Westpac allows real-time gambling blocks for consumers

Westpac has implemented real-time digital gambling blocks for its customers which allows users to stop transactions and restrict their spending.

Customers can apply a digital stop to their credit or debit cards, where the transaction is processed through Mastercard, as well as to Altitude and Amplify Business cards.

The new feature builds on Westpac’s existing service where customers can request the block to be applied by calling the bank's customer care team.

The bank found customers are increasing turning to digital solutions for banking tasks and that adding the feature to online and mobile platforms will provide customers with more flexibility to access the blocking functions as needed.

According to Westpac’s director of customer vulnerability and financial resilience Catherine Fitzpatrick, the feature has been used 2500 times since officially launching last month.

“We know that problem gambling is a serious community issue," Fitzpatrick said.

"The introduction of the digital gambling block is a further step in providing customers choice and convenience to manage their spending.”

Customers will need to wait two business days before their ban on gambling transactions can be lifted should they chose to remove the block.

Another measure Westpac takes to create a safe banking experience includes running data analytics across online payments to detect "subtle threats and patterns of abuse" in description fields of payments.

In February Westpac introduced a digital tool which enables customers to report any abuse on inbound payments through a report button.