Understanding affordability checks: what happens and what to expect
SaveAffordability checks are reviews that gambling sites may carry out to assess whether the money you spend is sustainable for you. They were introduced to reduce financial harm, particularly where patterns suggest risk. Safer Play Guide explains what these checks involve, when they happen and what you can do if one is triggered.
Recognising when an affordability check might happen
Sites licensed by the Gambling Commission are required to step in when they see signs a player may be at risk of harm. That can include sudden jumps in how much you deposit, losses that mount quickly or patterns that suggest you are chasing what you have lost. The check is not automatic at a fixed threshold – it is based on what the site observes over time.
You will usually be contacted by email or through your account. The message explains that the site needs more information before you can continue at the same level. Some players find this intrusive; others see it as a prompt to reflect.
What the site is looking at
The review focuses on whether your spending fits within your income and circumstances. Sites may ask for bank statements, payslips or tax returns. They are looking for a picture of what comes in, what goes out and what is left over. The aim is to establish whether gambling is taking money you need for other things.
Providing the information requested
If you choose to provide documents, make sure they are recent and legible. Most sites accept uploads through your account. Processing can take several days, and during that time your account may be limited – you can usually log in and withdraw, but deposits or bets may be paused.
You are not legally required to hand over this information. You can decline, but the site may then close your account or keep restrictions in place. That is within their power under their licence conditions.
What happens after the review
If the site decides your spending is affordable, limits are lifted and you can continue. If they conclude it is not, they may set a deposit limit, reduce your stakes or close your account. You will be told the outcome, though the reasoning is not always detailed.
Knowing your rights if you disagree
You can ask the site to reconsider if you believe the decision was wrong. Put your case in writing, calmly, with any evidence that supports it. If the site does not budge and you still believe the decision was unfair, you can take the matter to the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS) or another approved alternative dispute resolution body. Details are in the site's terms.
Bear in mind that the bar for overturning these decisions is high. The site has discretion, and regulators expect them to err on the side of caution.
Setting your own limits before a check is triggered
You do not need to wait for a site to step in. Every licensed gambling site in Great Britain must let you set deposit limits, and you can adjust them downwards at any time. Write the number down before you confirm it, and set a reminder to review it each month.
- Log in to your account and look for the responsible gambling or safer gambling section – it is usually in settings or under your profile.
- Choose a daily, weekly or monthly deposit limit that fits what you have left after bills, savings and essentials are covered.
- Confirm the limit and note that it takes effect straight away if you are lowering it; increases often have a delay of one to two days.
- Check your bank statement each week to see whether your actual spending matches what you intended.
- Adjust the limit downwards the moment it feels too high – there is no penalty for changing your mind.
Other tools that work alongside limits
Time-outs let you pause your account for a set period, from one day to several weeks. Self-exclusion closes it for a minimum of six months, and you cannot reverse that early. Both block deposits and bets but let you withdraw what is already there. GamStop applies self-exclusion across every site licensed in Great Britain at once – one registration covers them all.
Understanding why affordability checks exist
The Gambling Commission introduced stronger affordability requirements after evidence showed that a small number of players were losing sums far beyond what they could afford, sometimes with devastating consequences. The checks are meant to catch problems early, before debt or crisis sets in.
Critics argue the measures are heavy-handed and penalise responsible players. Supporters say they are overdue. Whatever your view, the policy is in force, and sites that fail to apply it risk losing their licence.
| Approach | What it does | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Caps how much you can deposit in a day, week or month | Until you change or remove it |
| Time-out | Pauses your account completely; no deposits or bets | One day to six weeks |
| Self-exclusion | Closes your account; cannot be reversed early | Minimum six months, up to five years |
| GamStop | Self-exclusion across all GB-licensed sites at once | Minimum six months, up to five years |
Spotting the patterns that lead to checks
Affordability reviews are often preceded by behaviour that stands out to the site's systems. Depositing more frequently, chasing losses within the same session or suddenly increasing stakes can all raise flags. If you notice yourself doing any of these, it is worth pausing before the site does it for you.
Recognise the warning signs before gambling becomes a problem by checking whether your spending, time or feelings around gambling have changed in ways that worry you.
What chasing losses looks like in practice
Chasing losses means depositing again immediately after losing, with the aim of winning back what has gone. It rarely works, and the amounts tend to grow. If this is happening, a time-out gives you distance, and a deposit limit stops the cycle before it deepens.
Getting help if gambling has become a problem
If affordability checks, mounting losses or worry about money have made you question your gambling, support is available now. GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free and open around the clock. BeGambleAware at begambleaware.org offers guides, forums and a treatment finder.
GamStop at gamstop.co.uk lets you self-exclude from every gambling site licensed in Great Britain with one registration. Gordon Moody at gordonmoody.org.uk provides residential and online treatment for those who need intensive support.
Blocking software such as Gamban (gamban.com, paid subscription) and BetBlocker (betblocker.org, free, works across devices) stops access to gambling sites on your phone, tablet and computer. If you share a device with someone under eighteen, parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio adds another layer. Gambling is for people aged 18 and over.
If you are facing an affordability check and it has made you realise spending has gone too far, treat it as the moment to act – not the inconvenience to work around.
Taking small steps this week
You do not need to wait for a site to tell you there is a problem. Small actions now can head off larger consequences later.
- Set a weekly deposit limit tonight, before you play again, at a level you can genuinely afford to lose.
- Review your bank statement from the past month and add up what has gone to gambling – write it down.
- Tell one person you trust what is happening, even if the conversation feels uncomfortable.
- Register with GamStop if you have tried to cut down on your own and it has not worked.
Disclaimer: This article is for information only. Safer Play Guide is not a casino operator or organiser of gambling. Gambling is restricted to those aged 18 and over. If you need support, BeGambleAware.org offers free, confidential help.
#Player protection #Gambling Commission #Setting boundaries
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Frequently asked questions
How do affordability checks work in practice?
The gambling site reviews your spending patterns and may ask for documents such as bank statements or payslips to assess whether your deposits are sustainable. If they conclude spending is not affordable, they can impose limits or close your account.
What happens if I refuse to provide the information requested?
You are not legally required to hand over documents, but the site may keep restrictions in place or close your account if you decline. That is within their rights under their licence conditions.
How can I avoid triggering an affordability check?
Set deposit limits that fit your budget, avoid chasing losses and keep your spending steady over time. Sites are more likely to step in when they see sudden increases or patterns that suggest financial strain.