Supplementary consultation – Definition of deposit limits in the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards

In March 2025 we consulted on the definition of deposit limits in the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards . We consulted on 3 proposals to: 

1. Revise the RTS relating to financial limits so that, as a minimum and default, ‘gross’ deposit limits must be offered to customers. 

2. Ensure that the term ‘deposit limit’ is used consistently by operators: that only this term is used to describe this form of limit to customers, and that the term ‘deposit limit’ is not used for other forms of limit. 

3. Provide increased consumer choice by amending the implementation guidance to allow for ‘net’ limits in addition to other types of limits should the customer choose. 

We also asked for final comments or feedback on proposals in the Autumn 2023 consultation around the wording of the requirements relating to simultaneous time frames and preventing a customer from further depositing funds once a deposit limit is reached, which are directly related to the supplementary consultation proposals. 

On 6 March 2025 we issued our supplementary consultation which set out proposals for clarifying the definition of ‘deposit limits’ and other financial limits in our RTS. 

All stakeholders, including consumers, gambling licensees and members of the public were invited to share their views on these proposals. 

The consultation ran until 30 April 2025. 

Responses from stakeholders included: 

• mixed views when asked the extent to which they agreed with the proposals that as a minimum and default, the gambling system must offer gross deposit limits and that only limits that meet the definition of gross deposit limits can be referred to as a deposit limit 

• feedback and suggestions to make proposals related to wording in the implementation guidance clearer 

• positive or no further comments about the proposed wording in relation to simultaneous timeframes and further depositing funds once a deposit limit had been reached. 

We have reviewed the responses to each of the proposals to inform our final position. We have decided to make changes that affect both requirements and implementation guidance of RTS 12B – Financial limits, which strengthen our requirements and further empower consumers by making limit-setting more effective. 

These changes are set out as follows: 

1. Proceed in line with the policy intention set out in the supplementary consultation to implement the following requirements in RTS 12B: 

• only limits that meet the definition of a ‘gross’ deposit limit can be referred to as a deposit limit, and limits meeting this definition must be described to a customer as a deposit limit 

• the gambling system must prevent a customer from further depositing funds once a deposit limit is reached, until the defined period of the limit restarts or the customer takes action to increase the limit (subject to standard 24 hour cooling off period). 

2. Following consideration of the consultation feedback, we are introducing the following revised wording to the requirements in RTS 12B: 

• as a minimum, the gambling system must offer gross deposit limits - where the amount a customer deposits into their account is limited over a particular duration. This is a change post consultation from ‘as a default, the gambling system must offer gross deposit limits - where the amount a customer deposits into their account is limited over a particular duration’. This allows operators to continue to offer other forms of limits to customers and ensures that gross deposit limits are offered as a minimum 

• where more than one type of limit is made available in the gambling system operators must ensure that ‘gross’ deposit limits are offered to customers with at least equal prominence to other limit types. This is a change post consultation in order to ensure that where deposit limits are not the default, they are given equal prominence. This maintains customer choice 

• where a customer sets simultaneous time frames, for example a daily deposit limit and a weekly limit, the most restrictive must always apply. This is a change following consultation to ensure clarity of wording. 

3. Following consideration of consultation feedback we are introducing the following to RTS 12B implementation guidance: 

• the term 'spend limits' to be replaced with 'stake limits' to provide clarity to customers as the term ‘stake’ is better aligned to consumer gambling behaviour than ‘spend’ because the term ‘spend’ can be interpreted in a number of ways by a customer 

• the definition of loss has been amended to: loss limits: the total value of stakes placed on gambling products minus the total value of any winnings or returns from those stakes is limited for the period or duration of the limit applied. This change provides further clarity to make this type of limit easier to understand 

• a new term 'net deposit limit' which will allow for a limit where 'the amount deposited into the account minus any withdrawals made for the period or duration of the limit applied'. 

The new elements of RTS 12B requirements and implementation guidance will come into effect on 30 June 2026. 

Full response document, and the full wording of RTS 12 which will be in effect from June 2026 can be found Definition of deposit limits in the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards - Response