Australian Ministers Call for a Credit Card Ban for Online Casinos - What Does it Mean for Players?

Australia’s government is taking steps to amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, aiming to better align online casinos with traditional brick-and-mortar establishments and enhance player protection. One of the most significant changes in this initiative will be the gradual ban on using credit cards for online wagers. While discussions on this prohibition began as early as November 2021, it’s essential to examine what this initiative truly means for players at online casinos.

Beyond the regulatory adjustments, this move may reshape the way players engage with online gambling, affecting their payment options and betting behavior. In this article we will explore the topic further to gain insights into the broader implications for player experience and safety in the evolving landscape of online gaming.

Bringing Online Gambling in Line With Land Based Casinos

The no credit card regulation has already been imposed on wagering in land-based casinos, clubs, and pubs. Now, the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expected to enforce the same restriction on online wagering services provided by operators holding an Australian license. The idea of the ban is once again in the spotlight after it was revisited by numerous crossbench MPs and reform advocates who pressured the government to take further action in the battle against problem gambling.

The government has announced it will soon initiate consultations with stakeholders on the necessary draft legislation, along with the technical implementation regarding bank identification numbers that would be used to identify and subsequently block payments made via credit cards.
Australian pokie machines and casinos already utilize similar blocking methods for bank identification numbers to prevent individuals from withdrawing money using credit cards at ATMs.

If implemented, the changes would create greater equality among online and offline gambling venues. This change has been well received by Tim Costello, chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, who explained that people who use borrowed money to wager “are four times more likely to do damage and harm” to themselves. Costello further argued that a ban on credit cards, similar to the one adopted by countries like Albania and the United Kingdom in recent years, would be important for Australia.

Costello also believes more needs to be done to protect Aussie players, as domestic players suffer the most significant gambling losses of all countries ($25 billion in yearly losses) where gambling is legal.
For the proposed policies to be fully effective, they must be respected by all gaming operators. Crown Casino and Star Entertainment, two of the largest gaming operators in the country, have managed to circumvent financial and casino regulations in recent years and manipulate their hospitality receipts to enable Chinese VIPs to use their credit cards to wager. They were also found to forge bills for accommodations that allowed high rollers to rely on credit cards to purchase casino chips.

Politicians Support a Policy Against Gambling Harm, Not Against Gambling in General 

The Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland and Minister for Families and Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, have expressed their own views on the fact that online players should never borrow money to bet. 

The amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 are expected to be introduced later in 2023, following the successful blocking of bank identification numbers in land casinos and poker machine clubs and venues in order to prevent credit card withdrawals from ATM machines. The same policy has been implemented by British authorities in regard to online gambling, according to the same two ministers.

The ban on credit cards should eliminate the problem of gamblers using credit cards to make wagers online and losing billions in the process. According to data from Responsible Wagering Australia, around 20% of all deposits into wagering accounts have been completed using credit cards in 2021 alone. 

Gambling Alliance Welcomes the Initiative

Carol Bennet, the chief executive officer of the Alliance for Gambling Reform warmly welcomed the proposed changes, explaining the measure would significantly cut the harm related to uncontrollable forms of online gambling. Bennet also spoke about the large number of people who currently go through a lot of gambling harm. She explained the same individuals are also more prone to rely on credit cards to ask for cash advances, which is money they cannot truly afford to use. 

What Conclusions Can We Draw?

The Australian government is not advocating for a complete ban on gambling; however, it believes that individuals should not face financial repercussions from addictive gambling behaviors. In other words, consumers should not gamble with money they do not have. While there is no set deadline for the implementation of the new amendments, they are expected to be put into practice in the coming months. Upcoming discussions will address additional topics related to the ban on credit cards, such as the use of fraudulent eCommerce platforms that accept payments transferring to players' online gaming accounts, as well as requests for cash advances from credit card providers. Fortunately, players have access to various valid, safe, quick, and convenient banking methods, such as cryptocurrency payments, to fund their accounts and withdraw winnings at top online casinos.

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