Some lawmakers in Northern Ireland want to join the rest of the U.K. in banning betting with the use of a credit card. Kellie Armstrong, Strangford Member of the Legislative Assembly, said, “Gambling with credit cards allows people to use money they don’t have.”
Bans on credit cards to place online bets have already taken effect in England, Scotland and Wales. Bettors in those countries can use a debit card or cash deposited into an account. The one exception is purchasing tickets for the National Lotter, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
“For addicts, (using a credit card) can be too tempting a proposition to ignore, particularly at a time when online and virtual gambling is more popular than ever before,” said Armstrong. “The coronavirus lockdown may also lead to an increase in people using these outlets, so this legislation is more important than ever.
“We now need a similar law for Northern Ireland. Understandably, most resources are targeted towards combating Covid-19, however, we need to tackle the problem of addiction and helping gamblers stay safe.”
