Credit Card Ban for Online Gambling in the UK

By Matt Speakman,
Betting Expert at online-gambling.com

Matt Speakman Betting Expert at online-gambling.com

A die-hard fan of the Patriots, Matt Speakman is an expert on everything related to sports betting and DFS sites. Over the years, he has proven a valuable asset for our team at online-gambling.com. You can find Speakman's professional tips and tricks in any of his many articles on the website.

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Last updated: April 23, 2020

From just a few days ago, British bettors are no longer permitted to use credit cards to pay for a bet. The measure was made in order to introduce another way of consumer security, as online gaming has significantly increased during the quarantine.

The ban first was announced in January by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and DCMS, includes credit card gambling through e-wallet and includes online and offline betting.

Gambling with a credit card© StockSnap/Pixabay

The Gambling Commission that controls and permits gambling in Great Britain points to data that indicates about 10.5 million people gambling online at Great Britain, with a limit of 800,000 reportedly using credit cards. Data also reveals that 22 percent of online players who use credit cards are trouble players, with some form of gambling damage suffering even more.

McArthur Said the Ban Aims to Protect Consumers

The CEO of the Gambling Commission, Neil McArthur, stated that the ban is made with the purpose to protect consumers and has come in the best moment possible – when online gambling has become increasingly popular as a result of the current lockdown due to the pandemic.

“It demonstrates how important it is to keep customers safe for gambling operators and the ban on credit cards would help. It is yet another achievement and we will look for ways of ensuring that gambling is healthier,” stated McArthur in his press release.

Under the ban, you can still purchase lottery tickets “good cause” with a credit card if purchased in a supermarket or other store or newsagent alongside other products. The Commission also noted that operators can only accept e-wallets for consumer payments if such e-wallets prohibit the use of gambling credit cards.

Many players can change their gambling habits during the COVID 19 outbreak and last week’s Commission has also taken steps to remind customers of how online gambling operators can safeguard them.

The National Gambling Helpline also is another way in which problem gamblers could seek help.

The ban on the credit card follows online gambling and government analysis of gaming machines and social responsibility initiatives by the Commission.

Over 800,000 People in the UK Use Credit Cards for Gambling

In fact, according to research estimated 10.5 million people all around the country use the internet as a way to gamble from which around 800,000 are using credit cards while 22% of them are problem gamblers.

In the last few months, the UK has taken some strict measures in order to protect problem gamblers and this one is also one of them. Online gambling has become very popular all around the world in recent times and now due to the pandemic and the lockdown, online gambling seems to be the only way for gamblers to pursue their passion. Nevertheless, many of them are problem gamblers who belong to the vulnerable category of users that the government aims to protect.

Promoting responsible gambling is one of the most important requirements for the UK gambling companies made by the Commission. In fact, just a couple days of going the sports minister urged five betting companies to better protect problem gamblers.