What is cooling-off period (time-out)?
Definition and example from our casino glossary.
Definition
A cooling-off period, or time-out, is a short voluntary break from gambling with an operator, lasting from a day up to several weeks.
Cooling-off tools let you lock your account temporarily without the long commitment of self-exclusion. Typical options run from 24 hours to several weeks, depending on the operator and regulator. During the break you cannot log in to play or deposit, and in many markets marketing must stop as well. When the period ends, access usually returns automatically, although some operators add a waiting period before limits can be raised again. A time-out is useful after a heavy session, during stressful periods, or as a way to notice how often gambling is on your mind. It is not designed for situations in which gambling has become hard to control; then, self-exclusion with a longer, irreversible period and support from a specialist service is the more appropriate step. A break taken at one site does not apply at any others.