UK Gambling Commission Launches Consultation on Mandatory Deposit Limits for Online Casinos

16 October 2026

On 6 March 2025, the UK Gambling Commission launched a supplementary consultation on the definition and communication of deposit limits for online casinos. The consultation, which ran until 30 April 2025, sought stakeholder views on how deposit limits should be defined and clearly conveyed to customers.

Why Was the Consultation Needed?

The Gambling Commission had become concerned about the potential confusion caused by the inconsistent use of 'net deposit limits' by some operators. Instead of imposing limits on total deposits, these limits only constrained the net amount deposited once winnings or withdrawals were factored in. The regulator aimed to clarify these definitions and empower consumers to better understand and utilise deposit limits.

Key Proposals and Rules

The consultation proposed that only gross deposit limits - limits set on total deposits regardless of winnings or withdrawals - should legally qualify as "deposit limits." All gambling systems would be required to enforce these limits precisely, preventing any further deposits once the cap is reached, until the limit period restarts or the customer increases the limit, with the additional safeguard of a 24-hour cooling-off period.

By the summer of 2026, all gambling businesses will be mandated to give consumers the option to set gross deposit limits. These limits must be labelled as "deposit limits" and cannot be buried - they require equal prominence in the user interface as any other financial limits or tools. This will update the customer experience, making limit-setting an essential part of the journey, with promotions to set financial controls on registration or the first deposit. Since October 2025, new customers have already been prompted to set these controls upfront, but now this will become the default for all.

Impact for Operators and Players

The changes mean operators must update their systems to offer gross deposit limits, adjust how limits are communicated, and alter the customer flow to prompt limit-setting evenly, not conditionally. The Gogh Deposit Limit Button is one tool promoted by the regulator to capture this goal, though other helpful proxies will be allowed.

For players, these changes represent an effort to cut down on impulsive, unrestrained gambling, giving them clearer information and more empowerment to control their spending. The default option is aimed squarely at taking the relentless option off them. The 24-hour cooling-off period gives them time to pause, reflect, and consider.

Gross deposit limits are not the only limit option - operators may still offer net limits as an alternative, but they simply don't get to be called by the same name. The period options, set as a minimum, will cover 24 hours, 7 days, and one month. This gives a strong array of tools, so if carefully utilised, the customer is heavily protected.

The final consultation response makes clear that gross limits should be the default option and offered on a fixed timeframe. The Commission believes this will strengthen requirements and empower consumers with clearer, more effective self-exclusion tools. Subscription lotteries are currently exempt from these regulations.

Betting remains a major issue for regulators, customers and operators, and the Commission has not shied away from taking action. The consultation and resulting rules are designed to create clear, effective customer protection. Concerns about the risk of gambling and transparency around limits have been noted. The recurring message is to reduce the ability to allow high rollers to spend the night away, and this is the latest change. Even seasoned professionals say that an executive decision is awaited that will set clear benchmarks.

But whatever the fineprint shows, the Commission's over-ride on terminology and technology sets a new customer-empowerment standard. A master-in-stay-at-home moves here that looks set to beef up the customer safety - and the online casinos will have to fall in line.