Compliance

Reality check: time played and the session result

A reality check (session reminder) is a pop-up that shows the player, at a set interval, how long the session has lasted and what its result is. For example, every 60 minutes: 1 hour played, €300 in bets, €255 in wins, a result of minus €45.

Yevhen SychovOctober 2026

How it works

The player chooses an interval in their account, for example 30, 60 or 90 minutes. When the time is up, the game pauses and the pop-up shows the session time, total bets, total wins and the result. The player then decides for themselves: continue, exit or go to their limits.

Session result = wins minus betsFor example, €300 in bets and €255 in wins over 60 minutes: the result is minus €45.

The pop-up has to work in every game in the lobby: the platform shows it on top of the game, or the provider shows it inside the game. If the player clicks "Continue" time after time and sessions grow longer week by week, that is a marker of harm and a reason to get in touch.

Where it is mandatory

In a number of regulated markets the reality check is mandatory: the licence sets the interval, the wording of the pop-up and whether the player may switch it off. Under offshore licences it is often left to the operator's discretion, but it costs little and protects the player at the point where they have stopped keeping track of time themselves. It is part of responsible gambling and a service to the player, not a box-ticking exercise for an audit.

How to make it clear

  • Numbers, not hints: time in hours and minutes, the result in the player's currency, a loss shown with a minus sign.
  • On top of the game: the pop-up sits in the centre of the screen, and the game stays paused until the player chooses an action.
  • Equal buttons: "Continue" is no brighter than "Exit", and the links to set limits or take a time-out are in plain view.
  • The player's own interval: they change it in their account themselves, without writing to support.

Common mistakes

  • The pop-up closes by itself. It disappears after a couple of seconds, the player has no time to read it, and the reminder reminds them of nothing.
  • The timer resets in every game. Three hours across five slots look like five short sessions. Count the session from the moment the player logs in.
  • Selling in the pop-up. A deposit button or a bonus next to the result turns protection into an offer for someone who may already have lost more than they planned.
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