The ‘just one more spin’ problem

Published: Oct 5, 2026 02:51

by Nicola Davidson

10 min read

Stop us if this sounds familiar. You’re at your online casino, you’re having a good time, and you don’t want to stop playing yet. Just one problem. You’re coming up on your session limit. Today’s session was meant to last for just 45 minutes, and it’s almost time to log off. 

ALMOST time. So you think to yourself, “just one more spin”. Which is harmless enough in itself. But before you know it, that ‘just one more spin’ has turned into so many more. And the session you planned on ending after 45 minutes has now gone on for over 90, and your bankroll is in tatters. 

Oops. A problem.

You already know what your first mistake was. Playing that ‘one more spin’ when you knew you should have called it a day and stuck to your limits. Your second mistake was every spin that came afterwards. 

But before you beat yourself up, it’s important to acknowledge that you at least have awareness of the problem. And it’s one that many online gamblers make, so at least you’re not alone. Which can be a little comforting. 

Of course, just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it right. So how do you break the pattern and ensure that you’re always gambling responsibly and within your limits? Let’s take a look!

Why is one more spin so tempting? Kind of a problem.

First, let’s try and understand the psychology behind your ‘just one more spin’ impulse. The quick and easy answer is that slots are designed with anticipation in mind. You choose your bet size, you press the spin button, and you wait breathlessly to see what fortunes the reels hold. Every spin promises a new result. And brings the possibility of a win with it. Which is exactly what makes online slots so enticing. 

Unfortunately, it’s also what makes stopping feel so difficult.

Unlike activities with a clear end in sight, like reading a book or watching a movie, there’s no natural point in slots play that tells you when you’re done. There’s always another spin to be had, another win to be hoping for. 

Which means that if the game’s not going to tell you to stop, that decision has to come from you. And that’s where things get tricky. 

That’s because if you’ve just had a win, it’s normal to want to find out if another one will follow. Similarly, if you’ve lost, you’ll probably want to see if the next spin brings a win your way. And if you’ve triggered a bonus feature, you’ll obviously want to see where it leads. There’s always a reason or an excuse to play on. And if there isn’t, chances are you’ll still find one. 

One extra spin isn’t a problem

Before we carry on, we want to make it clear. Playing one extra spin isn’t a problem in and of itself. If you’re happy to play an extra $1 (for example) and you’re still within your time and budget limits, then go right ahead. 

It’s when that ‘one spin’ becomes five, ten or twenty that the red flags start waving. When ‘one more spin’ becomes a way of continually moving the finish line surreptitiously. 

“Oh, it’s not that expensive; I’ll just spend an extra $5 playing. It’ll only be for 5 minutes.”

But it’s never just $5 or 5 minutes, is it? The decision might feel small, but after cumulatively spending ‘just $5 more’ over the course of an additional hour, each $5 payment can start to add up rapidly. 

And that’s why the phrase ‘one more spin’ can be a slippery slope towards irresponsible gambling behaviour. 

Are you extending the fun or chasing a result?

One useful question to ask yourself when you’re tempted to carry on playing is:

“What kind of result am I hoping for?”

Maybe you just really enjoy the game and want to keep on playing. And if that’s the case, then fair enough. 

But if you want to win back money that you’ve lost, make money to pay bills, or spend time in the casino so you don’t have to face your real life. That’s when you need to take a step back. 

Playing to chase your losses, actively win money, or even escape the mundanity of real life are all terrible reasons to gamble, and can be the starting point for problematic behaviour. The only valid reason for gambling online is entertainment, pure and simple. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong, and you need to step away asap. 

Give yourself a stopping point before you start

One of the easiest ways to avoid falling into the ‘just one more problem’ trap? Decide when you’re finished before you even start playing. 

Ok, this might sound a little confusing, but what we mean by that is simply for you to put limits in place ahead of time. Either a session limit or a spending limit (or both). It’s up to you. Just make sure that you have a stopping point in place before you start. 

What would that look like? 

Let’s say you’ve given yourself a bankroll of $30 for your next session, and you decide on a 45-minute limit for your gambling. So you would go into the casino with your $30 and your 45 minutes. And stop playing as soon as you hit one of these limits, whichever comes first. And that’s how it’s done!

Why is this important? Because you need to make responsible choices about your gambling while you’re thinking clearly. If you’re already caught up in the excitement and adrenaline of gaming, you won’t be in the right headspace to make rational decisions. 

It’s much easier to say, “I’m only going to spend $30 at the casino” before you’ve started playing than it is to make the same decision when you’re halfway through a losing streak and desperately hoping to win some money back. Put a plan in place and stick to it – that’s the only winning strategy there is.  

Understand the difference between budget and bankroll 

Wait, there’s a difference? It’s nuanced, but yes. 

