Cooling-off period
A self-imposed account lock lasting from about a day to a few weeks, which you cannot lift before it ends.
A cooling-off period, also called a time-out, freezes your account for a short fixed spell, commonly 24 hours, seven days or a month. Self-exclusion is built for long stops; a time-out is just a pause.
When it helps
It puts space between you and the next bet at risky moments: right after a heavy loss, when you catch yourself chasing, or when life is stressful. Since the lock cannot be cancelled early, an impulsive change of heart has nowhere to go.
Setting one up
- Regulated sites are required to offer it, usually under account settings or the responsible gambling page.
- Crypto casinos may not have a button for it, or may handle it through support. In that case, put the request in writing and ask them to confirm it.
- Cash out your balance before the lock starts so nothing sits idle in the account.
When pauses keep repeating
Starting time-outs again and again is a warning sign in itself that gambling may be doing harm. At that point self-exclusion and a call to a support helpline are the better route.