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Can you use credit cards on betting sites in the UK?
Credit and debit cards are the most commonly used financial instruments by punters who play online casino games and bet on sports at popular UK betting sites like JeffBet and Bet365. The explanation is simple, as people prefer to rely on the banking options that they also use daily. All over the world, cards have surpassed wire transfers and even though e-wallets come strongly from behind, they continue to rank high in the preferences of gamblers.

The United Kingdom has one of the biggest and most lucrative gambling markets, largely because of the smart way in which it is regulated. Having said this, the UK GC simply implements the decisions made by the lawmakers and things are changing every year. There is growing concern that the most vulnerable categories of people are exposed to the dangers of gambling addiction. That's why lawmakers decided to no longer accept credit card payments for online gambling.

Why are credit card payments banned for gambling?
Credit and debit cards are used in the same fashion to load an account and the waiting times are similar. The difference between the two is that you can only use the money you have available on a debit card to fund your gambling expenses. On the other hand, if you decide to load your account with a credit card, you'd be able to access funds that you don't normally have available. This is convenient for punters who want to take advantage of bonuses and time-limited offers but poses unique security risks.

In recent years, especially during the pandemic, the number of people that gamble online has grown. This also applies to the amounts wagered over the Internet, so there is an obvious trend that more people spend larger amounts online. Some of them have succumbed to gambling addiction and found themselves spending money they can no longer afford to repay. Credit cards have opened the way for this type of reckless spending and that's what prompted the regulators to ban them from gambling.

Offshore bookmakers accept credit card deposits
The thing about regulations is that they are only as good as the authorities enforcing them. The UKGC does a brilliant job at monitoring the gambling market in the United Kingdom but has no power over offshore casinos and bookmakers. British punters are advised to stick to the operators that have applied for and were granted the UKGC license. If they choose to do so, they will be barred from using credit cards from gambling, essentially for their own benefit.

Generally speaking, people prefer to comply with the law whenever it is possible, including for gambling purposes. However, there are gamblers who would rather find shortcuts as long as they will be allowed to use credit cards. Some don't consider the risks of gambling addiction to be that serious, or at least they don't fear the threat. In any case, those who choose to bypass the restrictions have no alternative but to gamble at bookmakers and casinos that are not licensed by the UK GC but accept British punters.