Self-Exclusion and Account Limits: Taking Control of a Cosmos Account

Limits and exclusions are account settings, just like a password or a linked email address — and like those, they work best when they are set before you need them. This page walks through the tools an online casino account may offer, from a simple deposit cap to a multi-year exclusion, explains how Ontario's centralized programme works, and is honest about where it stops. Everything here describes tools "where the account offers them": the exact menu, wording and options are set by the operator and can change, so check the responsible gambling section of the account itself. Back to the home page for the wider account guide.

How deposit and loss limits work

A deposit limit caps how much money can go into the account over a day, a week or a month. A loss limit, where offered, caps how much you can lose over a period, regardless of how much you deposit. Both are most useful when they are set low and early, because the moment to choose a limit is when you are calm, not halfway through a session. Lowering a limit normally takes effect straight away. Raising it, at most operators, only happens after a waiting period, which is deliberate: it gives you time to reconsider a decision made in the heat of the moment. Read the confirmation the account shows after you change a limit and keep a screenshot of it.

Time limits, wager limits and reality checks

Not every risk is about money. A session time limit logs you out after a set period; a wager limit restricts how much you can stake in total; a reality check is a pop-up that interrupts play at intervals to show how long you have been playing and, on some accounts, how much you have won or lost. These small interruptions are surprisingly effective, because they break the tunnel vision that long sessions create. If the account offers several of them, combining a time limit with a reality check is a sensible starting point.

Time-outs and self-exclusion

A time-out, sometimes called a cooling-off period, blocks access for a short, fixed period chosen in the account settings, and access returns automatically when it ends. Self-exclusion is the stronger step: you ask to be kept out for a long period, and the operator should close or block the account and stop sending you marketing. Operators generally make self-exclusion hard to cancel early, and that is the point. Before you request it, close any open bets you care about and note down the account details, then ask for written confirmation of the start date and length.

BetGuard: one registration for regulated Ontario sites

Ontario runs a centralized self-exclusion programme, BetGuard, operated for iGaming Ontario. One registration excludes you from every regulated Ontario iGaming site at once, and the AGCO's bulletin on the programme lists three terms: 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. That saves you from contacting dozens of operators one by one.

There is an important limit. BetGuard reaches only the sites in iGaming Ontario's directory of regulated operators. A site that is not in that directory is not bound by it, so registering with BetGuard will not keep you out of it. If the domain you use is not listed, write to that operator directly, ask to be self-excluded, state the period you want, and keep the confirmation email. Our complaints guide explains how to word a written request so it leaves a clear record.

Outside Ontario

For other provinces, the sources we rely on show no equivalent single register. Self-exclusion is handled by each operator, and provincial lottery corporations run their own programmes for their own sites, such as PlayNow in British Columbia or Loto-Québec's site. If you hold accounts in several places, make a list, request exclusion from each one in writing, and remove saved cards and bookmarks so the path back is not one click long.

Where to get help

You do not have to do this alone, and calling a help line does not commit you to anything. All of the services below are free:

For warning signs and everyday habits that keep gambling in its place, see the responsible gambling page.

Questions about limits and self-exclusion

Does BetGuard exclude me from Cosmos?
BetGuard covers the sites in iGaming Ontario's directory of regulated operators, and only in Ontario. Check whether the domain you use is in that directory. If it is not, BetGuard does not reach it, and you need to ask that operator directly, in writing, to self-exclude you.
How long can a BetGuard exclusion last?
According to the AGCO's bulletin on the centralized programme, you can choose 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. One registration applies to all regulated Ontario iGaming sites at once.
Is a time-out the same as self-exclusion?
No. A time-out is a short break chosen in the account settings, where the account offers it, and it ends on its own. Self-exclusion is a longer commitment meant to keep you out of the site for the whole period, and it is usually much harder to reverse early.
I live outside Ontario. What can I use?
In other provinces, self-exclusion is handled by each operator or by the provincial lottery corporation for its own site. Ask each operator you have an account with, keep the written confirmation, and call your provincial help line if you want support while you do it.

Related guides: responsible gambling · contacting support · terms of use · home

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