Study finds Australian credit card ban has little impact on online sports betting activity

Only 2 per cent of credit card accounts were used for online gambling before the ban.

Australia.- Research by the e61 Institute has found that Australia’s 2024 credit card ban on online gambling has resulted in only a small decrease in online sports betting activity. It founds that a modest decline was driven by the added hassle in choosing alternative payment options.

The study suggests that only 2 per cent of credit card accounts were used for online gambling before the June 2024 ban as most online gamblers favoured debit or transaction accounts. Those who used credit cards generally had higher incomes and more financial resources.

The average gambling spend among affected users dropping by around $50 per fortnight. The ban also led to a 15 per cent reduction in the likelihood of gambling, and about one-third of affected users stopped betting altogether over the six weeks post-implementation. The main reason cited was the added inconvenience of switching to alternative payment methods, particularly among casual users.

The authors concluded that the overall impact was relatively small. Over the period reviewed, the report also found no notable improvement in overall financial well-being, such as increased savings or reduced debt among those affected.

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Only 2 per cent of credit card accounts were used for online gambling before the ban. Australia.- Research by the e61 Institute has found that Australia’s 2024 credit card ban…