UKCG Backs Up Its Credit Card Gambling Ban With Evidence

The UK Gambling Commission has published an extensive analysis and evidence to support the credit card gambling ban imposed on April 14, 2020. The government’s regulatory body has presented the results based on the research of consumer research agency 2CV and 128 written responses from various institutions. 

According to the research and all the information gathered from consultations with consumer bodies, financial institutions, charities, local governments, and individual problem gambling service users, credit cards were disproportionately used for gambling by those at higher risk for problem gambling. 

Written responses gathered from these institutions for 2019 discussed the “outright ban of credit cards” or “restricting the use of credit services.” The majority of them agreed upon the suggestion to prompt financial service providers to increase their efforts in helping out customers at risk of compulsive gambling. 

CBC News cites one response highlighting that “22% of credit card gamblers were problem gamblers, 25% were experiencing moderate levels of harm, and 20% lower levels of harm”. On that note, 82% of credit card gamblers were not familiar with the interests and fees bundled up with the gambling transactions. 

Taking all the evidence into account, the commission decided to ban credit card use for gambling in 2020, hoping to curb the risks of problem gambling and prevent further harm. Gamblers have since turned to other payment methods. For example, numerous online casinos support PayPal transactions, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies. 

The UKGC believes that the credit card ban is just one step in the right direction and that further measures need to be adopted, for example, that licensed operators and financial service providers should be obliged to monitor their customers, assess whether they can afford to continue placing bets, and intervene if need be.