Extending Gambling Block

Feedback & Ideas
1

It is fantastic that Monzo have introduced the Gambling block function. I think it would be good if you could customize what sites are blocked.
So for example, maybe being able to block app store/play store transactions.
I would find this especially good as i struggle with not wasting my money on these sites.

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2

Sounds like a great one to me, so many other additions to this block, time based blocks, site blocks etc.

A couple of ideas for now, you could remove all your cards from the play store, and only let yourself use google play top up cards to limit the spends?
Or try setting up an IFTTT “telling off” if you spend at google play, move some money into a pot that you can’t use to make yourself avoid it next time!

Definitely for the idea of gambling block being stretched out to other spending traits people want to stop!

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3

yes in the meantime i have removed all cards! haha

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4

It’s been discussed before, but where do you stop?

For the over eater, do you stop supermarket spend?

The person who spends too much time at the pub, do you stop alcohol spend?

I get all of these things are incredibly important, but perhaps the better solution is to solve the underlying issue, rather than simply adding friction to being able to obtain these things.

As @0sureal has already said, in this example, she’s done the right thing and removed the cards associated with the app store account.

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5

I’m not sure anyone thinks it’s a binary choice. Blocking the use of gambling sites from a Monzo account doesn’t stop anyone gambling, it just stops them from immediately using Monzo to gamble. The friction is useful in preventing impulse gambling. Believe me, it’s not the solution, but it can be a part of the solution.

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6

It’s a tricky one, I understand lots of different people have traits that can be uncontrollable and often be addictive, I definitely learnt this the hard way with gambling.

It would be an endless list like @nickh says but maybe a longer term solution maybe to give people their own way of setting rules and restrictions but would definitely be a big piece of work to implement.

Everyone’s unique, no matter how many places or people I spoke to, it wasn’t as easy as simply promising myself to stop, had to put in lots of extra friction like you say!

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