Report
Prohibition of gambling on credit cards
This report focuses on research conducted around the prohibition of gambling on credit cards
Contents
- Executive summary
- Background and approach
- Methodology and limitations
- Operator Implementation and customer behaviour
- Credit cards and digital wallets
- Deposits prior to the introduction of the ban
- Displacement to other high-cost credit sources
- Displacement to illegal sources of funds
- Bypassing the ban through other behaviours
- Displacement to unlicensed gambling sites
- Inconvenience to leisure gamblers
- Conclusions and next steps
- Appendices
Background
-
2018 to 2019
ABSG advice on gambling with borrowed funds.
Call for evidence (February 2019 to May 2019) receives 110 responses.
-
2020
January: Ban on gambling with credit cards announced.
April: Ban on gambling with credit cards starts.
-
2021
We monitor the ban impacts since introduction.
GREO appoint NatCen to conduct a full evaluation.
Aims
The main aim of the prohibition on gambling with credit cards was to prevent those experiencing gambling-related harms from using credit cards as a convenient means of using money they do not possess to facilitate high-levels of gambling debt. It was intended to introduce friction to the process of gambling with borrowed money.
However, it was recognised from the outset that not all gambling with credit cards is prohibited and that some methods of credit card use are permitted. This emphasised the importance of an evaluation to understand how gamblers are funding their activity and identify changing player behaviours, including potentially harmful changes.
The Commission was also mindful of potential unintended consequences of any action taken on the use of credit cards, including displacement to other forms of borrowing.
The consultation document, summary of responses to the call for evidence and final consultation response are available at the following links:
- Summary of responses to the call for evidence (PDF)
- Consultation on gambling with credit cards (opens in a new tab)
- Final consultation response.
Evaluation Activity
Last updated: 2 November 2021
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