William Hill will ban the use of credit cards for online betting in Ireland from this Wednesday, February 16, according to the Irish Independent.
Several major betting companies, however, still accept credit card payments directly in the country, in violation of Ireland’s Safer Gambling Code. Others who claim not to accept credit card bets do so indirectly, through apps like Revolut and Apple Pay.
The head of the Irish Association of Bookmakers – the authority responsible for setting the country’s anti-credit card rules – says he does not have the power to veto the use of credit cards in games, because the issue has not been formally banned by the Irish government.
A new gambling regulator is expected to be introduced by the Irish government that would have the power to fine bookmakers for breaking the law, but this regulator is not expected to be introduced until late 2022 or early 2023. Credit card betting is supposedly one of the measures that will be banned.
Earlier this month, both Apple and Google provided Irish betting apps with a measure to prevent credit card gambling through methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay, but some local betting companies ignored this measure.
In October of last year, the Irish Times reported that free bets will be banned in Ireland as part of new gambling laws, with the regulator empowered to revoke or suspend gambling licences. The entity may also freeze accounts and block payments received from suppliers.
About William Hill
The company’s founder, William Hill, started his business in 1934, traveling through Birmingham, a city in the West Midlands region of England, promoting gambling in the region. Continuing the innovative spirit of its founder, the group has become an international and multi-brand business.