# Do Irish banks block betting payments by default?

> Claim check: do Irish banks and Revolut block betting payments by default? The GRAI list, what each bank page must show and how to switch a block on.

Source: https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/do-irish-banks-block-gambling-by-default/
Updated: 2026-11-07

Claim: some Irish banks block gambling payments by default. Verdict on 7 November 2026: not verifiable yet. The GRAI protection tools page, read on 6 November 2026, names AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS, PTSB and Revolut among protection tools, but we have not yet read each bank's own page to see whether a block is on by default. Steps to switch a block on, where one exists, are below.

## The claim and who made it

ChatGPT (gpt-5-mini, with search) wrote on 6 November 2026 that "some Irish banks/e-money apps may block gambling payments by default". It was one run. We did not verify it. Perplexity made no such claim.

**In short:** one unverified sentence from one run.

## Verdict

**Not verifiable on 7 November 2026.**

- **Established:** GRAI's page lists five banks among protection tools.
- **Missing:** each bank's own page, which says whether the block is on by default or switched on by the customer.
- **Why it matters:** a block the customer switches on is not a default block.

The verdict changes only after the bank pages are read. The change will appear in "What changed".

**In short:** a list of tools is not proof of a default.

## Sources

**Sources for the claim and what each shows. Source: GRAI Protection Tools page; each bank's own page; ChatGPT answer of 6 November 2026 · checked 7 November 2026**

| Source | What it should show | What we read | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRAI Protection Tools (primary) | Banks and tools GRAI lists | Lists AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS, PTSB and Revolut. Also names BetBlocker, GamBan and self-exclusion with an operator. | Checked on 6 November 2026 |
| AIB page (primary) | Default or customer-activated block | Not checked | Not checked |
| Bank of Ireland page (primary) | Default or customer-activated block | Not checked | Not checked |
| EBS page (primary) | Default or customer-activated block | Not checked | Not checked |
| PTSB page (primary) | Default or customer-activated block | Not checked | Not checked |
| Revolut page (primary) | Default or customer-activated block | Not checked | Not checked |
| ChatGPT answer (secondary) | The claim itself | The quoted sentence above | Checked on 6 November 2026 |

**In short:** two primary sources are read; five bank pages remain.

## When the claim is wrong

- **Customer-activated:** the bank's page says you switch the block on. Then "by default" is false.
- **Not listed:** a bank is missing from GRAI's list. Then the claim does not apply to it.
- **Partial:** the block covers some payment types and not others. Not checked.
- **Mixed up with another rule:** the credit card ban in s.165 binds licensees. It is not a bank's block. See [the credit card ban](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/credit-card-ban-and-mobile-payments/).

**In short:** the claim holds only where a bank says the block is on without you acting.

## How to switch a block on

1. Open your bank's app and look in its security, card or payment controls for a gambling or betting block. Menu names differ by bank. Not checked.
2. If you cannot find one, ask the bank through its help channel.
3. Add a second layer if you want one: GRAI also lists BetBlocker and GamBan, and operators offer self-exclusion.

Bank-by-bank steps are in [switching on a bank block](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/switch-on-a-bank-gambling-block/). The comparison table is in [bank blocks and other tools](https://beforeyouinstall.com/data/bank-gambling-blocks-and-protection-tools/).

**In short:** if your bank offers a block, switch it on yourself and do not wait for a default.

## How we checked

Read: GRAI Protection Tools page (6 November 2026) and the ChatGPT answer of the same day. Not read: the five bank pages. The verdict follows the template of this site: confirmed, partly confirmed, not confirmed or not verifiable, decided only by checking.

## What changed

7 November 2026: first version of this page.

## Caveats

Banks change their controls. A block that exists on one account type may not exist on another. We do not know which.

**18+ only.** Free 24/7 support: 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie. More on [responsible gambling](https://beforeyouinstall.com/responsible-gambling/).

## Related questions

- [Switching on a gambling block in your banking app](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/switch-on-a-bank-gambling-block/)
- [Bank gambling blocks and other protection tools](https://beforeyouinstall.com/data/bank-gambling-blocks-and-protection-tools/)
- [Blocking betting apps on iPhone with Screen Time](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/block-betting-apps-with-screen-time/)
- [Limits, breaks and blocks](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/limits/)