Pennsylvania wants to see credit cards gone from online gambling

Pennsylvania is trying to take a play from Australia – or the United Kingdom’s book – with both jurisdictions actually prohibiting (or about to) the use of credit cards for use in (online) gambling. State Senator Wayne Fontana in the Keystone State has pitched a similar proposal that he considers to be a sensible way to move forward.

Pennsylvania’s gambling revenue has already hit $5.7bn in 2023, and interest is on the rise. Yet, so is debt. Debt, argues Sen. Fontana, occasioned not least because of credit card use, makes it harder for players to control their spending habits when it comes to gambling, and adds to the challenges the state faces in protecting consumers.

This could easily change, however, if there is the political will to back a measure that will see the matter addressed quickly. Sen. Fontana is concerned that credit card use is particularly high among young adults who use it to fund their online gaming and sports betting habits.

"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," Fontana explained in a statement released to the media. The senator is finding a sense of urgency in passing the legislation as there are already high levels of problem gamblers in the state.

For example, the Online Gaming Report conducted by Pennsylvania State University in 2022 found out that 36% of online gambling participants reported at least one issue with their gambling habits. To fuel the strong gambling revenue, players have lost a fair bit the logic stands. Although the bill itself has not faced particularly strong opposition, this would be the first time – or among the first times – that it has been suggested for credit cards to not be used for gambling.

Some industry observers have already urged legislators to take a closer look at the issue and consider suspending credit card use for the purposes of gambling. This has become a fairly common practice in jurisdictions around the world, as Australia’s parliament most recently passed a law prohibiting credit card use for the purposes of gambling.

The memo of the bill can be found on the official website of the Pennsylvanian legislature here.

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