I have conflicted feelings about payday loans. When I was young and broke with no credit, I've used payday loans in emergency situations (medical bills, car failure etc). I knew full well I was being gouged but my only other options were illegal loan sharks or catastrophic failure (eg loss of job because no vehicle). I was happy to take the loan even at usurious rates.

OTOH in the payday office there were obvious addicts on benefits who were being skimmed every month and could never get ahead of their debt.

Does the need to protect vulnerable people who make bad choices outweigh my need for a high-risk emergency loan? It's not a straightforward ethical situation.