An investigation has found that Mastercard and Visa are processing payments for illegal gambling websites accused of scamming UK customers out of thousands of pounds. Despite a previous pledge to do so, the payment giants are failing to stop their networks being used to make transactions on unlicensed sites.
According to The Guardian, last week, Mastercard was found to be offered as a payment method, alongside cryptocurrencies, on nine websites targeting UK customers with offers for casino games and live sports betting. Visa was also offered on two of those sites. Both companies are understood to profit from these arrangements, earning a small fee each time a transaction is made.
The websites in question do not hold gambling licenses, a legal requirement in the UK, but they appear in search results and are promoted on social media. The five most popular sites attracted approximately four million UK visits between October and December of last year.
These sites have been accused of failing to pay winnings and spamming problem gamblers. A UK customer claimed to have won £6,000 after spending £3,270 with their bank card, but was unable to withdraw it.
The operators of the websites, based overseas, did not respond to requests for comment. Mastercard and Visa stated that they prohibited illegal activity on their networks and would investigate. The UK Gambling Commission said it was aware of the sites and would "continue to take action against them."
These findings raise questions about the role of payment giants in facilitating unlicensed gambling transactions and the apparent failure of regulators to address these sites in the first place.
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