Banking Giants Mastercard and Visa Linked to Online Gambling Scams across the UK

Two big names in the payment world are facing backlash after processing payments on the behalf of illegal gambling websites across the UK. Their failure to detect and prevent the payments from going through has led to UK customers losing thousands of pounds.

Online gambling is popular due to its ease of access and the many bonuses certain websites offer to their players. As an article on Katana Spin by Card Player explores, these sites place customers’ security first and allow users autonomy in their decisions, such as allowing them to choose from multiple different payment methods and providing 24/7 customer service. These features, and several more, are successfully exposing the public to safe and secure iGaming options.

Online gambling sites in the UK must also have a Gambling Commission License visible to customers. This is to ensure the gambling scene remains well regulated and keeps both the gamblers and the businesses well protected. The Commission serves as a watchdog, among other functions, and recently charged a former Tory candidate with general election betting offences.

However, certain websites do not have the correct licenses to operate but continue to do so illegally, often in an attempt to scam potential punters out of their funds. The responsibility of identifying and reporting these sites doesn’t rely on the customer alone, and both Mastercard and Visa have failed on their part to crack down on illegal betting websites.

The payment giants have also been found responsible for allowing transactions to be made, on their networks, and on unlicensed websites despite previously promising to address the issue.

In a recent investigation by Investigate Europe, Mastercard was found to be offered as a payment method on nine illegal gambling websites, alongside cryptocurrency which has also been experiencing unprecedented hacks lately. Similarly, Visa was found on two of these sites.

The biggest concern comes from the fact that both Visa and Mastercard profit from the transactions made on these websites. Sometimes users see these payment platforms and assume the platforms are trusted platforms, sometimes leading to disappointment when bets and transactions are not processed as expected.

Gamblers are encouraged to stay vigilant and always check for casino licences before engaging with a particular online casino. The nine sites stated above do not hold gambling licenses, yet they still appear regularly in search listings and are promoted on social media.

Five of the most popular of these sites managed to secure around 4 million site visits in the short span of October to December of last year. These sites are facing various accusations including a failure to pay winnings and deleting customer accounts.

Mastercard and Visa have responded to these allegations by stating that they have prohibited illegal activity on their sites and will continue to investigate. Additionally, the UK gambling regulatory body, the Gambling Commission have stated they are aware of these illegal sites and will “continue to take action against them.”

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