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Australia set to ban credit card gambling

  • author icon by Polly in Regulations
  • calendar icon June 7, 2023 | Last updated: September 2, 2024
  • calendar icon 5 min read
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Australia to follow in UK’s footsteps and ban credit card gambling to protect vulnerable players against gambling harm.


Playing online casino games is highly entertaining but also has rules and restrictions. In every region, there are gaming authorities and regulations that lay down the rules. And the Australian Federal Government just ruled out online gambling with credit cards

Updated:

The Australian Senate banned the use of credit cards in online betting!

This new legislation has been approved by the Australian Parliament, barring the use of credit cards or digital currency to place any kind of bets, excluding the National Lottery. Thanks to a six-month transition period, the industry has had enough time to prepare.

This initiative seeks to safeguard consumers and their families by enhancing oversight of gambling activities and fostering a more secure gaming environment.

New legislation on payments

In a recent announcement, the Australian federal government announced the new legislation that will ban credit card use for online betting. This latest move is strategic by the government in an attempt to protect vulnerable consumers from gambling harms.

Added to the already strict online gambling regulations in Australia, this new legislation will force online casinos to not accept credit cards for online wagering. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 will be amended to encompass all online betting operations excluding the lottery. All forms of gambling aside from the lottery will be included in the credit card ban.

According to sources, the legislation will treat online gambling like land-based gambling. This means the credit card ban will apply to both land-based and online gaming operators. There is currently a discussion in terms of the technical implementation thereof. It is believed that bank identification numbers (BIN) will be used in an attempt to block these types of transactions by casinos and other gaming facilities.

Responsible gambling focus

Michelle Rowland MP, the Federal Minister for Communications, says that legislating a ban on the use of credit cards for online gambling is a way to help protect vulnerable Australians and their loved ones.

The government is making this move based on data received showing about $25 billion in gambling losses. This is deemed the highest figure around the globe. And according to The Australian Institute of Family Studies, about 7.2% of Australians are affected by gambling harm which is bound to have an impact on their family and friends. 

The idea behind the credit card ban is to cut down the chance for people to gamble with funds they do not have try to reduce the gambling problems among the population. Australia is not the first to ban credit card gambling. In UK online casinos there is also a strict no credit card gambling policy in place.

Amanda Rishworth, the Minister for Social Services, says that the Albanese Labor Government is committed to creating a better Australia and that minimising the harm caused by the problem of online gambling is a key part of achieving this goal. According to Rishworth, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 will be amended later this year, and the government will fully empower the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to enforce the ban.

According to sources, the Australian Banking Association (ABA) is in full support of the ban, and a further 81% of Australians support the ban on credit card gambling. Anna Bligh, ABA Chief Executive, states that gambling with credit cards can create unique harm leading to large amounts of debt over a short period of time. Bligh believes that a credit card gaming ban will be beneficial in helping those experiencing gaming harm get better control of their finances.

All the support

A survey done by the ABA in 2020 shows that 81% of people believe there should be restrictions on using credit cards for gambling activities. And 54% think it should be banned completely.

Currently, the House of Representatives standing committee on social policy and legal affairs is doing a study on the impact of online gambling and the extent of gambling harm to see what their future actions may be.

Last updated: September 2, 2024

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Article by Polly

CasinoWow Contributor

Hey guys, my name is Polina but my friends and colleagues call me Polly. I am truly passionate about online casino gaming and exploring the different online gambling experiences. I'm really into diving deep into topics and researching all the details. My aim is to gather the best information and write interesting articles for all the readers at CasinoWow.

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