Credit cards are extremely common payment methods used for all kinds of online services. Rather than taking money directly from your bank account, the credit card issuer gives you a “credit limit” to effectively borrow from. You spend as much as you like and get issued a bill every month.

Advantages come with using credit card payments - such as consumer protection on certain purchases - but they do have a few downsides. Some see them as dangerous financial tools in the wrong hands, which is why the rules surrounding credit card gambling are so complex. You will find online casinos that accept credit cards but you’ll also see plenty that straight-up ban this payment method.

So, what are the rules for gambling with a credit card online?

Credit card gambling is legal, but there’s a catch

You can legally gamble with a credit card though it all depends on where you’re gambling. Regardless of what country you’re in, different rules will apply based on the country of the gambling website you’re using.

As a general guideline, you should consider credit card betting legal unless otherwise stated. There’s a wide list of countries that allow online gambling and most of them also let you gamble with a credit card. Look at this list from Networx and you’ll see details of all the countries around the world that provide online gambling services.

Rather than go through all the countries that do allow credit card gambling payments, it’s easier to look at the ones that don’t. There aren’t too many in the grand scheme of things, but here’s what you should know.

Countries where credit card gambling is illegal

If you join an online casino and it’s registered in any of these countries, you won’t be able to use a credit card of any kind from any provider:

• United Kingdom - The UK is the most well-known country for banning credit card betting payments. As stated by Forbes, this ruling has been in action since April 2020. It originated as a regulation to combat the rise of online gambling during the pandemic and has since remained in place. Any company registered with the UKGC offering online gambling services must ban all credit card transactions or their license will be revoked and they’ll face a huge fine.
• Norway - There’s a huge misconception that the UK has the strictest gambling laws and regulations in Europe. That title goes to Norway instead. The country has a host of extremely strict regulations (including forcing citizens to declare tax winnings made in another country) and bans the use of credit and debit card payments. Banning debit card payments is already harsh, but Wikipedia notes this is for all online casinos across the world. In other words, if you own a Norweigan bank account, you can’t use your cards to gamble anywhere! It’s a wild regulation and has been in place since June 2010.
• Australia - The Australian Communications and Media Authority announced a nationwide ban on credit card gambling payments in June 2024. You can’t use a credit card - or funds linked to a credit card from e-wallets - at any online or telephone gambling institution. This regulation also included a ban on any cryptocurrency payments for gambling in the country. If you spot a betting website from Australia, rest assured you’ll be unable to use credit cards.
• Brazil - This is one of the newest countries to implement gambling regulations and it’s already making big changes to the payment systems. Payment Expert reveals that Brazil’s Secretariat of Awards and Prizes (SPA) has banned both credit card and crypto payments in the country. This comes alongside a series of other regulations related to gambling payments and authorization.
• Some US States - Multiple states in America that have legalized online gambling are considering measures to block credit card deposits. So far, Pennsylvania is the only state to craft a bill preventing this payment option. Others of note include New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Nevada, and Delaware, all of which don’t “ban” credit card betting but often see these payments blocked by banking institutions in the states.

How do you gamble with a credit card online?

As one of the most popular payments for online betting, it’s natural to want to gamble using your credit card. There’s a safety that comes with using this payment and it’s something you use all the time for everything else in life.

If you want to gamble online and make credit card payments, your main port of call is to avoid any websites or platforms registered in the countries/states noted above. You can tell where a platform is located by either looking at its license at the bottom of the home page or clicking the “About Us” section where more details of where the company is registered will be revealed.

As long as you’re using websites away from the places shown earlier, you can legally gamble with a credit card and face no additional problems!