Supporting People to Self-Exclude from Gambling

No you are helping others too no need to apologise! I’m. Totally with you I do hope the greed that gambling companies have been able to get away with is slowly coming to an end

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As I’ve said lots recently if they can now tax you for the volume of sugar In a drink, maybe the day will come when they are not able to tax on addictions and people who need help!

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@Dannytc and @JoelJackson88, I would like to thank you two from the bottom of my heart for openly discussing this with us on the forum here. :hot_coral_heart:

We would like to put more control in the hands of our customers, and hopefully this is a first step of many where we can start to lead the industry.

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Thank you Beth. I’m proud to say I was here at the “start”. Really do think monzo have the approach everyone else is missing

I definitely think a few years from now when functionality like this is compulsory, monzo will be able to think they started this !

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Are Monzo going to also block incoming payments from Gambling Transactions? Both by BACS and Debit Cards?

If they block Incoming BACs payments then my account is getting closed as I work for a bookies and my wages get paid into my Monzo Account?

Also I don’t want my bank deciding where and when I can use my card, I don’t drink or smoke and know how much I can afford to gamble and lose when I do.

I agree with helping people but why not talk to the Gambling Companies and work with them?

Are Monzo going to the same for Payday Loan Companies, smoking and alcohol related purchases?

You opt into the scheme, and nowhere says about payments in

It’s the bank equivalent of self exclude. It’s not automatically on all accounts, just empowering the people who want to control their own account

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This is really exciting! I also think the fact that this started out in “Monzo time” says a lot about the company’s great culture and thoughtful staff.

While we’re on the topic, I’d love to know more about this quote if someone has the answer:

we notice patterns in their spending that suggest they have a gambling disorder

What does this mean in practice? What sort of activity monitoring happens on my account, and is this automated or manual? I assume there’s not someone who spends their day looking at transaction logs and deciding who is and isn’t vulnerable?

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Somebody pointed this out on Twitter earlier and Jonas clarified.

It appears the writing was a mistake and Monzo does not look for patterns with spending like is mentioned in the article.

https://twitter.com/geeky_android/status/996736976178089985

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There’s no automated or manual monitoring going on, just to be clear! What we mean is that COps are very aware of the kind of spending patterns that could suggest someone is suffering from a gambling problem, and we can use this knowledge as one of many factors to help identify potentially vulnerable customers :slightly_smiling_face:

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I have no objections to that. Nice to see I’m monitored occasionally due to care not statistics/profit

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Monitored wrong word, checked if concern spotted ?

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That’s very much the intent behind it! Although I should stress that COps only look at this when you get in touch or there’s a genuine need to view your transaction history; no one is randomly looking through your transaction information to check up on you - we value your privacy! :blush:

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Good to hear, @ianlyon as I don’t think Monzo should be telling customers what they can and can’t do with there own money. Or going through there transactions by any means with explicit consent.

If a customer wants to self exclude then yes, the customer should be able to access all the help they need, and flick the switch but it has to be a joined up process with GamCare, the UKGC, the Gibraltar GC, Maltese and Jersey / Guernsey etc regulators and the gambling firms themselves. as well as other challenger and legacy banks as well as a universal solution rather than isolated solutions.

With Monzo bank accounts currently only open to UK residents, is there a need to work with regulators in other countries at this time? or only once Monzo expands outside the UK. How big a problem is UK gamblers betting in say Malta, Gibraltar, Isle of Man etc?

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It looks like you got your wish :boom:

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Amazing news! Not sure if you’ve ever seen these machines work, they currently have options like £50 spin on slot machine ! Or allow someone to bet on near every number on roulette in one spin. It’s quite scary the speed someone can loose a lot of money ( especially if chasing looses!)

Thank you for sharing !

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A lot of Gaming Companies are licensed and regulated by overseas Gambling Regulators including the big 5, for their online businesses.

Ahh well Nanny States at its best :frowning: All people will do is go to Online Betting, Casino’s , Bingo Halls and Arcades where these rules wont apply.

The Government is anti Gambling it’s clear, now as a non drinker I’m hoping the Government raise Alchohol to £10 a pint, and £40 a bottle of wine etc to stop people maybe killing themselves and causing chaos for the police and ambulance services…

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To penalize the many for the excesses of the few is unreasonable!

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Of course this wouldn’t stop the sale of scratchcards in store or lottery tickets. Would this block National Lottery online? I know it constitutes as gambling but I argue it isn’t as bad as casino/slots.

Such a grand idea. Whilst gambling companies have to legally offer the ability to self-exclude, it often feels like a bit of a bodge to meet the law and nothing else. Will be brilliant to see a bank doing this themselves. Super responsible :+1:

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