Closing an account is a decision we respect and make as straightforward as possible. There are several different routes depending on whether you want a short break, a longer pause, a permanent closure or a formal self exclusion. The route you pick should match what you actually need rather than what feels easiest in the moment. This page lays out each option so you can choose the one that matches your situation.
What is the difference between a timeout, closure and self exclusion?
A timeout is a short, defined break. Twenty four hours, forty eight hours, one week or one month. The account locks for the chosen window and unlocks automatically when the timer ends. Timeouts are useful when you need a circuit breaker mid session or want to step away during a stressful period. Once active a timeout cannot be reduced or cancelled by you or by support.
Account closure is permanent. The account is shut down, any remaining balance is returned to your original payment method and the email and marketing records are removed. Closure is the right choice when you have decided you no longer want to use the product but you do not need a formal self exclusion. You can in theory open a new account in the future although we may decline to reopen if the closure was tied to a safer gambling concern.
Self exclusion is the longest and firmest option. Six months, twelve months, two years or five years. The account is locked for the entire period, you cannot reopen early under any circumstance, the marketing lists flush immediately and we will not target you with win back communication during or after the exclusion. Self exclusion is the right choice when you want the option of gambling removed entirely from your life for an extended period.
How do I close my account at Highbet?
Open the account dropdown in the top right, choose Safer Gambling and scroll to Account Status. The page lists three buttons, one for Timeout, one for Self Exclusion and one for Permanent Closure. Each opens a short form that confirms the option you have chosen, asks for an optional reason for our internal records and then asks you to confirm with your account password. The action takes effect the moment you submit the form.
If you prefer to handle this with a person rather than through the form, live chat is available twenty four seven and email support replies inside two hours during business hours. Either route will trigger the same workflow, the only difference is that an agent walks you through the steps and confirms the choice on the call.
- 1
Open Safer Gambling
Account dropdown then Safer Gambling. Scroll to Account Status.
- 2
Pick your option
Timeout for a short break, self exclusion for a long lock, closure for a clean end.
- 3
Confirm with password
Each form requires a password confirmation so a logged in account cannot be closed by mistake.
- 4
Balance returned
Closure and self exclusion both return any remaining balance to your original deposit method within five business days.
What happens to my balance, bonuses and pending bets?
Any cash balance is returned to your original deposit source within five business days of closure or self exclusion taking effect. If you deposited from multiple sources the balance is split proportionally across them in line with anti money laundering rules. Active bonus funds and free spins are forfeited at closure, which is unavoidable since bonus terms require an active account to wager through.
Pending sports bets settle normally even if your account is closed. The settled winnings, if any, are returned to your original deposit source alongside any remaining cash balance. If a settled bet pays out after closure, the funds are sent to the same payment method automatically.
Can I reopen the account later?
Standard closures can in theory be reversed by contacting support, although the review may take a few business days and we may decline to reopen if there was a safer gambling concern at the time of closure. Self exclusions cannot be reopened under any circumstance during the exclusion period.
Once a self exclusion period ends, the account does not reopen automatically. You have to actively contact support, request a review and go through a safer gambling conversation. The conversation is short and supportive, but the point is to make sure a moment of impulse is not what gets the account back online.
What about the data you already hold on my account?
Closure does not delete every record we hold. Anti money laundering rules require us to keep transaction history, identity verification documents and source of funds checks for a minimum of five years after the account is closed. That data sits in a restricted archive that is only accessible to the compliance team and is not used for any marketing or analytics purpose during the retention window.
Marketing data is treated differently. Email lists, push notification tokens and on site personalisation are all flushed within forty eight hours of closure, which is why you stop receiving win back emails almost immediately. If you self exclude, we additionally add your details to an internal block list that prevents new account creation from the same identity for the full exclusion period across every brand we operate.
You have the right to request a copy of all personal data we hold at any point, including after closure. The request takes about ten business days to fulfil and is free of charge. Full details of what we store, why and for how long live in the privacy policy, and the cookies link at the bottom of every page lets you adjust tracking consent even before you close the account.