Bank of Ireland Enables Customers to Block Gambling Transactions

Customers can opt into this block, which prevents debit card transactions with gambling operators, offering an added layer of control. It joins a growing toolkit of harm-reduction measures encouraged by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), which has been working closely with Ireland’s banking sector to promote stronger consumer safeguards.

The introduction of the gambling block follows collaboration between the Bank of Ireland, the Irish Banking Culture Board, and the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). This initiative supports the GRAI’s broader aim of fostering responsible gambling habits and reducing financial exposure for at-risk individuals.

Bank of Ireland is now among several major financial institutions offering this kind of support, alongside AIB, EBS, and digital banking provider and e-wallet Revolut. The facility allows customers to take proactive steps in managing their financial wellbeing by limiting access to gambling services through their everyday banking tools.

This measure is part of a wider shift in Ireland’s regulatory approach, which places greater emphasis on practical interventions to prevent gambling-related harm. The GRAI has also signalled the upcoming launch of a National Gambling Exclusion Register. This is a centralised system that will enable users to voluntarily self-exclude from all licensed gambling services, both online and in physical venues.

The gambling transaction block along with the exclusion register represents a coordinated push to create a safer gambling environment across Ireland. These changes form part of the new licensing regime under the Energy Act 2023, which places fresh responsibilities on gambling operators to protect their users.

With these enhanced tools, both financial institutions and regulators are offering more meaningful ways for individuals to take control of their gambling habits in a bid to reduce the potential risks associated with problem gambling.