Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score

  1. I know that most credit providers classify using credit card for gambling as a cash advance, and as such interest will be charged from day one. I am ok with that caveat. My only issue is whether this will negatively affect my credit score and any other future borrowing.
  2. If you carry all your debt on a single credit card and low balances on the others, the high utilization on the card you use the most could also be bad news for your credit score. An example: Let’s.

Many people place bets online on a regular basis, and while the thrill of a win is something we all seek, could that have an impact on your credit rating? The answer is far from straightforward, but there are two key points that you need to know about the subject. The first is that betting will not have any impact on your credit rating, it is accepted that many people place bets for enjoyment. However, the second factor is key, and that is that if you show signs of being an irresponsible gambler, even if you don’t consider yourself to be one, then this could have an effect on your credit rating.

What your Credit Report does show. Whilst the impact of gambling on your ability to get credit is largely indirect, there are a number of elements within your Credit Report that will directly affect whether or not an application is accepted. With millions of people gambling up and down the country every week, it is no surprise to learn that gambling itself cannot harm your credit score. This is a past time that is enjoyed by many people, and often the way in which many of us relax and further enjoy the sporting events that we are planning to watch. CreditCards.com credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.

With millions of people gambling up and down the country every week, it is no surprise to learn that gambling itself cannot harm your credit score. This is a past time that is enjoyed by many people, and often the way in which many of us relax and further enjoy the sporting events that we are planning to watch.

Responsible gambling is allowed and whether that is in a shop with cash, or online on one of the many new online betting sites, you are allowed to have a flutter. However, it is important not to show any signs of being a problem gambler if you want to avoid being questioned on it.

Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Today

People looking at your credit score will see deposits made to your bookmaker if you do that directly from your bank account. Using an e-wallet payment like Paypal, Neteller or Skrill can hide this if you are concerned and you don’t want that showing.

Something you do need to show if you are funding your betting through your bank is that gambling to you is a luxury and not a priority. This means it is no good to see deposits made to bookmakers when you are struggling for money in your account to pay the bills. Worse still, depositing using a credit card would also set alarm bells ringing, as you are betting on credit and showing them that, you should only bet with funds you have, and funds that are spare after you have paid off all your bills and other commitments.

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Tips to Avoid Harming Your Credit Rating Through Gambling

If you are looking to keep clean and ensure you don’t harm your credit rating then following the steps below will generally keep you where you need to be.

  • Never deposit money with a bookmaker using a credit card, this shows you need credit to be able to bet
  • Make deposits when you have money in the bank to do so. Think about the bills, and if you have enough to cover them before you start betting money away
  • Keep money in your betting account so you don’t have to deposit on a regular basis if you are able to do this
  • Try and use e-wallets to send payments to betting accounts as these are less likely to be traced

You already know that it’s important to earn good credit. What you might not understand clearly, however, is what “good credit” means in terms of the numbers.

At what point does fair credit end and good credit begin? What score is classified as excellent credit?

The answers to those questions, and many others dealing with credit score ranges, depend upon many different factors. Keep reading for a breakdown that should be helpful.

What Is the Credit Score Range?

There’s no such thing as “the” credit score range. You have not one, not three, but actually hundreds of different credit scores based on your credit history.

The reason there are so many credit scores available commercially is because scores come in many shapes and sizes. There are different brands of credit scores, different types of scores created by those brands for different purposes, and different generations of credit scores as well. Not only that, each credit reporting agency has a unique file of your credit accounts, each with the ability to generate a different credit score based upon your data.

Insider tip

Most people will tell you that credit scores range from 300–850. And while that is certainly the most popular credit score range, it’s not the only possibility.

What Is a Good Credit Score Range?

When you apply for new credit, lenders use credit scores to predict your level of credit risk.

If you want to figure out what is considered an excellent credit score by a lender, you’ll need to know the following:

  • The credit scoring model the lender is using (brand, type, and version).
  • The range for the credit score the lender is using.
  • Which credit report from which credit bureau (Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian) your score is based on.
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You can ask your lender which specific credit report it will pull and and which credit score it will use for your application. Still, deciphering that information can be complicated. Here’s the main point to remember: With any scoring model, the higher your score falls on the scale, the better.

If your lender is using a generic score (300–850), here are two credit score range charts that provide insight into how those numbers fall on a scale of very poor, through average credit, and up to exceptional.

Base FICO Score Ranges
RatingRangePercentage of People*
Exceptional800–85019.9%
Very Good740–79918.2%
Good670–73921.5%
Fair580–66920.2%
Poor300–57917%
VantageScore Ranges
RatingRangePercentage of People*
Excellent750–85016.7%
Good700–74934.1%
Fair650–69918.3%
Poor550–64912.6%
Very Poor300–54916.7%

*These data are from Experian.

