GC stresses that credit card betting ban extends to ewallets

The GB Gambling Commission has reminded operators that its new ban on the use of credit cards for gambling extends to payments made through ewallets and other money service businesses (MSB).

Announced in January by the Commission and the government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and implemented in April, the ban means consumers are no longer able to use credit cards to fund any form of gambling in the UK.

The ban is outlined in licence condition 6.1.2, which states that operators cannot accept payments by credit card either directly or through an MSB, such as an e-wallet or other financial technology and electronic money institutions.

The Commission has now issued a reminder to operators to ensure users are not able to circumvent the ban by using a credit card to top up an e-wallet or online money transfer account, and then use these funds for gambling.

It highlighted the example of banking services provider Revolut, which has blocked any online or offline gambling transactions for its credit cards. The Commission pointed out that other electronic money institutions may not have taken this step, warning licensees that they must be satisfied there is no danger of an MSB allowing customers to make deposits using credit cards before offering the solution as a payment option. 

When this is not the case, the regulator continued, licensees must block all transactions from these MSBs,.

“We explained in the credit cards consultation and in our responses that this would mean that operators could not accept any payment through an MSB unless the MSB has prevented the use of credit cards for gambling through their services,” the Commission said.

“This includes, for example, circumstances where an MSB allows its customers to transfer funds from a credit card into a wallet or account which could then be used by the customer to make gambling deposits.”