Gambling on Credit Cards to be Banned

BBC’s report on the ban on the use of credit cards for gambling, starts 14 April 2020

I think it’s a positive move. Anyone agree?

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Very much agree with this. To be honest though when I saw it on the news this morning it surprised me as I thought this was already banned. Am I right in thinknig that most gambling establishments (at least online) do not accept credit cards?

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Long time coming. Only bet what you can afford to lose.

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Having never been on a site, I do not know the answer to that.

I absolutely agree and am also surprised that it wasn’t already banned.

Although, I think the real issue here is the availability of potentially unsuitable credit. You could argue that, if you are an adult with a credit line, why shouldn’t you spend it on a legal pastime of your choice?

In reality, I think the risk of vulnerable gamblers rationalising the use credit with poor logic tainted by addiction is great enough to justify inconveniencing the relatively small proportion of non-addicts who would like to use a credit card for their hobby.

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The issue is when gamblers chase their losses, thinking the next bet will help them break even. Instead it spirals them into even deeper debt :frowning_face:

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A lot of gambling providers still accept credit card (because it’s mainly down to the issuer, e.g. Mastercard etc.) But, quite often you’ll find your credit card provider charges you a percentage of whatever was deposited, or charge you in a similar to way to withdrawing cash from your credit card.

I think the ban is a good idea to help stop people from getting into serious debt on top of any addictions they may have seeing as it’s tough dealing with one let alone both.

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Gambling is addictive but you should only play with what you can afford. Credit cards should be banned to stope a lot of People getting in an,it if money issues.

The casino near me doesn’t accept credit cards, though that said I haven’t been to any other gambling place so they may be the exception for all I know.

If you are not happy with using a credit card for gambling then don’t use your credit card, it is that simple.

But don’t start enforcing your morals and this nanny state you advocate upon others as one day someone may believe they may have the right to oppose and enforce their morals upon you.

The government in my view should not be dictating to any one of us on how you or I should be spending OUR money,

I thought it was the credit card company’s money?

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True, they should legalise heroin while they’re at it

If you’re not happy using heroin then don’t use heroin

Gambling wrecks lives and families

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Some people may want to use their credit card and spend £40 down at the pub but some may want to spend £40 a night out at the Casino.

Why do you have an issue with the individual spending £40 down at the Casino and not the individual spending £40 down at the pub?

You know drinking is bad for your health, or maybe we should also ban credit card in pubs. But also watching to much TV, eating to many fastfoods, maybe we should then ban credit cards in all fast food outlets or the purchase of new TVs.

Do you see the problem?

Most UK credit cards either ban gambling, treat it as a cash transaction, or otherwise exclude it from rewards. I can’t think of many gambling providers that still explicitly accept credit cards.

This is a welcome change nonetheless to help prevent gambling from running up serious debt through credit cards.

Working at a bank, I see far too often how gambling addictions wreck lives and despite my normally more open views, fully agree with this specific ban.

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Do you want you kids ending up with a criminal record at 16 for making that bad life style choice or should drugs be treated as a health issue?

Sorry to say other peoples lives and families are none of your concern, gambling can be a bad thing for some but maybe we should go overboard an ban credit cards being used on the lottery.

Or maybe you should keep your morals to your self rather than enforcing them upon others.

Sure, I will take that into consideration as soon as I’m in charge of making laws

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Did I say I have a problem?

I merely said it was a good idea… maybe it would be a good idea to put a stop to buying alcohol, but how could you monitor that if you do your shopping at, say, Tesco.

When you say “OUR money” you do realise a credit card is not “OUR money” seeing as it’s borrowing money from a lender?

You speak of others enforcing their morals, but isn’t that what you’re doing right now by shooting down people on here for expressing their opinions… which we’re all entitled to by the way :slightly_smiling_face:

As such, it is between the creditcard/bank and the individual they lend their money out too, what has this got to do with the government?

You are clearly and completly entitied to express your views.

You tell me… I was just pointing out the part where you’re saying a lender’s money belongs to the person using said money. Considering I’ve worked in the insolvency industry for years, I can assure you that any money being lent by a creditor to an individual/organisation is still classed as the creditor’s money, regardless of what agreements are in place, otherwise it would be deemed as a gift. As far as the law is concerned anyway.

As is everyone else. I just prefer not to enforce my opinions on others, only express them as my own personal views as you say :+1:

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Please refer to the subject of the thread regarding GOVERNMENT banning cards not credit card companies making a moral decision of deciding to ban their cards to be used for gambling purposes.

Again you completely ignore my original point I have made, the question is should it be the government that makes the moral judgement or should it be left to private businesses and individuals to decide?

I have not yet heard any constructive arguments against the point I have made that government should not be the place to make these moral decisions.

On a personal note, we live in a society with every problem there is an automatic assumption from the political class, supported and backed up by the media it requires another government policy. There is a terminology that is always forgotten and that is “Self Responsibility”. In the free society, we should be free to live as we choose, so long you inflict no harm on others however one needs to take personal responsibility for their actions. The cost of government getting involved is less freedom for all, in this example my right to spend £40 on my credit card on an evening out at the local casino. (Even if I don’t visit casino). The moral of the story, the more the government gets involved in our personal affairs the less free we all have.

UUnderstand this is a political thread.