For many years a debate has raged about the proposed benefits and drawbacks of credit card casinos. Some countries – like the United Kingdom – banned this payment method across all online gambling platforms.
Others – like the United States – take a different viewpoint and proudly allow bettors to use credit cards. It’s a good job that other countries don’t all follow Britain as it means there are countless online casinos that accept credit cards UK players can now legally use. But why does it have to be so challenging for Brits to use credit cards when betting? When you pull the curtain back and look at this topic, are the cons bad enough to outweigh the pros?
Let’s find out!
Pro: Credit Card Casinos Allow For Safer Payments
Credit cards will always give people a way to safely pay for things – particularly in the online world.
It’s mentioned by Experian that credit cards are generally safer than debit cards. Why? Because they come with consumer protections, making it harder for individuals to lose money. Credit card companies also use expert technology to protect against hacking, so every transaction is a tiny bit safer.
When you think about it this way, it’s technically safer to use credit card casinos than to gamble with a debit card.
Con: Easier To Gamble Money You Don’t Have Access To
If you look at some responsible gambling tips, one of the first things people recommend is to set betting limits and only gamble what you can afford to lose.
Credit cards present a unique problem as they give punters money that doesn’t technically belong to them. The money on your credit card is effectively loaned to you by the card company. However much you use is then repaid – sometimes with interest.
A gambler could join an online casino that accepts credit cards and add £1000 to their account. It’s done in an instant as the money is taken from the credit card, but they don’t have enough in their actual bank account to pay their credit card bill.
From here, there’s a slippery slope to missing credit card payments and falling into debt. Truthfully, this is the main reason some countries ban credit cards in the gambling industry. They see it as creating more risks for people to lose lots of money.
Of course, if you gamble responsibly and stick to your limits, this shouldn’t be something to worry about.
Pro: Earn Rewards When You Deposit Money
Another wonderful benefit of credit cards is the reward systems offered by countless providers. Some companies offer points that can be transferred into money to spend on things like flights, hotels or food. Others will reward your spending in different ways.
Regardless, spending money at a credit card casino can contribute to these rewards. You’re technically spending money on your credit card, so this can help you rack up more points! When you think about it, this is pretty cool as it means you’re gaining something even if you lose money at the casino.
Be warned, some credit card operators won’t let you earn rewards if your gambling gets out of control. Bet responsibly while on credit card casino sites and this won’t be a problem.
Con: You Might Have To Pay Extra Fees
You’ll come across plenty of online casinos that don’t accept credit card payments even though their country allows online gambling.
Why is this?
More often than not, it’s because credit card companies charge processing fees. These fees can sometimes be very extortionate, meaning the online casino would have to pay extra to accept these payments. Some choose to remove this method altogether as a result. They’re not alone – even a huge company like Amazon chose to end Visa credit card payments in the UK because of the fees.
You can’t bypass these fees, so some credit card casinos might charge the player to compensate them. Every deposit becomes more expensive for you this way. Keep in mind that some credit card casinos do this, but not all of them. Check the terms and conditions or ask a customer service operator for a breakdown of any fees before depositing.
Pro: The More Payment Methods The Better
Players should never be forced to pay for things using specific banking methods. One of the joys of online casinos accepting credit cards is that it gives you another option to add to the roster.
If you don’t like any of the other payment methods, at least you can call upon credit cards!
Many sites will accept debit card payments, or they’ll force you to use weird e-wallets that you might not have an account for. It means you’re either paying with a debit card – which many people don’t like to do when gambling – or going through the annoying process of creating an e-wallet account with a random provider.
Overall, credit card casinos contain lots of benefits, but we can see why some countries have banned this payment method. Like all things in the online gambling world, gambling with credit cards is largely only a problem when you gamble responsibly. If you follow safe practices, you won’t see that many drawbacks.
