The online gambling industry has revolutionized how consumers can make payments, with traditional bank transfers and card payments being joined by third-party payment systems like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
The popularity of crypto payments in the online gambling sector has also seen the rise of dedicated crypto casinos, helping to provide greater market choices for consumers.
One payment method that isn’t as widespread as others is credit card payments. While credit card use remains widespread, their use is prohibited in many countries as a way of promoting responsible gambling.
Responsible gambling places on only betting what you can afford, and many regulators believe that being able to place bets using credit facilities could lead to issues.
However, there are many positives to visiting the top credit card casinos, including additional security features and rewards from card operators.
Gambling expert Sergio Zammit says credit card gamblers can enjoy a raft of benefits including instant transfers, user-friendly processes, and state-of-the-art security features and customer service when dealing with fraudulent transactions or online scams.
Understanding which countries allow credit card payments can help consumers negotiate the, often challenging, regulatory differences in gambling regulations across different jurisdictions.
Italy
Italy’s gambling regulations allow a variety of betting markets, but operations must acquire licenses from the state. Italy is one of the few European countries that allows its consumers to use credit cards to make payments when gambling in person and online.
Spain
Spain has a well-regulated gambling industry that has regional and federal regulations that they must adhere to. Operators can apply for licensing for sports betting, card games, casinos, and other forms of betting except for lotteries.
The Spanish Ministry of Finance has a monopoly on lotteries and assigned operations to the Loterías y Apuestas del Estado.
Credit card gambling is permitted in the country, but protections are in place that ban players from using credit cards if they lose over €600 in a three-week period. This limit is reduced to €200 for consumers under the age of 25.
This move was made under a Royal Decree that was approved in March 2023. Protections also prohibit under-25s from being entered into gambling VIP programs or receiving targeted marketing material.
Singapore
The Asian online gambling market is massive, but many countries still face strict regulations. One of the continent’s largest gambling markets can be found in Singapore and the country’s two largest casino resorts, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, allow credit card payments for gambling.
This is especially useful due to the large number of international customers that frequent the two locations. Travelers often favor using credit cards over other payment methods or cash for safety reasons.
The Phillippines
The Philippines is regulated by the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) who oversee a wide and diverse gambling industry. The country’s liberal approach to gambling allows sports betting, poker, slots, and other markets at land-based gambling locations and with online operators. The country also permits operators to accept credit cards as a payment method.
Australia
This year saw an amendment to Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 to align the country’s online gambling industry with its land-based regulations that ban credit card payments.
The company implemented a 6-month transition period to help online operators make necessary changes. The ban will see operators that fail to comply hit with large fines.
Other recent amendments to gambling regulations in Australia have seen the launch of BetStop, a self-exclusion program, strengthened customer ID verification protocols, implementing mandatory staff training, and instructing operators to send customers monthly statements.
Norway
Norway is one of the strictest European countries when it comes to gambling payment methods, banning the use of credit and debit cards in 2010. Norwegians are now limited to using e-wallets and offshore alternatives to the two online casinos operated by the state.
UK
Land-based betting operations in the UK have not accepted credit cards as a payment method for a long time but were only joined by online alternatives when regulations were updated in 2020.
US
The US has a complicated gambling landscape, with the industry regulated on a state-by-state basis. Many US states that allow gambling also allow credit card payments. However, there are other roadblocks for consumers who want to use them.
Many credit card issuers in the US, including Citibank and Wells Fargo, do not allow users to carry out transactions with gambling operators. Gambling activity will typically be outlined in the terms and conditions.
