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The Home Office is currently looking into the misuse of payment cards by asylum seekers, specifically for gambling purposes. Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request from PoliticsHome revealed that over 6,500 payments were made in gambling settings by asylum seekers in the past year. These payments were made using Aspen cards provided by the Home Office to asylum seekers awaiting decisions, with weekly top-ups for purchasing food and essentials.
Initially, asylum seekers are housed in fully catered hotels and given a weekly allowance on their Aspen card, which increases when they are moved to self-catered accommodation. Despite the intended use for necessities, some asylum seekers have managed to use their Aspen cards for gambling activities at physical locations like casinos and slot machine arcades. While attempts to gamble online using the cards were unsuccessful, cash withdrawals were made near gambling sites using the terminal’s ID number.
The data from the FoI request showed a high of 227 gambling attempts in one week last November, with the lowest number recorded at 40 attempts in a week last July. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the government for allowing illegal migrants to use taxpayers’ money for gambling, calling for an end to this practice. With approximately 80,000 Aspen card users in the UK, strict controls and limits are in place to regulate their use.
Moving forward, measures will be taken to prevent physical gambling using the Aspen cards in the future, according to the BBC. A spokesperson from the Home Office mentioned that an investigation has been initiated into the use of Aspen cards, as the department is legally obligated to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. The BBC also offers a Politics Essential newsletter for those interested in top political analysis and insights from across the UK, delivered straight to their inbox every weekday
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