MasterCard and Visa Both Supporters of Online Gambling

Many view MasterCard and Visa as enemies of online gambling due to their refusal to process online gambling transactions in the US. However, in actual fact, both companies are supporters of online gambling regulation in the US but have been forced to follow the new no transaction rules since the UIGEA bill went into full effect in 2025. However, neither company is particularly pleased with the current situation and both have been lobbying Congress to introduce internet gambling regulations.

MasterCard spent a total of $840,000 on lobbying the American government on a few issues in the last quarter of 2025 amongst which was online gambling. Both MasterCard and Visa are losing significant amounts of money (possibly billions of dollars) in online gambling transactions and they are obviously eager to see that money coming back to them. However, so far all their efforts to influence Congress have failed. Nonetheless, last year saw some more key legislators join in support of both Barney Franks and Harry Reid's bills; unfortunately the new incoming Congress is not interested in either of them.

The information was released in a recent disclosure report which splits their lobbying into specific lobbying issues and general lobbying issues. MasterCard's lobbying for online gambling falls under general lobbying issue which contained a reference to Barney Frank's bill.

At the moment, both Visa and MasterCard are waiting to see whether "intrastate" gambling develops in California, New Jersey and Florida. It is likely that they will consider processing transactions for online casinos within those states providing that they can prove that they will not be breaking the UIGEA bill.