Credit Card Phase Out

 

At the National Lottery, we are committed to creating a range of products that are exciting for our players, while continually improving ways to encourage everyone to play responsibly. In the interests of encouraging responsible play amongst our players, the decision has been taken to phase out the use of credit cards and commercial cards as a means of payment on our digital channels. We will get to a stage where only personal debit and pre-paid debit cards will be accepted.

For the first phase, from 4th February 2021 it will not be possible for existing and new players to add a credit or commercial card to a player’s online account. It will also not be possible to change the method of payment from debit to credit/commercial card. Existing credit/commercial cards already linked to a player’s account will be unaffected for now.

The second phase will be implemented soon after, where players will no longer be able to top up their wallet using any credit or commercial card. We will notify players closer to the time via email of when this change will happen.

If your account is already linked to a credit or commercial card, we encourage you to update your payment method to a debit card. If you have any queries in relation to your personal player account please email support@lottery.ie or you can call us on 1890 244 344 or (01) 889 1000 from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday.

 

FAQs

Why has the National Lottery decided to phase out the acceptance of credit cards?

The operator of the National Lottery, Premier Lotteries Ireland, takes player protection very seriously, so in the interests of encouraging responsible play amongst our players, the decision has been taken to phase out the use of credit cards and commercial cards as a means of payment on our digital channels.

Debit and pre-paid debit card will not be affected.

When will this come into effect and when will players no longer be able to play online with a credit card?

This will be completed in a phased process. We will continue to allow our online players to use all credit and debit cards currently registered on their account for now.

However Phase 1, from 4th February 2021 it will not be possible for users to register a new credit card or commercial card to their account and it will not be possible to change their method of payment from debit to credit card.

Phase 2: we will then begin to implement the final phase, in which players will no longer be able to top up their wallets using any credit card or commercial card. We will notify players closer to the time via email of when this change will take place. 

Are there any plans to extend this to your retail network?

No. Our retail network reserves the right to decide how they each individually accept payments.

Is there an issue with credit card usage causing problem play?

No. This is not a widespread issue with National Lottery online play. At the National Lottery, we are committed to creating a range of products that are exciting and engaging for our players while continually improving ways to encourage everyone to play responsibly. Encouraging and facilitating the means for our players to spend funds in their own accounts and not by the use of credit cards is one of our responsible play methods.

In addition, we also have strict spending limits (€75 daily, €300 weekly and €900 monthly) on our digital channel, a user-friendly and swift ID verification process, and the ability for players to self-exclude from our various games.

Is there political pressure on the National Lottery to introduce this new measure in light of the Gambling Commission’s ban on credit card use being introduced in the UK?

While we are aware of the industry landscape and new legislation in the United Kingdom, there is no such pressure on the National Lottery to follow suit. This new process is something we have decided to do, proactively in the interest of creating a fun, safe and socially responsible environment for our players.

The National Lottery has also introduced new ways of accepting payment, in the form of Revolut and N26. Why introduce this now?

As we are always looking for ways and methods to improve our player experience, we have taken the decision from July 2020 to facilitate pre-paid debit card services such as Revolut & N26 digital payment methods.

Can I register a pre-paid debit card which was issued from another country?

For all players who continue to meet our registration criteria and are playing within the Republic of Ireland, the National Lottery recognises all debit cards which have been issued by a financial institution within the SEPA territories. A full list of all member states of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) is available here.

How do I change my payment card?

Changing your payment details is easy:
 

App

Sign in to the App, go to "More" and open "My Account", then select the 'Wallet' symbol. You can change your card details under “Payment Details”.

 

Mobile Web and Desktop 

Sign in to www.lottery.ie, go to “My Account” and open the “My Wallet” section. You can change your card details under “Payment Details”.

Is it safe to use my debit card on www.lottery.ie

We can assure you that using your debit card on our site is always safe and secure with end to end encryption, coupled with the new European Payment Services Directive (PSD2) which further helps secure electronic payments. Global Payments (formerly Realex Payments) are used to process your payment card on behalf of PLI. Global Payments fully comply with the PCI/DSS 3.2 security requirements. Please note that PLI does not store your payment card data.

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