The UK Home Office is investigating reports that thousands of asylum seekers have used government-issued benefits cards in gambling venues, including bookmakers, casinos, and amusement arcades.
According to figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws by Politics Home, 6,537 asylum seekers used their Aspen cards at least once in gambling-related locations over the past year. The Aspen card, issued by the Home Office, is designed to cover essential living costs for the seekers who are not allowed to work while their claims are processed.
The card provides £49.18 per week to the seekers in self-catered accommodation, intended for food, clothing, toiletries, transport, and communications. While the Home Office can track card usage, the system does not currently block transactions based on merchant type.
A Home Office spokesperson said:“The Home Office has a legal obligation to support asylum seekers, including any dependents, who would otherwise be destitute.”
However, the department confirmed it is now investigating whether cards are being misused.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the reported misuse is very concerning, adding:
“You shouldn’t be able to use Aspen cards for this. Support for asylum seekers is not a large amount about £7 a day and it should be used for essentials.”
Figures show that an average of 125 cardholders per week used their cards in gambling venues, with usage peaking at 227 individuals in one week last November. Notably, 177 asylum seekers used their cards in the Christmas week, despite many gambling venues being closed during that time.
Though the cards cannot be used for online or contactless payments, officials say the data includes cash withdrawals made inside gambling establishments. A Home Office source stated that it is “not possible” to place bets directly using the Aspen cards.
The revelation has sparked strong political reaction. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called the situation a “slap in the face to taxpayers,” and urged for immediate action, saying:
“These illegal immigrants clearly don’t need the money they are given if they are squandering it at casinos and arcades.”
Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, also raised concerns about visible gambling activity among recent arrivals, citing anecdotal evidence from his local area.
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice echoed the criticism, pointing to broader concerns over enforcement and illegal working by some asylum seekers, calling the reports “a slap in the face to hardworking British taxpayers.”
Currently, around 80,000 asylum seekers are issued Aspen cards while awaiting a decision on their claims. Many are being accommodated in hotels at public expense, a policy that has faced growing public opposition and protests in areas such as Essex, Norfolk, and London.
The controversy comes amid a broader clampdown on illegal employment. The government recently began sharing the locations of asylum hotels with food delivery platforms like Deliveroo and Uber Eats, to identify asylum seekers working illegally using borrowed or false accounts.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the move aims to enforce existing rules and reduce abuse of the asylum system while protecting legitimate claimants.
