Customers of HSBC in Malta are no longer able to use their credit cards for online gaming and betting due to the bank’s concerns about unauthorised gambling, reports the Malta Independent.
Agents of Maltco, the country’s lottery operator, have also been told to select another bank.
Group public affairs manager for the bank, David Hall, said HSBC had acted on legal advice but did not confirm any details.
The bank has said that it began declining online gambling transactions around a year ago but some players in Malta have reported being able to use their HSBC credit cards for account payments in the last few weeks.
Hall said the ban had not been publicised for good reason: “We did not issue a press release [on the ban].
“If you have an illegal site and you put out a notice saying you won’t allow transactions involving an illegal site, it would be perverse.”
