RGC Pushes Canadian Banks to Adopt Gambling Harm Controls

The Responsible Gambling Council has released a comprehensive whitepaper calling on Canada's financial sector to implement stronger safeguards against gambling-related financial harm, positioning banks and credit unions as frontline defenders of customer financial wellbeing.

The document, titled "Opportunities for Impact: The Role of Financial Institutions in Mitigating Gambling-Related Harm", argues that financial institutions possess unique advantages in identifying and preventing gambling-related financial distress through their access to transaction data and customer relationships.

Early Warning Systems Through Transaction Data

Financial institutions can detect early indicators of gambling-related harm through patterns in customer accounts, including rapidly depleting savings and increased reliance on overdrafts or credit facilities. This privileged access to financial behaviour data positions banks as potential early intervention points before gambling problems escalate into severe financial crisis.

"The rapid expansion of regulated gambling in Canada requires an evolved response from our financial systems."

— Tracy Parker, SVP, Accreditation, Advisory & Insights at RGC

The whitepaper emphasizes that this unique positioning creates a corresponding duty of care for financial institutions to protect vulnerable customers from gambling-related financial harm.

International Best Practices as Blueprint

RGC highlights successful implementations in other jurisdictions as templates for Canadian adoption. In the United Kingdom, Monzo and Starling pioneered voluntary gambling blocks for customers, allowing individuals to restrict gambling transactions on their accounts. The Bank of Ireland Adds Gambling Blocking as Consumer Protection demonstrates similar initiatives across other jurisdictions.

"By adopting tools already proven in other jurisdictions, Canadian banks can become leaders in protecting customer financial health."

— Tracy Parker, SVP, Accreditation, Advisory & Insights at RGC

These international examples demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of proactive financial sector engagement in harm prevention.

Recommended Implementation Framework

The whitepaper outlines specific strategies for Canadian financial institutions to adopt:

Technical Infrastructure Improvements include enhancing Merchant Category Code accuracy to better identify and track gambling-related transactions across different platforms and operators.

Customer Control Tools encompass voluntary transaction blocks that allow customers to restrict gambling payments, alongside self-defined monthly spending limits that customers can establish and modify according to their circumstances.

Digital Banking Integration involves incorporating targeted messaging and harm prevention resources directly within banking platforms, ensuring support information reaches customers during relevant transaction activities.

Commercial Relationship Leverage

Beyond retail banking services, RGC emphasises the influence financial institutions wield through their commercial relationships with gambling operators. Banks can establish harm prevention expectations as conditions of business relationships, integrating these considerations into standard due diligence processes.

This approach helps mitigate both reputational risks and potential regulatory exposure for financial institutions while encouraging industry-wide adoption of stronger harm prevention measures.

Broader Organisational Context

The Responsible Gambling Council, operating for more than 40 years as an independent non-profit organisation, has recently expanded its harm prevention initiatives. The organisation's comprehensive approach aligns with RGC Launches Underage Gambling Prevention Campaign Pre-Super Bowl, demonstrating sustained commitment to multi-faceted harm prevention strategies.

The organisation also recognised Nolan Gooding, a PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology, as the 2026 Tibor Barsony Bursary Recipient on 17 April 2026. The bursary honours Tibor Barsony, RGC's founder and a pioneering advocate who helped break the silence around problem gambling in Canada.

Strategic Implications for Financial Sector

This initiative represents a significant shift toward collaborative harm prevention between gambling regulators, operators, and financial institutions. For Canadian banks, implementing these measures could provide competitive advantages in customer retention while demonstrating corporate social responsibility leadership.

The timing aligns with increasing regulatory scrutiny of gambling expansion across Canadian provinces, suggesting that proactive adoption of these measures may position financial institutions favourably for future regulatory developments. Banks that establish robust gambling harm prevention frameworks now may find themselves better prepared for potential regulatory requirements that could emerge as the sector matures.

The whitepaper signals RGC's commitment to working directly with financial institutions to develop evidence-based tools and resources, potentially creating standardised industry approaches to gambling-related financial harm prevention.

According to RGC.