The idea of using a credit card at a casino slot machine or a video lottery terminal is disquieting. Imagine players quickly losing money they technically don’t have, particularly if they’re at-risk or problem gamblers. It’s a line that remains uncrossed in the gambling industry. Yet using credit cards to play online casino games is normal in many jurisdictions.
I’ve spent the past five years researching and reporting on gambling-related topics and have realized how far behind Canadians are in understanding the harms caused by the expansions of casinos, video lottery terminals and online gambling over the past few decades. There’s also a lack of concern among the public and politicians that allows for policy gaps between the online and offline gambling worlds.
Meanwhile, Australia has enjoyed strong support for ending credit card online gambling payments. A survey commissioned by the Australian Banking Association found 81 per cent of Australians believed credit-card payments for gambling should be banned or restricted. The support even extends to the gambling industry.
Gambling data and intelligence firm H2 Gambling Capital has previously identified Australia as having the