The UK Gambling Commission has announced a ban on consumers in Great Britain being able to credit cards to gamble online or in UK land based casinos, from 14 April 2020. This follows the UK Gambling Commission’s review of online gambling, and also follows the UK Government’s Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures.

The intent is to protect players from potential financial harm, by stopping players using credit cards, and therefore creating debt, when they gamble. Sadly, some players using credit cards get into positions gambling where they don’t have the money to pay the positions back. Having debit card access only will ensure that customers are only betting money that they technically have in their accounts already, avoiding debt issues.

This will inconvenience players who have used credit cards for online gamblers – some of whom have used credit cards to get points and other benefits from the credit card use. But here at HTBTC blog we support the ban on the basis that it will help some people avoid financial harm.

Playing online casino games is fun, and a great way to pass time. A lot of players, myself included, like trying out all of the new games, and looking for strategies that might let us win… alongside a lot of luck. But it’s important to realise that it’s entertainment – and to make sure that the entertainment doesn’t cross the line into something harmful.