Not upheld: inadequate gambling support and account controls complaint against Monzo Bank Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr W complained that Monzo Bank Limited failed to adequately support him with his gambling problem despite having a gambling block in place and being registered with GamStop. He gambled approximately £10,000 over 12-15 months and argued that Monzo should have done more to prevent transactions and provide support. Monzo explained that the gambling block had limitations regarding overseas sites and non-gambling merchant codes, and that it had provided reasonable support through its specialist team. The ombudsman found that the gambling block functioned as intended within its limitations and that Monzo provided timely, sensitive support including merchant blocks, explanations of MCC limitations, and offers of spending limit reductions. The ombudsman concluded that Mr W's compulsion to spend, rather than inadequate Monzo support, drove the gambling losses and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that the gambling block functioned as intended within its documented limitations and that Monzo could not reasonably be expected to block all gambling transactions given the use of non-gambling MCCs and faster payments. The ombudsman concluded that Monzo provided reasonable, timely, and sensitive support through its specialist team, including offering merchant blocks, explaining MCC limitations, discussing mental health, and offering spending limit reductions. The ombudsman determined that Mr W's compulsion to spend, rather than lack of Monzo support, drove the gambling losses.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website