• Your gambling budget = the total amount of money you’ve decided you can afford to spend on your gambling over a particular period, e.g. a month. 
• Your gambling bankroll = the total amount of money you’ve given yourself to play with in a particular session. 

So your bankroll is essentially a smaller portion of your overall budget. 

Why is this important? Because dividing your budget up into bankrolls can help curb impulsive spending and help you set limits on your betting. 

Here’s how: 

• Let’s say you’ve allocated yourself a budget of $100 for your gambling spend over the period of a month. 
• Instead of depositing the entire $100 into your casino account all at once, you divide it up into 4 x $25 bankrolls, and spend one a week. 
• When you’ve used one of your $25 bankrolls, that’s it for the week. There’s no dipping into next week’s bankroll, because that’s money you’ve allocated for a future session. And it’s not even in your casino account to be used anyway. You’ve spent your $25, and you’re done. 

While sticking to your bankrolls- however you divide them up- still takes discipline, it helps to give you a stopping point and create distance between the money that’s available for you to use now. And the money you’ve earmarked for future sessions. Which makes ‘just one more spin’ impossible, because there’s nothing to bet with. Problem solved! 

Don’t be tempted by a winning streak

The ‘just one more spin’ problem doesn’t only crop up when you’re losing. It can happen when you’re winning too. 

Let’s say you’ve been playing for a while. Maybe you’ve even doubled your initial bankroll (woohoo!). And you start thinking, surely it can’t hurt to carry on? What’s one more spin when you’re on a roll? 

Totally understandable. Winning is hugely exciting. Why wouldn’t you want to hold onto that feeling for as long as possible? 

The problem comes in, though, when you start playing beyond your limits. Sure, you’re still within your spending limit. But what about your session limit? You said you were only going to play for 30 minutes, and now it’s been 45. And even though you’re winning right now, there’s no guarantee your luck will hold. One more spin could extend your luck, but five or even ten more could see you losing everything. 

Don’t fall prey to this temptation. Instead, decide in advance what you’ll do if you win. For example, you could choose to withdraw some of your winnings while leaving a predetermined amount available in your casino account so that even if you lose, you’ve still got something to show for it. 

Or you could choose to end your session when you’ve reached your preset time limit, no matter how lucky your current streak. The important part is deciding what to do ahead of time rather than letting adrenaline make your decisions for you. 

Don’t start thinking you’re ‘due’ for a win 

Because you’re not. Although we understand the train of thought. It’s a classic gambling mindset, and one that keeps people playing long after they should have exited the casino. 

“I haven’t had a win for ages. Surely the next spin will be the lucky one!”

Unfortunately, that’s not how gambling works. Not with the RNG ensuring that every outcome is random and independent of the last. 

A lengthy losing streak doesn’t mean you’re suddenly due for a win. Just as a winning streak isn’t guaranteed forever. While it’s natural to think this way and to look for patterns as you play. You need to understand that the random nature of gambling is always in force, and your previous spin has no bearing or influence on the one that comes next. 

If you’ve reached the point where you’re playing because you’re convinced the next spin will be the winning one, that’s the signal you need to step away. 

Take a break 

Thinking about that next spin? Take a break while you mull it over. Rather than making that decision while you’re still in front of the reels, get up, make yourself something to drink, stretch your legs, check your messages. Anything you need to give yourself a mental break from gambling. Not a problem.

Then after five minutes, come back and decide whether you really want to keep playing. Or if you were just caught up in the heat of the moment. 

If you genuinely do want to continue, and you’re still within your predetermined budget and time limits, then that’s a conscious decision you’ll be making with a clear head, which is great.

However, if you find that your urge to gamble has suddenly disappeared, that’s a useful lesson to learn. Because maybe it wasn’t about the spin at all. Maybe it was just about finding it difficult to stop an activity that you were caught up in. 

Remember that the casino isn’t going anywhere. You’ll always have another chance to play. You’re not missing out on any opportunities by ending your session; instead, you’re just finishing the activity you planned for the day, the same as you would any other. Focus on that, rather than the feeling of missing out, and you’ll find it easier to log off and live. 

Ask yourself one last question

The next time you’re at the casino and you find yourself thinking, “I’ll just have one more spin”, don’t automatically press that bet button. It doesn’t have to be a problem.

Instead, pause for a second and ask yourself, “If I wasn’t already playing, would I choose to log onto the casino right now?”

If your answer is yes, then check your session and budget limit and make your decision from there. But if it’s no, then that’s a good indication you’re ready to stop. 

We’re not here to make your gambling less enjoyable – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Instead, we want you to enjoy gambling as an activity you actively choose, rather than one that does the choosing for you. 

Because there’s nothing wrong with ‘just one spin’ that’s literally one spin. The trick is making sure that spin doesn’t spiral into five, ten or twenty more. Sometimes the most rewarding spin is the one where you spin around in your chair and walk away. That’s the move of a real winner right there.