UK gambling charity calls on banks to improve card blocking systems

UK gambling charity GambleAware has released a report urging banks to improve card blocking systems introduced to help problem gamblers after it emerged 40% of current accounts offer no help in this area.

The ability for customers to ask for payments to gambling sites to be blocked is considered important as it helps those whose betting is out of control, especially considering that problem gambling is thought to cost the UK up to £1.2bn a year.

Researchers at the University of Bristol’s personal finance center found that many banks were failing to offer the ability to block such spending, or the controls were easily turned off, the Guardian reports.

GambleAware said Nationwide and Capital One do not offer to block card payments to gambling companies as a standard feature. Of the eight banks that do offer the option, customers of three could immediately turn them off.

The report’s authors have called on the regulators to ensure all banks have card blockers in place, with the restrictions unable to be removed for at least 48 hours. They have also called on financial institutions to do more to raise awareness among customers that the blockers are available.

Prof Sharon Collard, of the University of Bristol, said: "Our research has found bank card gambling blockers are not available on roughly 40% of personal current accounts. This means an estimated 28 million people are missing out on this crucial tool to block gambling expenditure which helps protect them from harm. We are calling on the Financial Conduct Authority to urgently recommend that gambling blocks are standard on all debit and credit cards."

The GambleAware chief executive, Marc Etches, said: "Keeping people safe from gambling harms requires banks to play their full part in providing consumers with effective means to block gambling transactions."

Last week ministers pledged to review the 2005 Gambling Act in the face of a growing consensus among MPs and addiction experts that the current legislation is no longer effective.