Setting Deposit Limits for Your Betting Accounts
Keeping your gambling hobby under control is always a good idea. After all, betting on sports, casino games, or whatever takes your fancy is supposed to be fun, not something which negatively affects your mood or financial well-being.
Nevertheless, it can be all too easy to spend more than you intended. Making sound financial decisions in the heat of the moment can lead to unintended consequences. It is far better to plan your betting budget and stick to it.
To coincide with Safer Gambling Week 2024, we take a closer look at Deposit Limits, and how they can be used to keep gambling fun.
What Are Deposit Limits?
As part of an increased focus on responsible gambling, all bookmakers allow you to set deposit limits on your account. As the name suggests, this tool restricts the amount you can deposit in your account over a certain period – usually daily, weekly, or monthly.
When opening a new betting account, you will be asked to set your deposit limits as part of the registration process. However, you do not need to complete this task straight away.
If you skip the deposit limit process at this stage, your limits will usually be set to a generic amount. However, you can alter these amounts at any time by heading to the “Gambling Controls”, “Safer Gambling”, or “My Account” section of the site.
Cooling Off Periods
When setting your deposit limits, we recommend taking a little time to determine the maximum amount you are willing to spend in a day, week, month, or year. Err on the side of caution and ensure your chosen limits will not place you in financial difficulty.
One thing to note is that your selected limits are not set in stone. You may alter them at any time; perhaps you like to bet a little more at the biggest sporting events, e.g., the Cheltenham Festival or an International football tournament and would like to adjust your limits accordingly. Simply head to the relevant area of the site and make the desired alterations. However, be aware that most betting sites enforce a Cooling Off Period; a reduction in your limit will usually apply immediately, but any increase will only take effect after the listed Cooling Off Period (usually 24 hours).
Net Deposit Limits
Rather than following the rigid deposit limit system explained above, some bookmakers use Net Deposit Limits.
Net Deposit Limits avoid a potentially frustrating element of the Deposit Limit tool. Say, for example, that you have set a Daily Deposit Limit of £20. You log in, deposit £20, and place a £20 bet on a 5/1 winner. Happy days. You then withdraw your £120 balance and consider what to buy with your winnings. However, you then remember that there are additional bets you would like to place later in the day. Unfortunately, you have already reached your daily deposit limit and, with the 24-hour cooling-off period in place, you will miss out on these wagers, even though you are £100 in profit for the day.
Under Net Deposit rules, you are allowed to deposit your set limit PLUS any amount you have won in the specified period. In the above example, you would be free to redeposit £120 should you wish – your £20 deposit limit + the £100 profit from your 5/1 winner.
Deposit Limits at the Leading Bookmakers
All bookmakers, big and small, must provide the deposit limit tool to UK customers. As a guide as to what you can expect, the deposit limit process at four of the biggest names is as follows:
- William Hill - Offer Daily, Weekly, and Monthly deposit limits and use the Net Deposit limit rules
- Ladbrokes - Follow standard deposit limit rules and offer periods of 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month
- Betfred - Follow standard deposit limit rules and offer periods of 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days
- bet365 - Follow standard deposit limit rules and offer periods of 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days
For all of the above, any requested increase in limit will not take effect until 24 hours have passed.
Additional Responsible Gambling Tools
In addition to the above, many leading UK betting sites offer additional tools, including:
- Max Stakes Limits - A great option for slots fans, this tool limits the amount you can stake on a single spin
- Deposit Curfews - Do you find yourself vulnerable to making additional deposits at specific times, e.g., in the evening or at the weekend? Setting a deposit curfew will prevent you from making deposits during these times
With so many tools available, modern-day punters have everything they need to stay safe. So remember, gamble responsibly and keep it fun.
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