Australia to ban the use of credit cards for online gambling
The government says the ban will be enacted through amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 later this year.
Australia.- The Australian government has confirmed that the use of credit cards for online gambling will be banned in amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 that will be made this year. The measure had been requested by various anti-gambling groups and the Australian Banking Association (ABA).
Communications minister Michelle Rowland announced the measure today (April 28), saying: “People should not be betting with money they do not have.”
The government intends to use Bank Identification Numbers (BINs) to identify and block credit card payments, making it impossible to deposit funds into betting accounts using credit card numbers.
Amanda Rishworth, minister for social services, said the ban will bring online gambling into line with land-based gambling, which already restricts credit card usage. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will be given enhanced powers of enforcement.
Responsible Wagering Australia said that “approximately 20 per cent of deposits into wagering accounts are transacted through credit cards,” while Tabcorp stated that its proportion of account deposits via credit card was 13.7 per cent in the 2021 financial year.
Carol Bennett, chief executive of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, welcomed the announcement: “This is a significant measure in reducing harm from online gambling. We know many people experience high level of gambling harm and those people are far more likely to use credit cards to obtain cash advances. This is money people can scarcely afford to use.”
A parliamentary committee on social policy is conducting an inquiry into online gambling, which will provide recommendations for the government’s next steps.
