Casinos

UK Gambling Commission Proposes Mandatory Deposit Limits and Cooling-Off Periods for Online Casinos

14 October 2026

The Gambling Commission is tightening financial-limit rules for online gambling, redefining what counts as a deposit limit and setting out when customers must be offered it.

The regulator's updates to the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards (RTS) include clarifying the definition of "deposit limits" to refer only to limits on the amount customers can deposit over a set period. Gross deposit limits based on deposits alone, offered on minimum 24-hour, 7-day, and 1-month time frames, must be provided as a mandatory option. And from 31 October 2025, operators must prompt all users to set a financial limit before their first deposit.

Operators have two years to implement the new rules, but the Commission is already seeing some resistance in the industry. "We understand that some operators may be concerned about the potential impact on player engagement and revenue," a Commission spokesperson said. "However, our research shows that the vast majority of customers who use deposit limits have a positive experience and appreciate the added protection and control."

Gross deposit limits will be distinct from other financial limits, such as loss limits or limits that consider both deposits and withdrawals. Only gross deposit limits may use the term "deposit limit." The RTS changes also specify that if a user sets multiple time-frame limits, the most restrictive limit will apply. Additionally, a customer won't be able to raise their deposit limit and start gambling again for 24 hours from the moment they increase the limit, adding a cooling-off period.

Other types of financial limits, like loss limits, may still be offered on either a fixed or rolling time frame, according to the Commission. Gross deposit limits must be provided with at least equal prominence to other limit types where multiple options are given.

The reforms stem from the Commission's national strategy to reduce gambling harms, first unveiled in 2019. The regulator notes that only gross deposit limits have been shown to reliably reduce spending and gambling-related harm in scientific research.

"I think that's a very good idea," Claire Dormer, a problem gambling survivor, told Gambling Insight after hearing the news of the deposit-limit changes. "I spent a lot of money when I was gambling, and I often used withdrawal limits to manage my losses. But I didn't have a good way to monitor my total spending. If this had been in place, it might have helped me to stay in control."

Online gambling operators have until 30 June 2026 to implement the changes to customer prompts and financial limit offerings. The requirement to use gross deposit limits in place of the term "deposit limit" comes into effect from 30 September 2026.

The Commission stresses that operators still have the flexibility to offer other types of financial limits and tools. However, any additional limits must not be advertised as deposit limits, and gross deposit limits must be made available as an option.

When announcing the changes, the gambling regulator said the reforms would help protect and empower customers by providing more clarity and enabling them to set limits with direct control over their gambling spend.

The updated rules appear likely to free up the online casino landscape - deposit limits are common in online gaming around the world. The UK may now follow the lead of the leading US jurisdictions and Canada, for example, which require gross deposit limits.