Cooling-off & Self-Exclusion
Short breaks and longer-term exclusion
Cooling-off Periods
A short break from purchasing, started by the customer from My Account.
- Choose 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days
- Starts immediately, after the customer confirms a pop-up warning
- Cannot be cancelled early - it simply expires
- The customer is emailed when it starts and when it ends
Self-Exclusion
A longer break for customers who need one.
- Choose 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or Permanent
- The customer can give an optional reason
- They must tick a box confirming they understand it can't be undone early, then confirm a pop-up warning
- Starts immediately and the customer is emailed
Self-exclusion doesn't end automatically. When the minimum term is over, the account stays excluded until the customer actively asks to end it. This stops anyone being returned to play without choosing to.
Ending Self-Exclusion
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Minimum Term Ends
A Request to end self-exclusion button appears in My Account. It isn't available before the term ends.
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Email Confirmation
The customer is emailed a confirmation link, valid for 24 hours, and must click it while logged in. If it expires, they can click Resend confirmation email in My Account.
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Reflection Period
A waiting period starts (default 48 hours). The account stays excluded during this time.
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Reinstated
Once the waiting period ends, the hourly scheduled task lifts the exclusion and the customer is emailed.
Permanent Self-Exclusion
Permanent self-exclusion can't be ended by the customer. Only an admin can lift it, from Customer Lookup.
While a Restriction is Active
- The customer can't add to basket or check out, and is shown why
- Only one restriction can be active at a time. A customer on cooling-off can't start self-exclusion until it ends
- Spend limits stay in place, and they can still lower them
Need Help?
If you have questions or need assistance, check out our Troubleshooting Guide or FAQ.