Which Betting Sites Accept Credit Cards in the UK?

Sports fans in the UK who use online betting sites are accustomed to being able to choose from a wide array of different payment methods to make deposits and withdrawals when gambling.

But one question many people are likely to be asking when deciding which one to use is this: which betting sites accept credit cards in the UK?

The UK has some of the world's most relaxed online betting rules and regulations of any country in the world, but in 2020 it was confirmed credit cards would be banned as a deposit method.

As a result, regulated UK betting sites cannot legally accept credit cards. But why is this?

Credit Cards and Online Betting in the UK

Previously, credit cards from the likes of Visa and MasterCard were accepted as payment methods by online gambling sites operating in the UK.

What this meant was people could add funds to their online betting accounts with their preferred credit card, and then pay off whatever was owed as usual when their bill arrived the next month.

However, it was announced by the Gambling Commission that the rules would be changed in 2020, which resulted in betting sites no longer being able to accept credit cards in the UK.

The decision was taken after the Commission’s review of online gambling and the Government’s Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures, which included a public consultation which took place between August and November 2019.

An estimated 800,000 people in the UK were believed to have used credit cards to gamble, which is a significant number of the 10.5 million UK adults who are known to gamble online.

Explaining the decision to prevent betting sites from accepting credit cards in the UK, Gambling Commission chief executive Neil McArthur said credit card gambling can lead to financial harm.

"Research shows that 22% of online gamblers using credit cards are problem gamblers, with even more suffering some form of gambling harm," McArthur said in a statement.

"We also know that there are examples of consumers who have accumulated tens of thousands of pounds of debt through gambling because of credit card availability. There is also evidence that the fees charged by credit cards can exacerbate the situation because the consumer can try to chase losses to a greater extent. We realise that this change will inconvenience those consumers who use credit cards responsibly but we are satisfied that reducing the risk of harm to other consumers means that action must be taken. But we will evaluate the ban and watch closely for any unintended circumstances for consumers."

The government explained why betting sites would be blocked from accepting credit cards in the UK, with culture minister Helen Whately saying the move would help to cut problem gambling.

"Whilst millions gamble responsibly, I have also met people whose lives have been turned upside down by gambling addiction," she said in a statement. There is clear evidence of harm from consumers betting with money they do not have, so it is absolutely right that we act decisively to protect them."

While credit cards cannot be used at regulated UK online betting sites anymore, sports fans still have a wealth of payment methods to pick from, including debit cards, PayPal and bank transfers. An increasing number of sports betting sites in the UK now even allow their customers to add funds through paying by phone bill, or even using cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

Can You Gamble With Credit Cards at UK Online Betting Sites?

While UK online betting sites that are regulated by the Gambling Commission are not legally allowed to accept credit cards after the change to the law, some operators get around this.

A small number of online betting sites that accept UK players do allow credit cards to be used, but they are risky to use due to the fact they are not regulated by the Gambling Commission.

Not only is it risky to use an unregulated betting site, but research also shows that people who use credit cards to gamble online are more likely to have a problem controlling their spending on betting.

It is therefore not recommended to ever gamble with credit cards at UK online betting sites.