Betting using credit cards is banned from today, following new regulations from the Gambling Commission.
Online gamblers are now only allowed to bet using debit cards or cash deposited into an account. According to the Commission, around one in five of those who use credit cards to bet online are classed as problem gamblers.
The ban applies to both online and in-store gambling, with the exception of the National Lottery.
Harm
Neil McArthur, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “Credit card gambling can lead to significant financial harm.”
He said the ban “should minimise the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have” but he warned that more needs to be done to stop the gambling industry from letting people do so.
Nigel Huddleston MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, recently stated that the Government would continue to consider ways to minimise gambling harm while the Gambling Act 2005 is being reviewed “for the digital age”.
Addiction
Earlier this month, it was revealed that gamblers searching for mobile apps to help their addiction were bombarded with adverts tempting them to bet instead.
When searching for “gambling stop” and “block gambling” on Apple’s App Store, Daily Mail reporters found promotions for Ladbrokes Casino, 888 Casino, and Virgin Games Casino appeared as top results.
Apps to help addicts and block gambling transactions on phones only appeared beneath the sponsored listings.
GVC, which owns Ladbrokes, said it was “liaising closely with Apple to understand how this could have happened and have suspended our Apple search advertising with immediate effect”.
Also see:
MP calls for ban on gambling ads in sport