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Many online payment service providers are now delivering new services to customers to help in the fight against gambling-related harm. PayPal is the latest payment provider to add Gamban’s blocking software to its platform offering customers the choice to block payment transactions to online gambling sites.
Block Gambling Transactions
The blocking software enables a customer to block transactions to many online gambling sites that provide games of chance or skill requiring an entry fee and a prize. Customers can also block PayPal transactions to online platforms for slots and casino games, including physical machines.Further gambling transactions for horse racing, greyhound racing, lottery tickets are also included in the list of areas where the software can be utilised.Paypal fell under scrutiny back in 2019 after the platform was accused of facilitating excessive online gambling, a review followed and PayPal, although an exact figure has not been disclosed, found many customers were able to deposit thousands to online casinos through their PayPal account.A young man with no savings was able to deposit £150,000 in a single day. The young man in question was already receiving support from Henrietta Bowden-Jones a psychiatrist, she said, “He had been online gambling, had reached his limit on his bank card but somehow managed to withdraw by direct debit £2,000 every few minutes to continue gambling whilst his parents were asleep next door. When they woke the next day, he had lost £150,000. I was horrified when I heard this had been a legitimate use of PayPal.”
PayPal Account Abuse
When PayPal learned its services were being abused to fund gambling accounts, they looked at implementing stricter payment rules.Paypal has announced it is now providing all UK and US account users the option to use Gamban’s blocking software to block online gambling transactions. It gives customers who may be experiencing gambling-related problems another avenue to block payment transactions to prevent further gambling harm.Many banks already have blocking systems in place to prevent payments to gambling sites. GAMSTOP enables players to self-exclude from online gambling sites and GamCare offers support to people who feel their gambling is becoming a problem. Now PayPal introducing blocking software is another step in the right direction in terms of options for giving people the best chance at recovery.