How-to
Switching on a gambling block in your banking app
A bank gambling block is meant to stop gambling payments made from that bank's cards or accounts. It does not close your betting account or stop deposits from another bank. GRAI lists five providers with such a block: AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS, PTSB and Revolut. Each bank's steps and removal time are Not checked below.
Editorial team · checked
What you need
- The banking app of each bank where you hold a card or account.
- Your banking login and any security device the bank requires.
- A list of every card and wallet you use for betting, including Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- A note of the date you switch the block on.
In short: every bank app and card you use for betting.
What a block does and does not do
- It is meant to stop payments made from that bank's cards or accounts to gambling businesses. The exact scope is each bank's own: Not checked.
- It does not stop deposits from a card at a different bank, or from a wallet funded by one.
- It does not close or restrict your betting account. For that, use a time-out or self-exclusion.
- It does not replace operator limits.
Credit cards are banned for betting deposits under s.165, in force since 5 February 2026, so a block matters mostly for debit cards and wallets.
In short: a block covers one bank's payments, not your betting account.
The five banks
10 not checked
| Bank | On the GRAI list | Where to switch it on | How to remove it, and how long it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIB | Yes, per notes of 6 November 2026 | Not checked | Not checked |
| Bank of Ireland | Yes, per notes of 6 November 2026 | Not checked | Not checked |
| EBS | Yes, per notes of 6 November 2026 | Not checked | Not checked |
| PTSB | Yes, per notes of 6 November 2026 | Not checked | Not checked |
| Revolut | Yes, per notes of 6 November 2026 | Not checked | Not checked |
We still need each bank's own page for the path in the app and the removal rules. The dated version is the bank blocks and tools snapshot.
In short: the five names are sourced; the steps are still to be read from the banks.
The steps, the same for each bank
- List where you pay.
- Do: write each card, account and wallet you use for betting.
- Result: a list that shows which banks you need.
- Open the bank's app or page.
- Do: search the bank's own help for "gambling block" and follow its steps. Do not use a link from a message.
- Result: the bank's own page opens.
- Typical error: acting on a search result that is an advert.
- Switch the block on.
- Do: follow the bank's steps and confirm with your usual security check.
- Result: a confirmation in the app. Whether the bank sends a message: Not checked.
- Test it.
- Do: do not attempt a deposit. Ask the bank how to confirm the block is active.
- Result: you know it is on.
- Record it.
- Do: write the bank, the date and the removal rule the bank gives.
- Result: a dated note.
In short: list, open, switch on, confirm, record.
How long it takes
Our estimate, not measured: 5 minutes for each bank. The time it takes to remove a block is set by each bank's rules and is Not checked here.
In short: 5 minutes per bank to switch on; removal times come from the bank.
If it did not work: three cases
- Your bank is not on the list. Ask it in writing whether it has a block. Use operator self-exclusion and operator limits in the meantime.
- You cannot find the option in the app. Contact the bank. Use the number or chat inside the app, not one from a message.
- Payments still go through. Take a screenshot, tell the bank at once and ask the operator to close the account.
For the claim that some banks block by default, see the default-block claim check.
In short: if a payment gets through, tell the bank and the operator.
Help and support
Gambling can be addictive – play responsibly. Set limits, take breaks and never bet more than you can afford to lose.
- Free 24/7 support: 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie.
- MABS: 0818 07 2000, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 20:00, per the GRAI list read on 6 November 2026.
- More in responsible gambling and checks before a first deposit.
In short: 18+ only; money advice and gambling help are free.
How we checked, what changed, caveats
- How we checked: we took the five names and the credit card rule from our research notes. We opened no bank accounts and read no bank page.
- What changed: 7 November 2026, first version.
- Caveats: the bank pages, the path in each app and the removal times are Not checked. The scope of each block is the bank's own.
In short: the page shows the method; the bank facts are still to be read.
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