Gambling on credit cards to be banned Following the Gambling Commission’s review of online gambling, as well as the Government’s Re- view of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures, gambling businesses allowing con- sumers to use credit cards to gamble will be banned.
The ban, which will come into force across Great Britain in April, will aim to add protection to vulnerable people, following recent research showing that 22% of online gamblers use credit cards to gamble. Over 24 million adults in Great Britain gamble, with almost half of these gambling online. The ban on using credit cards to gamble will have a clear impact on many of these people, as recent estimations suggest that around 800,000 consumers currently gamble using credit cards. The ban was announced on 14 January
and, in a press release on the day Gam- bling Commission chief executive Neil McArthur said: “Credit card gambling can lead to significant financial harm. The ban that we have announced today should minimise the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have.” Following a consultation in November, the ban was expected to only apply to online gambling, however the recent announcement proves that this applies to offline betting too, with the exception of lottery tickets.
McArthur notes that gambling using credit cards is a two-fold problem, as card fees can increase the problem for vulnerable people: ‘“There is also evi- dence that the fees charged by credit cards can exacerbate the situation because the consumer can try to chase losses to a greater extent.” Whilst the news has been met with mostly positive feedback, some former gamblers and campaigners say that the ban is not enough, as gamblers can still use payday loans and online payment systems such as Paypal.
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