Look out for these problem gambling warning signs
While you or a loved one may realise gambling is having a negative impact, it isn’t always easy to know when gambling has become a problem. Here are some important warning signs:
- You feel stressed or concerned about how gambling is affecting your finances, relationships or health.
- Your gambling has gotten you into debt. You’re struggling to pay your rent or mortgage, bills, groceries or other essential costs.
- The thought of not being able to gamble again fills you with fear.
- You feel like you want to stop gambling, but you can’t.
- You’re always trying to win back the money you’ve lost.
If any of these seem familiar, it’s a good idea to get the support you need to make a change for the better.
How Suncorp Bank can help
As a Suncorp Bank customer, when you tell us about your situation and your relationship with gambling, we can provide help with your immediate banking needs and connect you to additional support services.
Contact us by phone on 13 11 55 or in person at a local Suncorp Bank branch
We won’t share your details without your permission.
If you’re having troubling keeping up with your financial commitments, learn how we can help customers experiencing financial difficulty.
Instantly block gambling transactions on your Visa Debit card
Suncorp Bank transaction account customers with a Visa Debit card on their account can restrict spending on their Visa Debit card at most gambling services, including:
- Sports betting
- Casino games
- Online gambling.
You can instantly activate the Gambling Lock in the Suncorp Bank App. Here’s how:
- Log into the Suncorp Bank App.
- Tap on the ‘Cards’ icon in the menu bar and select your card.
- Choose ‘Manage Gambling Lock’ under ‘Security Settings’.
- Turn on the Gambling Lock.
You can turn off the Gambling Lock at any time, but it will remain in place for 48 hours after you deactivate it. We cannot change this cooling off period.
Gambling lock FAQs
How does the Gambling Lock work?
Suncorp Bank can identify gambling transactions based on merchant data. When you activate the Gambling Lock on your Suncorp Bank Visa Debit card, we'll block transactions that match a merchant as a gambling business.
Please keep in mind that:
- The merchant data we use is provided by merchants to their own financial institutions. We do not own or control this data.
- Non-gambling transactions with merchants listed as gambling businesses may also be blocked (e.g. a food or beverage purchase at a casino).
- Gambling transactions with merchants not listed as gambling businesses may not be blocked (e.g. a lottery ticket purchase at a news agent).
I’m worried about using my card to access cash. What should I do?
The Gambling Lock doesn’t apply to ATM or Eftpos cash out withdrawals using your Suncorp Bank Visa Debit card. To restrict these transactions, you can put a temporary lock on all card transactions in the Suncorp App. Learn more about card locking.
Will the Gambling Lock restrict all gambling-related transactions?
The Gambling Lock won’t apply to:
- Transactions we're unable to identify as gambling (e.g. where the merchant has been incorrectly classified)
- Transactions outside of our authorisation (e.g. during a system outage)
- Gambling refunds
- Gambling transactions not processed over the Visa network (e.g. when you're in a store and using the merchant's point-of-sale terminal for an Eftpos transaction)
- Gambling transactions on a replacement card issued to you, unless you activate the Gambling Lock on your new replacement card
- Cash withdrawals made using your Suncorp Bank Visa Debit card.
Is the Gambling Lock available with Suncorp Bank Clear Options Credit Cards?
The Gambling Lock isn’t available on Suncorp Bank Clear Options Credit Cards but we’re committed to adding this feature in the future.
How can I activate and deactivate the Gambling Lock?
You can turn on the Gambling Lock in the Suncorp Bank App instantly, following these steps.
You can turn off the Gambling Lock in the App at any time, but the Lock won’t be removed from your card until 48 hours after you turn it off. This cooling off period is designed to give you more time to fully consider whether you want to remove the lock. It cannot be changed in the App or through any other Suncorp Bank service channel.
What happens when my Visa Debit card is replaced?
When you receive a replacement card, the Gambling Lock and any other restrictions you’ve set up on your previous card will no longer apply. When you receive your new card, you’ll need to set up these restrictions again in the Suncorp Bank App.
Will the Gambling Lock apply to joint account holders?
Suncorp Bank Visa Debit cardholders can only restrict gambling transactions on their own Visa Debit card. Each joint account holder will need to activate the Gambling Lock individually on their own card.
Set up a lock on all Visa Debit card transactions
To stop all transactions on your card, including cash access, you can temporarily lock your card in the Suncorp Bank App.
Just tap ‘Manage cards’ on the Banking screen and select your card. Look for the option to ‘Temporarily lock your card’ under ‘Security Settings’. If a locked card is used at an ATM, it is immediately withheld.
In addition to the Gambling Lock and Temporary Card Lock, under ‘Security Settings’ you can also restrict:
- Visa payWave payments
- Internet transactions, and
- overseas in-store payments.
Track how you're spending
Monitoring your income and expenses with the free, online Suncorp Budget Tracker can help you get a better idea of your financial situation and work towards creating and sticking to a budget.
Suncorp Bank transaction account customers can also use the free Dollar Tracker feature of the Suncorp App to track their spending across 14 expense categories.
Access additional information and support
There are a range of organisations that offer free or low-cost counselling and information services to help with problem gambling, including:
For a more comprehensive list of organisations that can help, please visit our resources page.