Curious about the factors that make up your credit scores? Here’s a helpful guide.

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Is gambling bad for your credit score today

Generic credit scores are designed to predict the likelihood that you’ll become 90 days late on a credit obligation within the next 24 months.

Different Kinds of Scores

As mentioned above, credit scores come in multiple brands, types (or categories), and generations. Here’s a overview of how it works.

Multiple Brands of Scores

Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Quickly

Credit scores are complex mathematical algorithms sold to lenders in the form of software. However, it might help for you to think of a credit score like a tangible product you can touch, such as a mobile phone or tablet. Just like multiple brands create mobile devices (think Apple and Samsung), there are multiple brands which create credit scores.

The two most common brands of credit scores used by lenders in the United States are created by Fair Isaac Corporation (also called FICO) and VantageScore Solutions. These two companies develop the scoring software which most lenders use to predict the risk of doing business with you.

Ultimately, it’s up to each lender to choose which credit scoring brand it prefers. In the present lending environment, FICO is king. According to FICO, its scores are used in 90% of U.S. lending decisions. In fact, FICO is so well known that people often refer to a “FICO Score” and a “credit score” as if they were one and the same (kind of like how people will call a tissue a Kleenex).

Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Quickly

VantageScore credit scores are more dominant in the consumer credit score marketplace – the landscape of options for consumers to check their own credit scores. For example, if you check your free credit score online or sign up for a credit monitoring service, there’s a good chance you’ll be viewing some version of a VantageScore.

Yet you shouldn’t assume that lenders don’t use VantageScore credit scores as well. VantageScore reports that over 63 million of its credit scores were used by financial institutions between July of 2017 and June of 2018.

Insider tip

A 2019 Credit Card Insider survey concerning credit score myths and misconceptions revealed that 70% of Americans had never even heard of VantageScore, despite these scores being some of the most prominent in the credit industry.

Multiple Types of Scores

Going back to the mobile device analogy, Apple and Samsung don’t sell merely a single product. Rather, each company sells multiple types of mobile devices (e.g. iPhone, iPad, Galaxy Fold, Galaxy S, etc.).

Credit scores work the same way. Fair Isaac Corporation sells a variety of credit scoring models including:

  • Base FICO Scores
  • FICO Auto Scores
  • FICO Bankcard Scores
  • Custom Scores

VantageScore, on the other hand, creates a single, generic (aka non-industry-specific) scoring model.

The base FICO credit score range is 300–850. However, FICO Auto and Bankcard Scores were designed with a range of 250–900. VantageScore ranges can vary as well, but that is based upon the version a lender uses (more on that below).

With all FICO and VantageScore models, a higher score signifies that you’re a lower risk borrower. Risky activity like late payments and high credit utilization will generally lower your scores.

Multiple Versions

Let’s use the mobile device analogy one more time. Apple and Samsung didn’t create the first iPhone and Galaxy phones and stop. Instead, both companies create and release newer and better versions of their products to sell to the public all the time.

Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Range Chart

Once again, credit scores work the same. FICO and VantageScore are constantly developing new and improved scoring models (think 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, etc.).

Lenders began using FICO Scores in 1989. Since then, FICO has updated its model (including generic scores and industry-specific options) numerous times.

VantageScore has been around since 2006. Earlier versions of VantageScore used a range of 501–990. The more familiar score range of 300–850 was adopted beginning with VantageScore 3.0 in 2013.

What Can a Good Credit Score Range Do for You?

When your credit score climbs the scale into a higher category, you can expect better treatment from lenders, like credit card companies and banks. Better treatment can translate to a lower interest rate, better terms on financing, a higher credit limit, and often a lower down payment requirement (or perhaps no down payment at all).

As you can see above, you don’t need the highest possible credit scores to receive the best treatment from lenders. You simply need a credit score which falls into the exceptional or excellent credit score range.

Of course, your credit scores effect more than just the prices you’re charged for financing. It can determine your ability to qualify for a loan or credit card at all.

When you apply for a credit card product, for example, the lender may have a minimum credit score requirement that you’ll need to meet to qualify for a new account. (Tip: If you’re struggling with credit problems, a secured credit card could potentially help you reestablish some positive payment history.)

Approval cutoff ranges can vary widely from lender to lender. However, knowing your credit scores (and where they fall on the scales above) can be helpful. When you know your credit score range, you can determine which credit cards or loans you’re likely to qualify for and which ones you probably shouldn’t fill out an application for yet.

Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Possible

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Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Check

If you’re in the market for a new credit card you can also check to see if you’re pre-approved for any credit cards, which is another good way to see what you can qualify for before applying.

Is Gambling Bad For Your Credit Score Card

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