Ban the use of credit cards for gambling.

ICan'tStandIt

Jayfred wrote: »

I have serious debt problems due to gambling, i have found this online petition, please, please, please sign it and pass on to anyone you know.

Although people in this country have the right to gamble, the government should ensure that people cannot use credit cards to pay for their stake in UK casinos and online gambling and therefore run up huge debts.

If they restrict people to using debit cards then they can only gamble with the money they actually have! They should also be compelled to use system that check with the bank and do not allow people to exceed their overdraft limits.

It won't stop people loosing all of their money, but it will stop them getting so badly into debt.

It will also stop casinos and online gambling sites from exploiting peoples debt!


http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/gamblingcredit

Where do you draw the line though ?

There are many things that people shouldn't really use a credit card for.

Should Sky TV only accept a debit card from their subscribers ?

People need to sit down with the terms and conditions, read them, understand them and then decide if they really need to buy x y or z.

talksalot81

With respect, if something like this was banned, some idiot will come up with the arguement that it is breach of their freedoms. Unfortunately people have to make up their minds and stick to it. Do you want the government to decide what is best and ensure that people do not go down the wrong path (i.e. restrict them), or do you want to be given totally free reign (in which case, the buck stops with you)?

It irritates the life out of me that so many people ignore laws such as those for the road because they feel that 'they' know better yet they then turn round are whinge when they are given freedom to decide something for themselves and screw it up.

duchy

mrmajika wrote: »

You definitely can do in both Tesco and Co-op stores. I believe most allow it now. Initially, Camelot didn't allow it - now they don't seem to mind.

Funny that cos you definitely CAN'T in either of my local ones( Tesco and Co-op). Debitcard-yes-creditcard-no.
Camelot also don't permit the use of creditcards on their website just debitcards.
Frankly I'm a little bit tired of people asking that the government tell us what we can or can't do with our money. Mis-use of creditcards IS a mugs game and it doesn't matter if it's at John Lewis or William Hill. The dangers are well enough known but people think they are too smart to get caught. Well NONE of us are too smart-or we'd all be so rich that this site wouldn't exist !! But that doesn't mean I want Gordon Brown or anyone else putting restrictions on how I spend my money. I might make mistakes sometimes but they are my mistakes and I'll own them and deal with the consequences thanks. I don't need a nanny state making me be good !!

Mozette

Would Graham Calvert still want to sue William Hill if he'd won, I wonder...?

chuckley

i disagree, if u didnt have the credit card and only debit, ud only steal to fund ur addiction.

juno

mrmajika wrote: »

You definitely can do in both Tesco and Co-op stores. I believe most allow it now. Initially, Camelot didn't allow it - now they don't seem to mind.

Co-op definitely don't allow it. The till software wouldn't allow it even if you did try.

dag_2

There seems to be a lot of finger-wagging moralising in this thread, and people saying it's Graham's own silly fault for gambling in the first place.

So what should we do? Legalise all drugs? Do we blame the addict if he didn't realise he might get addicted when he first started experimenting?

What happens when the addict runs out of money, and starts mugging pensioners on the way back from the post office? You delude yourself if you think this won't happen if drugs are legal. Cigarettes and tobacco are legal, yet people fighting over cigarettes is a significant factor in a lot of the violence in prison.

You might think that this can't happen with something as cheap to produce as heroin. But what if supply dries up? What happens if problems develop on the distribution network? It's simply not possible to set up a distribution system which can be guaranteed to provide heroin for an unlimited number of addicts for an indefinite length of time, until they all kill themselves with an overdose, to the extent that we can be sure that none of the addicts will resort to petty crime in the process.

It's true that drugs being illegal does not stop the most determined addicts. But at least it means less people experimenting, and those that do experiment tend not to continue to experiment as long as they otherwise might.

And I think the same thing is true of gambling.

Not allowing bets to be placed with credit cards won't stop determined gambling addicts. But putting up small inconveniences will help to encourage people to think about what they're doing, and it might save at least a few people from getting in so deep.

I don't honestly think Graham Calvert has much chance of winning this claim. The Guardian commentator is absolutely right, the betting shop has no such "duty of care" to the customer. But that does not mean they should be allowed to continue exploiting their customers without any regulation or checks on their activities.

My 2p-worth.

Paul_Herring

dag wrote:

So what should we do?

I think we should make hyperbole illegal.

HTH

michaels

I think we should ban credit card companies riping people off by charging cash advance charges at bookies - after all they are also charging the merchant their x%.

I would also like someone to ban citibank UK who have stopped gambling transactions on all their cards in the UK 'because it is the law in the US' Any other US laws they want us to import? Carrying of concealed handguns made legal? Death penalty?

ICan'tStandIt

michaels wrote: »

I think we should ban credit card companies riping people off by charging cash advance charges at bookies - after all they are also charging the merchant their x%.

I would also like someone to ban citibank UK who have stopped gambling transactions on all their cards in the UK 'because it is the law in the US' Any other US laws they want us to import? Carrying of concealed handguns made legal? Death penalty?

If people don't want to pay the cash rate APR for gambling then they can use their debit card or cash from their own pocket.