Stopping remote gambling EGBA’s Responsible Gaming Day Brussels February 17, 2009
Let’s stop people gambling Tell them not to Tell the remote sites to stop advertising Tell the Internet Service Providers to stop allowing the sites into the country Tell the financial institutions: “ DON’T!! ”
Strangle the sites Banks: do not process transactions Customers are not allowed to deposit money or accept winnings If the bank allows transactions it is liable What should the bank DO? Carry out its legal obligations
Financial transactions Deposit €100 Bank transfer Customer Merchant Issuer (Bank) Deposit €100 Credit/Debit card Deposit €100 eWallet Customer’s bank
Electronic Funds Transfer How does bank know merchant = gambling site? Government tells it – how and how does government know? Bank finds match but that is the start Cost – manual intervention – VERY costly Deposit €100 Bank transfer Customer Merchant
What can be done Gambling transactions (7995) 1. Deposit €100 Credit card Payment Service Provider (PSP) Merchant Acquirer (Bank) CustomerMerchant 2. Customer wants to deposit €100 by credit card (7995) 3. My merchant (7995) wants €100 from customer 4. Refused 5. Sorry, refused 6. Sorry, refused Issuer (Bank) and it is a CNP transaction
How to thwart it Gambling transactions (not 7995) 1. Deposit €100 Credit card Payment Service Provider (PSP) / Merchant Acquirer (Bank) CustomerMerchant 2. Customer wants to deposit €100 by credit card 3. My merchant (NOT 7995) wants €100 from customer 4. OK (Customer has credit) 5. Got the money 6. Account + €100 Issuer (Bank)
What can be done 7995 transactions rejected means: Is it 7995? Is it CNP? Merchant ID = nn? Requires extra processing by issuer Yes No Yes Accept Reject Yes No
PrePaid, eWallets etc. Can be used for many purposes so cannot stop transactions to them. Only they know how the money is spent. They transfer money back to me.
How to thwart it eWallet transactions (6012) eWallet’s bank Customer eWallet 3. Give OLPkr €75 for customer x 4. Done 5. €75 in account OLPkr’s bank 1. I want to use eWallet to deposit €75 €75 customer x OLPkr OLPkr 2. Transfer €75 to OLPkr
Result Companies will alter codes People will use other methods of payment People will be driven to less scrupulous companies/jurisdictions Jurisdictions will fight “discrimination”
Result Suspicions Hostility Regulate Bring pressure to bear to raise standards Customers see benefits of regulation
The End +44 (0)