UK Gross Deposit Limits: What Changed for Online Gamblers on 30 September 2026?

What is a gross deposit limit?

The Commission defines it in one line: a limit “where the amount a customer deposits into their account is limited over a particular duration”. ^[3] Every deposit counts towards the limit, and withdrawals do not free up any room.

An example: you set a weekly deposit limit of £100. You deposit £100 on Monday, win, and withdraw £150 on Wednesday. With a gross limit you cannot deposit again until the week resets, because you have already deposited £100. That is the point of the tool: it caps the money that goes in, regardless of what happens afterwards.

What changed on 30 September 2026?

From 30 September, licensed remote operators must: ^{[1] [2]}

• offer gross deposit limits to customers, and in some cases re-introduce them where they had been dropped
• name gross deposit limits as “deposit limits”, and use that name for no other type of limit
• give gross deposit limits at least equal prominence to any other financial limit they offer
• offer gross deposit limits over fixed time frames of 24 hours, 7 days and 1 month

The standards also say that where you set more than one time frame, for example a daily and a weekly limit, the most restrictive one always applies, and that no further deposits are possible once a limit is reached. ^[1]

The Commission explains the fixed-time-frame rule as being closer to how people budget elsewhere. Other kinds of limit, such as net deposit limits, can still run on rolling or fixed periods. ^[3]

Gross versus net deposit limits

A net deposit limit counts deposits minus withdrawals. In the example above, withdrawing £150 would put you back under a £100 net limit, and you could deposit again straight away.

Some operators had moved to net limits only. The industry argued in the consultation that net limits reflect real spending better, and that gross limits can put people off withdrawing because they cannot redeposit afterwards. ^[3] The Commission accepted part of that. It originally proposed gross limits as the default, but decided to require them only “as a minimum”, because it did not see enough evidence to make them the default. Operators may still offer net limits, loss limits or stake limits in addition. ^[3]

What the Commission did not accept is gross limits being hidden. “Equal prominence” means a gross limit cannot be buried to steer you towards another type of limit, and the reverse applies too. ^[3]

What customers will see

The exact screens differ from site to site, but the rules set the minimum: ^{[1] [4]}

• New customers are prompted to set a financial limit before their first deposit. Setting a limit is presented as the default choice, so you have to actively decline it.
• The limit tools must be linked directly from the homepage and reachable from the deposit page.
• Existing customers who already have a different limit, such as a net limit, can switch to a gross limit. Operators do not have to convert accounts, and you can keep a limit you are happy with as long as the operator still offers it. ^[4]
• Operators that have re-introduced gross limits should tell customers when they prompt them to review their account activity. ^[4]
• Raising a limit takes effect after a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours and needs you to confirm it. Lowering a limit applies immediately. ^[1]

The first phase, in force since 31 October 2025, also brought six-monthly reminders to review your account and transaction history. ^[4]

Why the Gambling Commission changed the rules

The reason is consistency. Before the change, one site's “deposit limit” could be a gross limit and another's a net limit, and some sites did not offer gross limits at all. Customers moving between operators could not be sure what they were setting. The Commission wants a gross limit to be available to anyone who wants one, whoever they gamble with, under one name that means the same everywhere. ^{[3] [4]}

The Commission was also candid that consultation respondents saw no evidence that gross limits reduce harm more than net limits. The rule is about clarity and choice, not about declaring one tool better. ^[3]

What it means for you

If you gamble with a UK-licensed operator, check the limit page once. If you only have a net limit and would prefer a hard cap on what goes in, you can now set a gross deposit limit there. If you prefer your current limit, you can keep it.

None of this applies to sites without a Gambling Commission licence. Offshore casinos set their own limit tools, and GAMSTOP does not cover them. How the two compare is set out in our guide to UK casinos versus overseas casinos. For free help and blocking tools, see our responsible gambling page.