The question you should be asking yourself is do you really want to be funding your betting site accounts with your credit card? If you’re asking can you bet with a credit card are you really betting or gambling what you can afford to lose?
Not only will you normally have to pay a fee for the privilege, but you’ll also be gambling with money you haven’t got. In a world in which responsibly gambling needs be taken very seriously, we think it’s right that you can’t bet with your credit card in the UK.
When Was Credit Card Betting Banned In The UK?
Credit card betting was banned in the UK on April 14, 2020. It is now illegal for bookmakers to accept credit card payments and big fines can be imposed on any company that breaks the rules.
Various campaign groups lobbied the government to change the rules on credit card betting and the reasons for doing so were based on sound reasoning. While poor gamblers may lose some or all their earnings, perhaps even some savings, when using payment methods other than credit cards, the option to bet with a credit card opened a much more dangerous avenue for problem gamblers.
As credit cards are a way of borrowing money, gambling with them gives people the option to get into debt. Interest rates on most credit cards are ridiculously high compared to, for example, bank loans, so credit card gambling debts could potentially cripple people’s incomes for the rest of their lives. So, we think it’s a good thing that you can no longer gamble with credit cards.
Are All UK Betting Sites Affected By The Credit Card Ban?
The UK credit card betting ban applies to most types of gaming sites. You can no longer use a credit card to bet with sportsbooks, casinos, bingo sites, or poker sites. The only exception is the National Lottery.
Some betting sites outside the UK that accept members from the UK may still take credit card payments, but these sites are not regulated to the same standards as those in the UK. And, if you’re that desperate, you may want to seek help for a possible gambling problem.
Can I Gamble Using My Debit Card?
You can still gamble using your debit card in the UK, but you should still make sure that you’re gambling money you can afford to lose. Whatever you do, don’t use any overdraft options you may have to gamble, as these also have absurdly high penalties and/or interest rates attached to them.
How Can Bookmakers Tell What Type Of Card I’m Using?
The first few digits on a credit or debit card identify what kind of card it is when it is processed, for example, a Visa credit card or a Visa debit card. If you try to use a credit card at any UK licenced gaming site, they will know and they will ask you to use an alternative form of payment. Again, if you’re desperate enough to try – have a word with yourself.
How Many People Used To Bet With Credit Cards?
A survey carried out shortly before the credit card betting ban was implemented showed that there are 24 million people that like to gamble in the United Kingdom. 10 million of those people bet online, and around 800,000 used to bet with credit cards.
In truth, using a credit card for betting was never a good idea. Credit payments to betting sites were never classed as a purchase by credit card companies. Instead, they would charge the same fee as though you had withdrawn money from an ATM machine with your credit card. So, not only were credit card bettors betting with money they didn’t have, but they were also getting charged for the privilege. So, we agree that betting with a credit card was always a terrible choice.
Bet Responsibly
Betting responsibly has been a buzz phrase in gambling over the last few years, and you’ve probably heard or seen the slogan – ‘stop when the fun stops’. That’s good advice, and the ban on credit card betting has helped many punters stop before they got into trouble.
But if you’re still losing money that you don’t want to, it’s time to consider a new betting strategy. It’s time to learn how to manage a betting bank and a staking plan, and it’s time you started backing enough winners to start making a profit from gambling.
How Betting Gods Can Help
Betting Gods is an online tipster platform where you’ll find some of the best tipsters. Whether you want to bet on horse racing, football, or other sports such as golf, tennis, basketball, or ice hockey, we’ve got you covered.
But our tipsters provide you with more than just tips. Each selection also comes with a points-based staking plan that is designed to promote healthy betting bank management, all of which is necessary when it comes to making long-term profits from gambling.
Our tipsters all offer monthly subscription packages, all of which are backed by the Betting Gods money-back guarantee. But we don’t expect you to jump straight in at the deep end, so check out our free tips section first. Here you’ll find free tips from a variety of our tipsters each day, helping you decide which tipsters you like the most.
We hope that’s answered your question, can you bet with a credit card. If you’d like more betting advice, check out the hundreds of free-to-read articles on the Betting Gods blog. Happy punting!
