GambleAware report highlights gambling-related spending block deficiencies

A new GambleAware-commissioned report has claimed that 28 million UK personal current accounts do not possess the option to block gambling-related transactions.

Researchers from University of Bristol Personal Finance Research Centre conducted 100 interviews with UK bank customers and collected data from financial services firms and treatment professionals between September 2019 and March 2020.

The study estimates that between 390,000 and 585,000 transactions related to gambling are blocked by the UK’s banks every month.

It highlights current blocking technology is in place at eight of the UK’s biggest banks, which represent 49 million personal current accounts and 26 million credit cards.

However, the report claims blocking functionality is only available on certain card products or product ranges, with some blocks only able to be activated or managed via certain channels.

Researchers found that of the eight banks with blocking technology, three could be immediately deactivated by customers, with one allowing this after 24 hours, while a further four let customers reverse the block after 48 hours.

In addition, the report claims many existing and new customers are unaware that the blocking of gambling transactions exists, with 43% of survey participants indicating their unawareness of this feature.

To counter this, GambleAware has called on UK banks to make gambling-related spending blockers a standard feature across all cards and accounts, with increased accessibility given via online channels.

The charity has also urged banks to routinely raise awareness about blockers with existing customers and for a cross-sector consumer awareness campaign that places the feature alongside other forms of self-exclusion and player control.

In addition, the report recommends several changes to existing blocking functionality in order to introduce extra friction to the process of barring gambling-related spending.

These include the introduction of time-released locks to prevent transactions being processed, similar to self-exclusion technology, with 60% of those quizzed indicating this should be longer than 48 hours.

Over 80% voiced their support for banks offering the option to permanently block gambling-related transactions.

Citing evidence from one bank, which suggests that around 15% of its users who had initiated a block had found a ‘workaround’ to remove it, the report calls for limits on cash withdrawals from any account where blockers are currently in effect.

The report also suggests e-wallet providers and credit reference agencies introduce their own version of blocking technology.

GambleAware CEO Marc Etches welcomed the findings of the report, highlighting the need for banks to play their part.

“While some banks have taken proactive steps to help shield their customers from gambling harms, the findings of this research indicate that improvements can and should be made,” said Etches.

“We encourage the banking industry to work together alongside the government and regulators to implement the proposed recommendations.”