Question about Gambling websites with Curaçao license using incorrect Merchant Category code (page 818)

This is excellent stuff, thanks ever so much for sharing.

Do you have any tips for disputes with banks that use Mastercard?

You can email me, if that's easier?

[email protected]

I'm with visa and no I didn't have a block on this particular account it's a wise account I have blocks on every single other account but unfortunately not that one I couldn't see anything to enable it. The customer services have been contacted and i asked for money back they practically laughed in my face when I mentioned chargebacks. Telling me MCC were actually under gambling they said no refunds basically so I have no choice but to get in touch with the bank now. Thanks for replying

What route you going? My advice don’t mention gambling

The gambling company say they did them via the correct code?

Check with the bank I very much doubt they have.

Visa debit or credit?

Do you know how to remove a Cifas marker? I got one after following the advice on the forum and raising several chargebacks. I bank with Barclays.

Have you definitely got one, confirmed by CIFAS?

You need to DSAR CIFAS and understand the code that is applied as they are different.

I would be surprised on getting a CIFAS if it was minimal even for goods not received. They do need reason to log such as assumed fraud "several", we talking 4 or 40 very vague.

Also first post and football related name excuse my assumptions but we had this before with RiceRiceBaby and another football related one, likely troll trying to put the fear into people.

Look at this nonsense reply from the FOS:

Dear Mr Mcewan

Your complaint about Revolut Ltd

We now have all the information we need to look into your complaint. Based on what I’ve seen, I don’t think Revolut Ltd needs to take any action. I’ve explained why below.

The complaint

Mr McEwan is unhappy that Revolut Ltd didn’t raise chargebacks for gambling transactions. He feels that the gambling sites are using methods to by-pass UK blocks and are illegally targeting people, he explains that chargebacks had succeeded with other companies and feels that Revolut Ltd should have also raised them.

Revolut Ltd looked into the claim and said that they couldn’t raise a chargeback as there are no rights to pursue gambling transactions. Mr McEwan was unhappy with the outcome of his chargeback claim and raised a complaint.

Revolut Ltd sent its final response letter on 13 November 2024, they stated that the chargeback framework sets out rules covering card transactions and they had no chargeback rights.

Unhappy with this response Mr McEwan asked this service to investigate.

My findings

In order to consider if the bank has treated Mr McEwan fairly here – I need to think about whether it should have done more to assist him in getting his money back. That means considering whether Revolut Ltd did enough in respect of the chargeback. 

There are different ways that a bank can assist consumers who have had issues with goods or services not being provided.

In some cases, a bank may be able to request a refund from the supplier through the chargeback scheme. This is a way in which payment settlement disputes are resolved between card holders and suppliers/merchants. They are dealt with under the relevant card scheme rules and in this case that is the Mastercard card scheme. In certain circumstances the process provides a way for Revolut Ltd to ask for a payment Mr McEwan made to be refunded. Those circumstances can include where services aren’t supplied by the company.

There is no obligation for a card issuer to raise a chargeback when a consumer asks for one. But I would consider it good practice for a chargeback to be attempted where the right exists and there is some prospect of success.  

Raising a claim isn’t a guarantee that it will be successful. A merchant can defend the claim and if it provides a valid defence – the bank might decide not to take any further action. Or the bank can re-present the claim if it considers the merchant has raised a weak or invalid defence. And if the merchant continues to defend the claim the bank can take matters to an arbitration process, whereby Mastercard decides who should get to keep the funds.

There are time limits within the rules around whether this should and can happen – and the full process can take some time for this to be resolved.

Revolut Ltd explained that they were unable to raise a chargeback as no chargeback reason was possible. I don’t think a chargeback had it been raised would have succeeded as there doesn’t appear to be a prospect of it being successful. I’ve reviewed the Mastercard chargeback information which states the following:

"Gambling and Investment Chargebacks. For transactions in which value or assets are purchased for gambling, investment, or similar purposes: This chargeback right is only available for a transaction in which the purchased value or assets failed to appear in the account agreed to between the cardholder and the merchant."

Taking into account the claim Mr McEwan raised and the above, I can’t see that Revolut Ltd were incorrect in advising they were unable to raise a chargeback. Mr McEwan has raised concerns with the legality of the websites but that is not something that Revolut Ltd are responsible for and can only look at the possibility of a chargeback but as I’ve explained this was not something they could have pursued here.

Could Revolut Ltd have done more here

I can see that Mr McEwan has mentioned that he requested to close his account but this was refused by Revolut Ltd. I’ve reviewed Mr McEwans messages with Revolut, I’ve seen the conversation he mentions that they refused, however, this was with an online AI chat response that said it couldn’t’ help with the request. Mr McEwan also had a chat with a member of staff who did offer to help and explained how he could close his account and they also offered to transfer him to the team to put a gambling block on but Mr McEwan didn’t pursue this option.

I appreciate that Mr McEwan was in a difficult position as his gambling was a problem for him and he was looking for support, but it appears that Revolut Ltd did offer help by explaining how to close the account and offering to assist with a gambling block. I therefore can’t see they have acted unfairly.

I should also point out that I can only look at Revolut Ltd and not the gambling merchants

They never asked to put a gambling block in ! They said u can close the account but then I could simply open it again ffs !😂

No I googled pulsion processing and found this.

https://fincrimeobserver.com/urgent-warning-against-bet-swagger-and-cyprus-payment-processor-pulsion-processing

The casino also told me it was using correct MCC for gambling. God knows how they have managed that but they have from what I've read. Which makes me feel I've more of a chance of recovering money due to this because of being a vulnerable gambler.

What a joke, Mastercard are terrible as why would you exclude gambling and not make any reference in the terms around illegal websites and blocks.

Hope you are keeping well mate despite this setback

I would check with the bank, just a simple chat message such as these transactions can you tell me what goods they are providing if they come back with gaming/ebooks etc then 100% they have used an incorrect MCC to bypass.

That is key to begin with, if you are on a credit card then if they had of used correct MCC then they would automatically block. Honestly don’t rush into this with the bank, find out from them what the goods are if then come back on here and I will assist where I can.

Chase are a pain - raise chargebacks after 10 working days so you have to wait and push them, then the 45 days Mastercard chase always push out to 53 days no idea why and they just say it’s terms….

Im not bad bud that FOS guy is a belter I have objected the decision they are deffo on Revolut side now

They will not let me do anything now Revolut except gamble again

Have you seen the FOS Revolut decision on gambling? I shared a few posts ago. This first one was just an adjudicator? Get it off to the ombudsman and potentially cross reference on that, I think in your favour you need to hammer home the amounts and how quickly you could lose it and Revolut should be checking accounts even without a gambling block on.

Im ok now well off the online stuff just doing a line in the bookies but they machines are a killer though its impossible to lose as much as online nearly cleared all my debt £19k to pay off now

Yes seen them I have tried an objection will see how it goes bud they know what it is they are just throwing them out the window now