New online guide for credit and debit cardholders provides key facts and tips for safe online gambling

APACS, the UK payments association, has today (29 November 2006) published a new guide, Cards & Online Gambling, which provides comprehensive advice for credit and debit cardholders about online gambling.

Coinciding with Responsible Gambling Day the guide provides a wealth of information on online gambling including:

*Top tips to protect yourself from online fraud
*Clarity on what’s legal and what’s not in the UK and abroad
*Links to gambling and debt advice

Sandra Quinn, director of communications at APACS, says:

“Online gambling sites can be based anywhere in the world. And different countries have different laws as to what is legal and what’s not. Credit and debit card issuers aren’t there to tell people how to spend their money - but we can help inform people about their choices. This guide is about giving cardholders the information they need to take responsible decisions about their money when gambling online.

“As with all online payments it’s particularly important that cardholders make careful checks and plan ahead before they decide to gamble online. Our top tips for keeping safe are only to spend what you can afford, check the terms and conditions that apply, check online security carefully and check your card statements for fraud.”

The guide is available at www.apacs.org.uk and www.choosingandusing.com

ENDS

For further information contact the APACS Cards Information Office:
T: 0870 420 3208 E: apacs@fourcommunications.com

APACS is the UK payments association. It provides the forum for the UK's financial institutions to come together on non-competitive issues, to develop banking systems for the future and to provide innovation and developments in payments. It is also the banking industry voice on payments issues such as plastic cards, payment fraud, cheques, electronic payments and cash and is coordinated the chip and PIN roll-out.