PTSB has become the latest Irish bank to introduce an in-app gambling block, allowing customers to voluntarily stop debit and credit card transactions to gambling merchants, including betting sites, online 바카라s, poker, and lottery platforms.
The new digital feature, announced on 25 July 2025, is available through the PTSB app and includes a mandatory 48-hour “impulse delay” period for those who wish to remove the block, designed to prevent impulsive reversals.
“91% of gambling spend was completed online,” PTSB revealed, based on internal banking data from January to June 2025. “Men spend four times more on gambling than women.” The data also found that “80% of gambling spend was completed by men, versus 20% completed by women,” and the age group with the highest spend across genders was 40–49.
Promoting welfare
Patrick Farrell, PTSB’s Retail Banking Officer, commented: “At PTSB, the safety and welfare of our customers is of the utmost importance, and we’re committed to ensuring our customers have the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions and plan for their future.”
He added: “Problem gambling is increasingly becoming a societal issue that warrants the closest attention, as it can have hugely damaging implications for individuals, their families and loved ones.”
“One in 30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling,” Farrell noted, referencing ESRI data, “but worryingly a further 279,000 adults show moderate evidence of it.”
Data from June 2025 revealed that “2% of those who gambled… spent over €1,000,” which, according to ESRI, crosses into the threshold of problem gambling.
The feature forms part of PTSB’s 2025–2027 sustainability plan, which the bank says focuses on improving financial literacy, inclusion, and the provision of digital tools for customer wellbeing.
Industry and regulator backing
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), which has been actively encouraging financial institutions to introduce such tools, .
“We very much welcome PTSB’s introduction of an in-app gambling block, this represents a proactive and valuable Consumer Protection measure helping to reduce the risk of gambling-related harms,” said Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of GRAI.
She noted that the regulator had engaged with “the Irish Banking Culture Board, the Irish Banking and Payments Federation and individual banks over the past number of months to encourage as many financial institutions as possible to offer these blocking facilities.”
PTSB now joins Bank of Ireland, AIB, EBS, and Revolut in offering customers a gambling block option.
GRAI, established earlier this year, is currently working on the “design and development of the National Gambling Exclusion Register, so that it will be operational as soon as possible following the commencement of our licensing function.” The Act mandates that online gambling operators must integrate with the register.
“We will also continue to work with stakeholders to build on these initiatives and ensure greater support and guidance is in place for those that need them,” Caulfield said.
Support from advocacy groups
GamblingCare.ie, a support organisation focused on gambling-related harm, also welcomed the initiative.
“I am delighted that PTSB has introduced a Gambling Block feature to their app,” said Oisín McConville from GamblingCare.ie. “Having this service available to customers digitally will make a huge difference as it is accessible to them on the go, which is particularly important given the prevalence and availability of online gambling.”
McConville added: “Initiatives like this from PTSB are crucial in supporting those who experience problem gambling and really complement the support services GamblingCare offers in managing gambling-related harm.”
A growing trend across the banking sector
PTSB’s initiative follows similar steps taken earlier this year by other Irish banks. In May, Bank of Ireland launched its own voluntary feature allowing debit card holders to block gambling payments. The feature, designed for both personal and business accounts, can be activated by phone and will soon be extended to credit cards.
“This initiative we are launching is designed to help customers take positive steps to improve control over their finances,” said Áine McCleary, Chief Customer Officer at Bank of Ireland at the time. “It also furthers Bank of Ireland’s ambition to improve the financial wellbeing of our customers and communities, especially those going through difficult times.”
McConville similarly praised Bank of Ireland’s move: “Measures such as this are very welcome, as we can see from the latest gambling spend insights that betting amongst younger people is on the rise.”
According to Bank of Ireland, 90% of gambling transactions in Q1 2025 were made online, and 99% were paid via debit cards.
