Bank Australia Now Blocking Gambling and Gaming Transactions
It is no secret that making online casino deposits has become challenging in Australia. Unfortunately, it’s about to get worse. Bank Australia has announced that they are now blocking all gambling and gaming transactions on their credit cards.
This move was done as a deliberate move to inhibit the growth and accessibility of gambling operations. It also has the consequence of blocking online gaming transactions which have little to anything to do with online gambling.
Bank Australia Blocks Gambling Transactions
News broke over the weekend that Bank Australia will now block all gambling and online gaming transactions on their credit cards. This means that you will not be able to use your BA credit cards to fund Australian online casino accounts or make purchases related to online gaming.
According to the Bank, the move was made because an overwhelming number of customers support the initiative. They claim that 87% of customers support the block. These numbers were likely gathered from a survey of a small portion of customers, with 87% of interviewees supporting the move.
BA is effectively doing this to hurt the gambling industry. They said that the more money received through banking options, the more accessible they become. BA then stated that blocking this form of funding will “limit the growth” of online gambling companies.
They also paid lip service to the freedom of Australians to gamble, but they still decided to make this move. In the end, customer freedom of choice does not matter. The bank will move forward with their agenda.
But Why Block Online Gaming?
The part of this move that will likely confuse some is the decision to include online gaming as part of this ban. Online gaming heavily relies on in-game or in-app purchases for funding. This ranges from purchasing upgrades to virtual currency that can be used in the game.
There is increasing concern over whether online gaming perpetuates gambling. The first concern is over loot boxes. Loot boxes give items such as weapon upgrades. Often, a player must pick from multiple boxes, making them similar to games of change. Some companies are now arguing that loot boxes are cultivating future gamblers.
Then there are social online casinos. These casinos offer online casino games such as online pokies or blackjack. Players can make purchases of virtual chips to be used in these games. No real money prizes are ever awarded and sometimes players will down hundreds or even thousands of dollars to play these games. This can turn into a form of problem gambling for some players.
Are There Ways Around These Blocks?
The first question that some Bank Australia customers will ask is whether there’s a way around this block. Not directly, but there are a couple of things you can do to still use your credit card for funding your online casino account.
The first is to buy a prepaid voucher like NeoSurf. You can purchase the vouchers directly using your credit card and then use the voucher to make an online casino deposit. For online gaming, you can use your credit card to deposit funds into PayPal or Google Pay for use in online gaming purchases. Don’t merely link your card and try to use it through an e-wallet as the payment will fail.
Another option is to purchase Bitcoin for use at online casinos. Most cryptocurrency exchanges allow the purchase of crypto with credit cards. Just make your Bitcoin purchase and then use that Bitcoin to fund your online casino account.
Finally, you can contact customer service for help. Sometimes they offer third-party payment processors that will allow you to use your credit card to make a purchase. The purchase is then used to fund your online casino account. This last option should only be used as a last resort as it does not always work.
Bank Australia is the latest bank to block online gambling transactions and they will not be the last. We urge Australians to investigate alternative funding options to continue gambling online.