A single email offering an "exclusive bonus" can undo weeks of effort. This isn't about willpower — it's about not giving the impulse a single opportunity. Blocking these emails is protecting yourself.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for you if you use an @hotmail.com, @hotmail.co.uk, @outlook.com, or @outlook.co.uk email account. All of these accounts use the same platform (Microsoft's Outlook.com) and the process is identical.
What you're going to do
We're going to create automatic rules in Outlook.com that send any email containing casino and betting keywords straight to the bin. Estimated time: 10–15 minutes.
Step 1 — Sign in to your account
- Open outlook.com in your browser (on a computer, not your phone — it's much easier).
- Sign in with your Hotmail or Outlook account.
Step 2 — Open the rules settings
- Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
- Click "View all Outlook settings" (at the bottom of the panel).
- In the left-hand menu, select "Mail" → "Rules".
- Click "Add new rule".
Step 3 — Create the rule for English terms
- Rule name: "Block gambling EN".
- Under "Add a condition", select "Subject or body includes".
- Type the first keyword: casino — and press Enter.
- Add each of the following keywords one by one, pressing Enter after each:
casino, welcome bonus, free spins, deposit bonus, no deposit, sports betting, bet now, place your bet, enhanced odds, gambling, slot machine, live casino, cash out, bookmaker, wager, free bet, accumulator, jackpot, in-play, bet builder
- Under "Add an action", select "Delete".
- Click "Save".
Step 4 — Create another rule for Spanish terms
Repeat the Step 3 process with a different name ("Block gambling ES") and these keywords:
apuesta, apuestas, bono de bienvenida, tiradas gratis, giros gratis, tragaperras, apuesta deportiva, cuota mejorada, freebet, ruleta, blackjack, bono sin depósito, super cuota, apuesta gratuita
Step 5 — Create another rule for German terms
If you've ever gambled on German platforms, create another rule ("Block gambling DE") with:
Spielautomat, Freispiele, Willkommensbonus, Sportwetten, Einzahlungsbonus, Glücksspiel, Spielhalle, Online Casino, Wettbonus, Casinospiele
Step 6 — Block specific senders
For each casino email already in your inbox:
- Right-click on the email (or select it and click the three dots).
- Select "Block" → "Block sender".
- Confirm. The sender will be added to your blocked list.
To view and manage your full list of blocked senders, go to: Settings → Mail → Junk email → "Blocked senders". Here you can add entire domains (for example, @888casino.com).
Step 7 — Unsubscribe and final cleanup
- Open each casino email you have and look for the "Unsubscribe" or "Cancel subscription" link at the bottom. Click it.
- Search your inbox: type "casino" or "bet" or "bonus" in the search bar, select all results, and delete them.
- Do the same in the Junk email folder.
- Empty the Deleted items folder: right-click → "Empty folder".
Verification: are my rules working?
To verify that your rules are active, go to Settings → Mail → Rules. You should see your rules listed with the toggle switched on. If in the following days a casino email slips through, open it and block the sender manually (Step 6).
Additional protection
- Activate self-exclusion in your country — see our complete self-exclusion guide.
- If you also use Gmail, follow our Gmail guide.
- If you use the Outlook desktop app, follow our Outlook desktop guide.
- Uninstall all casino and betting apps from your phone.
Done. Your inbox is now a safer place. Every barrier you put up is an investment in your recovery. And remember: you don't have to do everything at once — but today you've done something that matters.