Bill Banning Credit Cards at PA Online Casinos Presented

There’s been talk of a possible PA online casinos credit card ban for more than a month now, with gamblers wondering whether this was all just talk or whether players in the Keystone State would need to find alternative casino payment methods.

Senator Wayne Fontana has finally put his money where his mouth is, presenting Senate Bill 1159. If it passes, sites across Pennsylvania will be obliged to ramp up their responsible gambling efforts by removing all credit card options from their banking sections.

Pennsylvania Would Be the Fourth State to Prohibit Credit Card Gambling 

Three states across the US have already taken steps to regulate credit card gambling. These are Iowa, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, making Pennsylvania the fourth state to enact such legislation should the bill pass.

When he first floated the idea, Senator Fontana had stated in March that the bill was inspired by the correlation between rising credit card debt and the growth of online gambling revenue across PA.

Senate Bill 1159 tackles the bull by the horns by stating that no PA online casino, sportsbook, lottery, or fantasy sport license holder can “accept a credit card as a form of payment.”

The proposal is being viewed as a valuable tool in the drive to raise awareness of responsible gambling. Together with the other tools offered by Pennsylvania online casinos—such as self-exclusion, bet limits, time limits, and the like—the PA credit card ban will offer an extra layer of protection for gamblers, reducing the likelihood of developing a gambling problem.

Meanwhile, several equally convenient casino payment methods will remain available across the Keystone State, including e-wallets, prepaid cards, eChecks, and Venmo.