Does playing online poker affect my credit rating?

Question

I play a bit of online poker...depositing about £100-150 a month to one particular site. Sometimes I make a bit, sometimes I lose a bit but I play it for fun as a hobby.

One of my colleagues mentioned that a friend of hers has just been refused credit because they can see that she gambles online...however, with this particular person we are talking thousands and not hundreds!

My mortgage is up for renewal next year and I was considering stopping playing for three months so it doesn't show on the 3 months bank statements you have to submit...anyone think this is a good idea?

Answer 1

I am not familiar with all the criteria used to produce a British consumer credit file, but a credit file is supposed to show from whom you have borrowed money, and your repayment history.

The concept that a credit reporting agency could determine that you were playing poker online, and then negatively impact your credit score sounds like a gross invasion of privacy and would almost certainly be illegal.

It is not the job of a credit reference agency to make judgments about how you spend your money, merely that you pay you bills on time and in the fashion you agreed to.

I'd say that your colleague (or her friend) are full of it, and didn't want to admit the real reason they were denied credit.  My guess is she squandered her money, couldn't pay her bills on time and THAT is why she got denied credit.

Unless British laws have changed a LOT since I left the UK, they cannot deny credit on the basis of playing poker online.

Answer 2

It might be that that your friends credit was ruined because they never paid their credit card bills on time. Probably has nothing to do with the fact they play online poker.