UK Gambling Commission bans
gambling by credit card
From 14th April 2020 gambling in the UK by credit card will be outlawed.
The move by the UK Gambling Commission is an attempt to curb problem gambling. After reviewing the figures relating to gambling the Commission concluded that 22% of online gamblers who use credit cards to gamble are classified as “problem gamblers”.
Gambling is a huge industry in the UK – over 24 million adults in Britain gamble, and 10.5 million of those do so online.
The Commission wants to try to control people gambling with money they don’t have i.e. on credit. The Commission also wants to try to cut down on problem gamblers building up large debts on credit gambling.
As over a third of the total population of the UK gamble, the Commission clearly is attempting to further regulate the Sector to assist in reducing the number of problem gamblers. The new rules will apply to all online and offline gambling products. Exempted from the ban will be lotteries which are operated for good causes. However even those will be subject to new requirements to protect vulnerable people and all online gambling operators will have to show evidence that they participate in schemes to assist problem gamblers to self-exclude.
If you require any further detail or advice, please contact John Reid in O’Rourke Reid
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This document is for information purposes only and does not purport to represent legal advice.
© O’Rourke Reid 2020