closes the account to gambling for months. It's the right tool if the issue is one particular site, perhaps because it's the one you open without thinking.

How to self exclude with one operator

  1. Go to the same Safer Gambling section.
  2. Choose "Self Exclusion" rather than "Take a Break".
  3. Pick the period. The minimum on offer will be between six and twelve months.
  4. Read the confirmation screen properly, because once it's set, it can't be reversed early.
  5. Withdraw any balance first if you can, or follow the site's instructions for returning it.

When GAMSTOP Makes Sense

GAMSTOP is the one to use if you want a break from everything, not one site. A single registration at gamstop.co.uk blocks you from online gambling with every operator licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. It's free.

How to register with GAMSTOP

  1. Go to gamstop.co.uk and choose to register.
  2. Enter your personal details, including any old addresses or email addresses you've used on gambling accounts, so they can be matched.
  3. Choose six months, one year or five years.
  4. Confirm. It can take a little while to reach every operator, so don't treat the first few hours as fully covered.

What Happens When the Period Ends

This part catches people out, so it's worth knowing before you sign up.

GAMSTOP doesn't switch off automatically. According to GAMSTOP, your exclusion stays in place for a further seven years after the minimum period unless you contact them to remove it, and they won't remove it early for anyone.

Operator self exclusion works in a similar way. Commission rules say it stays in place for at least seven years after the period you chose, unless you take positive action to gamble again. If you do, you get a one day cooling off period first, and you have to make contact by phone or in person. Reopening the account online isn't enough.

Both of these are deliberate. The point is that coming back should be a decision you make calmly, not something that happens by default.

A Worked Example

Say you play on three sites and you've noticed your weekly spend drifting from about £20 to about £60. You want a clear month off.

A one month time out on each of the three accounts covers exactly that, and it means three separate settings on three sites. If you later realise you hold a fourth account you'd forgotten about, it isn't covered.

GAMSTOP for six months covers all four, plus any new site you might sign up to, but it's a longer commitment than the month you had in mind, and it can't be shortened.

There's no wrong answer. The time out keeps things short and targeted. GAMSTOP trades flexibility for coverage. Plenty of people start with a time out and move to GAMSTOP if a month turns out not to be enough, and that's a completely normal way to use these tools.

A Few Things None of These Tools Do

They don't cancel any deposit limits you've already set, and they don't delete your account. They also only cover gambling on UK licensed sites. Once your break is over, setting a deposit limit before you play again is a sensible next step.

Support & Tools

GAMSTOP handles UK wide online self exclusion for free at gamstop.co.uk. If you'd like to talk things through, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, and BeGambleAware has advice and support whether or not you think your play is a problem. You must be 18 or over to gamble in the UK, and taking a break is something sensible players do all the time, not a sign that anything has gone wrong.

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