GAMBLING firms will be banned from accepting bets placed using credit cards from April this year in a bid to stop players getting into debt.
Instead, Brits will have to use a debit card or cash deposited into an account if they want to gamble.
The ban by Gambling Commission will come into effect on April 14 and applies to all online and offline bets, apart from the National Lottery.
The watchdog has announced the shake-up to help tackle the issue of problem gambling.
Neil McArthur, Gambling Commission chief executive, said: "Credit card gambling can lead to significant financial harm.
"The ban that we have announced today should minimise the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have."
Research by the watchdog found that 22 per cent of online gamblers use a credit card to fund the game.
It said it is aware of players who've ended up with tens of thousands of pounds of debt through gambling using the cards.
Fees charged by credit card providers can push punters further into debt.
Problem gamblers may then continue to gamble in an attempt to win back the losses to payback what they owe.
Mr McArthur added that although some consumers may use credit cards simply for convenience, the risk of harm to others was too high.
More to follow…
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