Set limits that stick

A limit only works if it is set before the session, in the account — not decided in the middle of one.

Controls that exist — set them before you need them

• Deposit, loss and time limits — set with your operator. Lowering is usually immediate; raising is usually delayed by design. That delay is the protection — do not work around it.
• Time-outs / cooling-off — short breaks, from a day to weeks, offered by operators.
• Self-exclusion — a longer exclusion from one operator, or, in Ontario, a single central route: BetGuard, iGaming Ontario’s centralized self-exclusion for regulated online gambling in Ontario. It cannot be set through this site.
• Bank and device tools — many banks offer gambling transaction blocks; device-level blocking software also exists.

Make the limit hold

• Set it when you are calm, in daylight, not after a loss.
• Use a separate entertainment budget; never bet with money needed for rent, bills or family.
• Set a session clock as well as a money limit — time disappears faster than money feels.
• If you raise a limit, treat the waiting period as part of the decision and re-decide when it ends.
• If you keep bypassing your own limit, that is information — see warning signs and help.

Adapted from material first verified for WagerClarity (awareness page). Operator-specific limit rules vary — check your operator’s current responsible-gambling page.