Gambling Commission: Credit Cards and Cashback Transactions

BIRMINGHAM, U.K. (May 17, 2024) — Land-based operators must ensure they do not permit customers to use credit cards for any gambling transaction made on a card payment terminal. This includes ‘cashback’ transactions where a customer uses their card to make a payment on a terminal and the operator provides cash or tokens for gambling in exchange for that card payment.

Requirements that need to be taken into account include:

• Section 81(2) of the Gambling Act (opens in new tab) requires that non-remote casino and bingo operators must not participate in, arrange, permit or knowingly facilitate the giving of credit in connection with gambling
• Licence condition 6.1.1 of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) extends the same requirement to adult gaming centres and family entertainment centres
• Licence condition 6.1.2 of LCCP requires that non-remote betting operators must not accept payment for gambling by credit card.

We would therefore consider it to be a breach of relevant provisions if an operator was to provide cashback for gambling via a credit card payment made on a card payment terminal.

It is acceptable for operators to offer cashback via other types of card payment, for example debit card or pre-paid card, made on card payment terminals. We would however also remind operators that any such card transactions should not take place when a customer is gambling.

If you are unsure whether your card payment terminals are configured to prevent credit cards, or otherwise you are aware that they do accept credit cards, you should put procedures in place immediately to prevent such transactions.

You may wish to speak to your terminal provider to ask whether they can re-configure the terminals to prevent them accepting credit cards. This should include any credit card payments made via smartphone (for example Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay).

SOURCE: Gambling Commission.