Payment methods differ in how easily money can be recovered. Card payments can often be disputed with the card issuer, while bank transfers, payment apps and especially cryptocurrency are much harder to reverse. Bank of Maldives restricted card use on gambling websites in 2020, and the Maldives Monetary Authority has said no party has permission to conduct financial transactions in cryptocurrency. Money sent to unregulated gambling operators is at serious risk.
On this page
- Crypto payments
- Typically not reversibleSource 1
- Bank of Maldives card restrictions
- Gambling, online trading and crypto websites (reported 2020)Source 3
- MMA on crypto (2018)
- No party granted permission to conduct financial transactions in cryptocurrencySource 5
- Currency exchange frauds, April 2025
- 38 cases reported to policeSource 8
This page is organised around one question: if money has to come back, which payment routes make that possible and which do not. It explains the methods associated with gambling sites in general terms. It does not explain how to pay any gambling operator, and nothing here should be read as guidance on doing so.
Why the payment method matters
When a payment goes wrong, the method used largely decides whether money can be recovered. Some methods come with a formal dispute process; others work more like handing over cash.
With an unregulated gambling site, things going wrong is a realistic possibility, not a remote one.
How the main methods work
Cards
Credit and debit cards come with legal protections if something goes wrong, according to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which contrasts them with cryptocurrency1. The FTC advises anyone who paid a scammer by card to report it to the card issuer immediately and ask for a refund2.
The exact protections depend on the country, the issuer and the card's terms. In the Maldives, Bank of Maldives said in 2020 that it was restricting the use of its cards on gambling websites3. More in our explainer on card payments.
Bank transfers
A bank transfer moves money directly from one account to another. If it goes to a fraudster, the FTC's advice is to report it to the bank immediately and ask for the money back2. Recovery is not guaranteed, and speed matters. See bank transfers.
E-wallets and payment apps
E-wallets and payment apps hold or move money between accounts. The FTC warns that once money has been sent through a payment app, it is hard to get back4. See e-wallets.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency payments typically cannot be reversed: once sent, the money usually comes back only if the recipient chooses to return it. They also lack the legal protections of card payments1.
In October 2018 the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) told the public that no party had been granted permission to conduct financial transactions using cryptocurrencies, and that the issuance of legal tender by any party other than the MMA is against the law5. See crypto payments, including bitcoin.
What Maldivian institutions have said
- Maldives Monetary Authority. Its 2018 statement on cryptocurrency followed social media advertisements promoting crypto trading5. KiraBet has not found a published MMA statement specifically about payments to gambling operators.
- Bank of Maldives. In 2020 it said it was disabling its cards for gambling, online trading and cryptocurrency websites, explaining that transfers to such platforms increase the non-essential outflow of US dollars. It told the MMA and relevant government institutions3.
- Other banks. The Maldives Journal reported that some banks had taken measures to block transactions related to gambling websites6.
Fraud and scam patterns
Scam reports in the Maldives are not broken down by gambling, but several patterns involve the same payment routes and apps.
- Currency exchange scams. Bank of Maldives describes Telegram and Viber groups offering US dollars at attractive rates, where the dollars never arrive7. Police recorded 38 foreign currency exchange frauds in April 20258.
- Early returns, then nothing. Online trading scams can pay small returns at first, then stop, leaving victims with large losses7.
- Phishing. Fake emails, SMS messages and websites imitate banks to capture login details7.
- Pressure to use hard-to-reverse methods. The FTC notes that scammers ask for payment by cryptocurrency, wire transfer services, payment apps or gift cards9.
Why money sent to unregulated operators is at risk
Beyond outright fraud, gambling sites operating without regulation where the user lives create their own payment risks. GambleAware NSW lists deposits that cannot be withdrawn, sites closing suddenly with all funds lost, unauthorised withdrawals from bank accounts, and no way to recover money10.
Great Britain's Gambling Commission warns that unlicensed platforms expose consumers to fraud, data privacy issues and unfair practices11. For what these sites are and how they present themselves, see our page on online casinos and the Maldives.
For people in the Maldives there is a further issue. There is no Maldivian gambling regulator to complain to, and the government has submitted a bill that would make gambling a criminal offence12. A payment dispute with an offshore gambling site has nowhere obvious to go.
If you think you have been scammed
- Contact your bank, card issuer or payment provider straight away, explain what happened and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed2.
- Report it to the Maldives Police Service, which operates an Anti-Scam Centre8.
- Change passwords and turn on two-step verification on accounts that may be exposed13.
If money problems are tied to gambling that feels hard to control, our page on gambling harm support in the Maldives sets out where to get help.