BetMGM Bans Credit Card Deposits Across US Platforms

BetMGM is removing credit card deposits from all its US platforms, joining DraftKings and FanDuel in a growing operator-led retreat from the payment method as regulators and state legislatures tighten restrictions on credit-funded wagering.

The company disclosed the change during a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) hearing on March 30, 2026, where representatives outlined a phased timeline. From March 31, users will no longer be able to add new credit cards to their accounts. Existing cards linked to accounts will be removed on a rolling basis after that date.

“In the coming days, as of March 31, we will no longer be allowing new credit cards to be added to the accounts for individuals and it is a phasing out of credit card usage on the BetMGM platforms,” said Chief Compliance Officer Rhea Loney at the hearing.

Fine and KYC Failures Preceded the Policy Shift

The announcement came alongside a $100,000 fine that BetMGM agreed to pay the PGCB. The penalty relates to deficiencies in the company’s safeguards against fraudulent account activity, specifically failures in its Know-Your-Customer protocols that allowed individuals to create and operate multiple accounts using stolen or fraudulently obtained identities and payment devices.

Investigators identified four separate fraud rings connected to these failures. One operated for 29 months until November 2023, using 119 fraudulent accounts to place wagers totalling $895,092. Other schemes ran between 19 and 34 months and involved hundreds to over a thousand accounts each across BetMGM and Borgata-branded platforms. The PGCB concluded that the operator’s controls were inadequate to detect or stop these activities.

Operators Pulling Back From Credit Cards

BetMGM is the latest major operator to exit credit card deposits, a method that has drawn sustained scrutiny on both fraud and consumer protection grounds. DraftKings implemented a comparable restriction in August 2025 covering sports betting and online casino products. FanDuel followed with a nationwide ban effective March 2, 2026.

“Over the last few months, FanDuel has been evaluating the payment methods that we offer to customers and made the decision to remove credit cards as an option for our sportsbook, casino, and racing product in the United States. This change was made to improve our deposit experience for our customers,” a FanDuel spokesperson said.

With all three of the largest US online operators now aligned on this issue, credit card deposits are effectively disappearing from mainstream regulated platforms.

State-Level Bans Expanding

Operator policies are running in parallel with legislative action across multiple states. Massachusetts, Iowa, Illinois, Oregon, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Vermont already prohibit credit card funding for online betting accounts. Massachusetts regulators previously fined DraftKings $450,000 after the company accepted credit card deposits despite a statewide ban.

Several additional states are advancing new restrictions. Maryland’s House approved a consumer protection bill 132-0 on March 18 that includes a credit card ban. Virginia passed House Bill 515 banning credit card use in sports betting, sending the measure to Governor Abigail Spanberger for consideration. Maine lawmakers approved equivalent legislation, leaving the decision to Governor Janet Mills.

New York and New Jersey have also seen legislative proposals introduced, though neither has yet advanced to a final vote.

Phased Rollout Still Being Defined

BetMGM has not published a full implementation timeline beyond the March 31 cutoff for new card additions. The phased structure suggests the complete removal of existing cards will take place over a period of weeks or months, though the company has not specified an end date.

The policy aligns BetMGM with the broader direction of the US regulated market, where state-level gambling legislation in 2026 has increasingly focused on consumer protection measures alongside continued market expansion. The question now is whether the remaining operators that still accept credit card deposits will follow voluntarily or wait for legislative compulsion.

Source: Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board / World Casino Directory