For a long time, PayPal was reluctant to honor money transfer requests going to online gambling sites. In recent years, they have relinquished the policy and will now honor such requests. That has been good news for a generation of online gamblers who trust the PayPal brand and appreciate fast transaction processing.
Here is a question of interest. What happens to PayPal accounts when the account holder registers with the GamStop Self-exclusion scheme? Before we provide information about GamStop, it’s important that you understand that PayPal is not privy to a customer’s gambling habits. As an online payment platform, PayPal’s job is to process legal transactions as quickly as possible. In a later section, the discussion will focus on using PayPal for other gambling alternatives while a customer is under GamStop scrutiny.
Details About GamStop
Several years ago, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) decided to increase its efforts to protect problem gamblers by making sure they had access to helpful treatment resources. As part of that effort, they helped develop the GamStop Self-exclusion scheme.
Initially, licensed online gambling providers in the UK had the option of being part of the GamStop scheme. As the number of problem gamblers began to increase, the UKGC decided to make GamStop membership mandatory for all licensed UK online gambling operators. Furthermore, they mandated membership under the threat of fines and loss of operator licensing.
For UK problem online gamblers, the GamStop registration process is free and voluntary. All they have to do is register with the personal information that will be used by the GamStop database to block their online gambling access. Once the process has been completed, the registered gambler can expect to be blocked from any online gambling site that is licensed by the UKGC and registered as a GamStop member.
For all its good intentions, GamStop has limitations. It doesn’t have the ability to stop motivated GamStop gamblers from seeking non-GamStop alternatives. Here is a list of options GamStop gamblers can use if they decide they want to resume their online gambling activities prior to their self-exclusion period expiring:
- Registering with offshore online gambling operators not connected to GamStop
- Waiting out the GamStop exclusion while visiting retail gambling facilities
- Purchasing cryptocurrency and using crypto-only gambling sites
- Registering with non-GamStop sites with PayPal in the UK (not GamStop subscribed)
- Partnering with a trusted friend or relative in a shared UK licensed gambling account
Let’s take a look at these options and how PayPal can be used to fund gambling activities through these options.
PayPal While Using Offshore Online Gambling Providers
Since PayPal is an international online payment platform, it can process payments to and from anywhere in the world. Should you choose to use an online casino or sportsbook that is licensed in another jurisdiction, it’s possible PayPal would be a viable banking option. It would really depend on whether or not your online gambling site of choice accepts PayPal transactions. If you strongly prefer using PayPal for your online gambling, you should have no problem finding a foreign site that accepts this banking option.
PayPal While Using a Shared Account
Yes, this is a viable alternative while you are banned by your GamStop self-exclusion. However, you can’t use your PayPal account. Why? The GamStop database will use your name and favored banking options to block your access. Of course, there would be nothing wrong with you using PayPal to send money to your partner’s PayPal account for forwarding.
PayPal While Using Crypto-only Gambling Sites
Before you can use any cryptocurrency to transact business with an online casino or sportsbook, you would need to purchase the crypto. It might interest you to know that some crypto exchanges will accept transactions to and from PayPal. You can request a list of crypto exchanges that accept PayPal by contacting the payment platform’s customer service department.
PayPal While Using Retail Casinos and Sportsbooks
The news with this option is not good. Remember, PayPal is an online payment processing platform. As such, they have no ability to transact with land-based casinos and sportsbooks. Therefore, PayPal would not be an acceptable banking option with retail gambling providers.
PayPal While Using Non-GamStop Sites
In the UK, online gambling operators are expected to secure an operator’s license from the UKGC. Some sites choose not to do that for a variety of reasons. If they aren’t licensed, they cannot subscribe to GamStop. That makes them non-GamStop sites. To alleviate your concerns about using an unlicensed online gambling site, many of these sites are quite responsible and reputable.
If you chose to go in this direction, you can find information about PayPal casinos not on GamStop at Casino-Wise.com. They operate in much the same way as their GamStop-subscribed counterparts.
If PayPal is your preferred online payment platform, you can rest assured that you can find an online gambling option that renders your GamStop status insignificant.
