Neil McArthur, CEO of the UK Gambling Commission, says the April 14 implementation of a ban on credit cards to fund gambling “comes at a vital time, as we are seeing an increase in the use of some online products such as online slots and virtual sports.
“Our online search analysis shows an increase in U.K. consumer interest in gambling products since the lockdown began,” McArthur said. “This is another milestone and we will continue to look for ways to make gambling safer.”
This ban, which prevents the use of credit to pay for gambling throughout Great Britain, “ultimately reduces the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have,” he said.
The ban was announced in January by the UKGC and the government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It applies to all gambling, online and retail, with the exception of non-remote lotteries, including products such as physical National Lottery tickets and scratch cards purchased in-person at retail outlets. According to iGamingBusiness.com, it also covers credit card gambling through e-wallets.
The UKGC has said a ban on credit for wagering is a “further layer of protection” and will help make the U.K. the “safest gambling environment.”
U.K. Culture Minister Helen Whately said, “There is clear evidence of harm from consumers betting with money they do not have, so it is absolutely right that we act decisively to protect them.
“In the past year, we have introduced a wave of tougher measures, including cutting the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals, bringing in tighter age and identity checks for online gambling and expanding national specialist support through the NHS Long Term Plan. We have also secured a series of commitments from five leading gambling operators that will include £100 million funding towards treatment for problem gamblers.
“But there is more to do. We will be carrying out a review of the Gambling Act to ensure it is fit for the digital age and we will be launching a new nationwide addiction strategy in 2020.”
