A good session feels short, clear and finished. You set a window, your stake never creeps up, and a soft reminder asks, “Continue or cash out?” That’s Reality Check + Caps: tools that nudge your plan forward instead of letting time and tilt take over.

Four tools that change your outcomes

• Reality Check: a timed prompt (e.g., every 15 minutes) with session stats and a pause button.
• Session Cap: a hard limit (time or net loss/win) that auto-stops play—no exceptions.
• Stake Lock: freezes your base bet for the whole block; no heat-of-the-moment up-sizing.
• Clean End Rule: finish at the timer or after a new equity peak + skim (e.g., +10%).

12-minute playbook (copy & use)

• Min 0–2: set a 12-minute cap, enable Reality Check at 6 minutes, lock stake (1–2% of bankroll).
• Min 2–9: play one title; avoid hopping. If the Reality Check shows a new peak, skim 10% and continue.
• Min 9–12: if you’re above start, apply the skim and end; if below, end at the timer—no recovery chase.

Operator checklist (green flags)

• Custom Reality Check intervals and a pause or cash-out option inside the prompt.
• Stake lock per session and visible time/loss caps with one-tap edit before you start.
• Exportable session report (time, peaks, stake history) for your own log.

Common traps & quick fixes

• Raising after a drought: stake lock on; let variance pass, not your limit.
• Ignoring the prompt: make Reality Check modal—play resumes only after a choice.
• Endless “nearly there”: cap by time, not only by result; calendars beat feelings.

Structure won’t beat the house edge—but it will protect your energy, time and bankroll. Short windows, locked stakes, and respectful stop rules turn entertainment into a habit you can keep.