Online Casino Credit Card Ban
From today, (Tuesday 14 April) you will no longer be able to use a credit card to deposit and withdraw at online casinos licenced by the UK Gambling Commission.
The ban was first announced by the regulator back in January, with operators allowed to continue accepting credit card deposits until now.
The new rules apply to all UK-licensed online gambling brands – including casino, live casino, sports betting, bingo and poker sites – as well as retail gambling.
It is estimated that around 800,000 UK players use credit cards to deposit and withdraw at online gambling sites and in particular at online casinos.
If you are one of those players, this is everything you need to know about the ban and what to do to ensure you can continue to deposit and withdraw quickly and securely.
Why the UK Gambling Commission has banned credit cards:
The UKGC has banned credit card deposits at online casinos as part of efforts to better protect players, in particular to prevent players from gambling beyond their means.
A study undertaken by the regulator found that 22% of online gamblers considered to be problem gamblers use credit cards to make deposits and withdrawals.
UK Gambling Commission boss, Neil McArthur, said that while he understands that players like to use credit cards because they are convenient, the risk of harm to others was simply too great.
We realise that this change will inconvenience those consumers who use credit cards responsibly, but we are satisfied that reducing the risk of harm to other consumers means that action must be taken.
But we will evaluate the ban and watch closely for any unintended circumstances for consumers.
You can read McArthur’s full statement here.
What the ban means if you use credit cards at online casinos:
The impact of the online-casino credit card ban is fairly obvious – from today, you will no longer be able to deposit and withdraw at UK-licensed online casinos with your credit card.
Instead, you will have to use one of the many other payment methods offered to top up your real money wagering wallet and/or to withdraw from it.
The good news is that online casinos offer a huge range of alternative payment options including debit cards like Visa and Mastercard plus ewallets like Skrill and Neteller.
Most of our recommended UK online casinos also allow you to deposit with PayPal and Apple Pay plus mobile payment providers such as Boku and MuchBetter.
These sites offer a wide range of payment methods:
Online casinos might need to re-verify your ID:
A negative impact of the online-casino credit card ban is that online casinos might need to re-identify players that have already signed up and that used a credit card to make their first deposit.
This is because online casinos use the information held by payment providers to verify your identity and carry out know-your-customer and anti-money laundering checks.
If you make a new deposit via an alternative payment method, the online casino may be able to access the data the provider holds to re-verify you.
If not, customer support will likely contact you and request that you provide a couple of documents that will allow them to re-verify your ID.
This is usually quick and easy – simply scan or photograph the documents requested and upload them via your player account or email the documents to customer support.
And so long as you are not making large deposits, the online casino will most likely allow you to continue to play while it carries out its checks.
Deposit at online casinos with PayPal and Neteller:
UK players are spoilt for choice when it comes to the payment methods they can use at online casinos. So, if you are looking for alternative ways to deposit, try these online casino sites:
Find the best online casinos for you:
Here at Find My UK Casino we understand that different players have different preferences, so we have developed a tool that allows you to find the best online casino sites for you.
Our Find My Casino tool allows you to select various criteria, such as payment methods but also bonuses and more, to generate a personalised A-Z list of UK online casinos based on what you like.
Alternatively, browser our library of online casino reviews and learn everything there is to know about playing at our recommended sites.
If you would like to learn more about online casino payments, read our guide to online casino banking.
