Incognito Self-Exclusion
Learn how self-exclusion, time-outs and deposit limits work at Incognito Casino for UK players, and where to get free support from GAMSTOP and GamCare.
How to close your Incognito Casino account
Self-exclusion is a firm break from gambling that UK-licensed sites must offer, with a minimum period of six months. For a shorter pause use a time-out, for everyday control set deposit limits, and register with GAMSTOP to cover every licensed site at once.
Closing an account and excluding yourself are two different things, and it helps to know which one you want before you get in touch. A closure ends your account but usually leaves the door open to come back whenever you like. A self-exclusion is a commitment: for the period you choose, you cannot play, and the site must not market to you. If you simply want to stop for good and never be tempted, ask for self-exclusion as well as closure.
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1
Withdraw your balance
Request a withdrawal of any funds you want to keep before you close. Our guide to withdrawal times explains what to expect, and verification checks are easier to finish while the account is still open.
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2
Contact support
Use the details on the contact page and ask for your account to be closed. Write from the email address registered on the account so the request can be matched quickly.
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3
Say exactly what you want
State whether you want a plain closure, a time-out or a full self-exclusion, and for how long. Clear wording avoids delays and misunderstandings.
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4
Get written confirmation
Keep the reply that confirms the action and the date it applies from. If you do not see it, follow up rather than assuming it is done.
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5
Tidy up around the account
Remove saved debit card details from your browser, switch off marketing messages and delete the app from your phone so there is less to remind you.
Do not wait for a bad session to make the request. Many people find it easier to close an account on a calm day, and support teams can act just as quickly whenever you ask.
Once the account is closed, your remaining balance should be returned to you through a method in your own name. If you ever have doubts about how a request was handled, the is it legit page covers how the site is regulated and where complaints can be raised.
Deposit limits: keeping spending where you set it
A deposit limit is the gentlest safer gambling tool. You decide in advance how much money can go into your account over a day, a week or a month, and the site stops further deposits once you hit that figure. It does not end your play, which makes it a good first step for anyone who enjoys gambling but wants a ceiling that does not depend on willpower in the moment.
Deposit limit planner
Enter what you can comfortably spend on entertainment each month and see it split into weekly and daily limits in pounds, ready to copy into your account settings.
Daily
- What it caps
- Deposits per day
- Best for
- Tight control
Weekly
- What it caps
- Deposits per week
- Best for
- Most players
Monthly
- What it caps
- Deposits per month
- Best for
- Budget planners
You can use more than one limit together. A monthly figure sets the overall budget, while a daily or weekly figure stops you spending the whole month in one evening. Lowering a limit normally takes effect straight away, whereas raising one is usually subject to a waiting period, which protects you from impulsive changes.
- Base your limit on money left after bills, rent and savings, never on money you hope to win back.
- Pick a figure you would be happy to lose entirely, because gambling outcomes are never guaranteed.
- Set limits before you deposit, not after the first top-up.
- Review the figure every few months and lower it if play starts to feel like a chore.
- Slot stake limit, age 25+
- £5 per spin
- Slot stake limit, age 18-24
- £2 per spin
- Payment by card
- Debit card only
- Limit decreases
- Usually immediate
- Limit increases
- Delayed by cooling-off
Stake caps on slots are set by UK rules and apply to every licensed site, so they work alongside your own deposit limit rather than replacing it. Credit cards cannot be used for gambling in the UK, so deposits come from a debit card or another method in your own name, which also makes it easier to see exactly what you have spent in your bank statement.
Taking a time-out
A time-out is a short, reversible break. You choose a period, often anywhere from a day up to several weeks, and your account is locked for gambling until it ends. It suits the moments when you feel you are playing too long, too late at night, or chasing a result, and want a pause without making a long-term decision.
Quick to start
A time-out is normally one of the faster tools to activate, so you can act as soon as you notice a pattern you do not like.
Fixed end date
You pick the length up front. When the period ends, access usually returns without a long formal process.
No long commitment
Because it is short, a time-out feels easier to choose than a multi-year exclusion, so people tend to use it earlier.
Good for resets
Use it after a heavy run, a stressful week or a night when you spent more than planned, then review your limits before returning.
While a time-out is active you should avoid creating accounts elsewhere to get around it. The point is a genuine break, and if you find yourself wanting to, that is a useful signal that a longer self-exclusion or a call to a support service may serve you better.
