No More Credit Cards at Pennsylvania Online Casinos?

No more credit cards at Pennsylvania online casinos?

Players in the Keystone State may well need to wave goodbye to the convenience of using their credit cards at PA online casinos, if Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana of Allegheny County gets his way. The senator is introducing a bill to stop the use of credit cards for online casino games, sports betting and fantasy games, as well as for the Pennsylvania iLottery.

Bill Fueled by 2023 Record Gaming Revenue

In an official statement, Senator Fontana referred to the growing popularity of online gaming and sports betting, saying that it is “growing exponentially, especially with young adults". Pennsylvania hit an all-time record gambling revenue that almost reached $5,70 billion last year.

Fontana expressed concern at this figure, stating: "At the same time, credit card debt is climbing. So we need to make sure the greater access to gambling isn't leading to burdensome or crippling credit card balances."

Banning Credit Card Gambling - A Global Trend

The idea of banning credit card gambling is not new to Pennsylvania or, indeed, across the US. Australia and some countries in Europe have already implemented the measure, with Norway and Belgium being leaders in this respect. The same ban had created controversy in the UK, but appears to have had little effect on gambling trends since its implementation in 2020. The most recent countries to join the trend are Germany and Sweden, which is still in process of consultation.

In the US, the states of Iowa, Tennessee and Massachusetts have already introduced similar measures, with scarce effects on the industry. However, the ban is expected to have a beneficial impact on responsible gambling initiatives by ensuring that players don’t exceed their disposable income. And with March being Problem Gambling Awareness month across the US, Senator Fontana’s proposal couldn’t have come at a better time.

Impact on Pennsylvania Casinos

While removing the option of using credit cards at PA online casinos will undoubtedly create inconvenience at first, even if it goes through, the measure is unlikely to have a tangible impact on gambling figures. 

The vast majority of gambling sites nowadays offer a variety of convenient casino payments such as digital wallets and bank transfers, that are already popular among players in the Keystone State. Moreover, the ban would not extend to debit cards.