Self-exclusion: a longer, firmer break
Self-exclusion is the strongest tool a site can offer. Under UK licensing rules, operators must let you exclude yourself, must stop marketing to you, and must not let you open a new account during the period. The shortest period is six months, and you cannot shorten it once it has started, which is exactly what makes it dependable when your motivation dips.
- Minimum period
- Six months
- Longer options
- One year, five years
- Cost to you
- Free
- Ending early
- Not possible
- Network service
- GAMSTOP
A single-site exclusion only covers one operator. If you want every UK-licensed gambling website to refuse you, register with GAMSTOP, the free national scheme. Sites that hold a UK licence are required to check against it, which is why one registration protects you across online casinos, bingo and betting.
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1
Register with GAMSTOP
Go to the GAMSTOP website and fill in the short form with your name, date of birth, postcode and email address.
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2
Choose your period
Pick six months, one year or five years. Longer is usually safer if gambling has caused real harm.
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3
Verify your identity
GAMSTOP matches your details to licensed sites, so use the same information you gave when you signed up.
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4
Confirm and wait
Registration can take up to 24 hours to apply everywhere, so avoid depositing while it is processing.
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5
Block the triggers
Install blocking software on devices, ask your bank about gambling blocks and unsubscribe from promotional messages.
Deposit limit
- Length
- Ongoing
- Reversible?
- Yes, delayed
Time-out
- Length
- Days to weeks
- Reversible?
- After it ends
Self-exclusion
- Length
- 6 months+
- Reversible?
- No
Account closure
- Length
- Open-ended
- Reversible?
- Maybe
Pick the lightest tool that really works for you, and move up a step if it does not. Many people combine tools, for example a deposit limit for regular play and a time-out when they need a reset. If gambling is hurting your finances, relationships or mood, go straight to self-exclusion.
Strengths
- Gives a firm barrier you cannot talk yourself out of in the moment
- Free to use and covers all UK-licensed sites through GAMSTOP
- Stops marketing emails and offers during the period
Worth knowing
- It cannot be shortened, so choose the length carefully
- Does not block unlicensed sites, so pair it with blocking software
- Needs honesty about identity details so the match works
One last point: do not try to open accounts under different details while excluded. It defeats the purpose, can lead to your winnings being withheld and puts you back in the situation you were trying to leave.
What players say about the tools
Players who use safer gambling features tend to describe them in similar ways. Many say that setting a deposit limit felt like a relief rather than a restriction, because they no longer had to argue with themselves about one more top-up. People who tried a time-out often mention that a short pause was enough to return to play on their own terms, and those who chose a longer exclusion talk about getting their evenings and their finances back.
Limits feel practical
Players like that a limit works quietly in the background and keeps entertainment spending in line with a monthly budget.
Breaks bring perspective
A time-out is often described as a helpful reset that makes it easier to see how much time and money gambling was taking.
Exclusion brings calm
Those who choose a longer period often say that knowing the decision cannot be undone removed the daily temptation.
Support helps most
Many players say that talking to someone, whether support staff or a helpline, made the first step easier.
Where to get help
You do not have to manage this alone. Free, confidential support exists across the UK, and using it is a sign of good judgement. Contact the site's support through the contact page for account tools, and use the independent services below for advice, counselling and wider protection.
- GAMSTOP: free self-exclusion covering all UK-licensed online gambling sites.
- BeGambleAware: advice, self-assessment tools and information about treatment options.
- GamCare: the National Gambling Helpline and live chat, available free of charge and in confidence.
- Your bank: many UK banks let you block gambling transactions on debit cards in a few taps in the app.
- Your GP: a good starting point if gambling is affecting your mood or sleep.
If you are worried about someone else's gambling, GamCare and BeGambleAware also offer guidance for family members and friends.
You can also read more about the site and how it is run on the about page, or log in through the login page to find the responsible gambling settings in your account area. Whatever you choose, act early: the sooner a tool is in place, the easier it is to stay in control.
Self-exclusion questions answered
How long does self-exclusion last?
What is the difference between a time-out and self-exclusion?
Does GAMSTOP cover my Incognito Casino account?
Can I set deposit limits without closing my account?
What happens to my money if I close my account?
Where can I get free support for gambling problems?
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Written and fact-checked by Philip Newall, Senior Lecturer in Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol. Last verified 22 October 2026 · updated 22 October 2026.