Posted on January 19, 2016 by Arthur Smith
Bingo Payment Methods
More often than not, you’ll find that all online gaming providers will offer a combination of payment processors that fall into one of the following four categories:
Credit Cards
Debit Cards
Switch
Maestro
Visa Debit
Laser
Prepaid Cards
e-Wallets
Ultimate Guide to Payment Methods
Protecting your money when participating in online gambling is first and foremost the #1 priority that should be on your mind. Many, if not most, online gaming providers are in business legitimately and have your best interests in mind, however there will always be that percentage that is looking to take advantage of the increased popularity of internet gambling and attempt to walk away with your funds.
To maximize security, you need to be aware of the most current practices used by the top payment providers in the industry, which names are the most reputable, and how you can personally take action to ensure your deposits and withdrawals are going to where you intend them to. It can be a daunting task, which is why we’ve put together our “Ultimate Guide to Payment Methods”, an instructional tool you can use and reference as often as needed to give yourself the information that will aid you in picking the right payment portal.
Picking a Gaming Site Based on Payment Options
A great rule of thumb to start off with is to only gamble at well-known online gaming sites who have been in business for years and offer a wide-range of payment methods. This shows that they’ve spent the considerable amount of time it takes to develop a working relationship with many top financial institutions and place value on the ideology of giving their customers the widest range of selections as possible.
It might be tempting to play on a brand new internet gambling site that just started up because the competition will be far less of a challenge, but shady operators count on you thinking this way and it can be used as a bait tactic to lure unsuspecting gamblers.
Research the Payment Processor
This is your money we’re talking about here, so doing a little research shouldn’t be outside your comfort zone. Once you’ve picked a site to play on, look at their list of payment methods (we’ll provide a full breakdown of different payment types later on) and try to find one that appeals most to you. What you’re looking for here is an option that supports a merchant that you hopefully already have a relationship with. This would include accepting deposits from major credit cards like Visa/Mastercard, or from popular existing digital wallets like PayPal.
If you’re an inexperienced online gambler, chances are you’re going to come across a lot of names that you don’t recognize when it comes to payment merchants. This can be an intimidating mental wall to hit as it could cause you to fear for the safety of your money. If the only options available to you are ones you’re unfamiliar with, now would be a good time to go online and do the independent research.
What you want to look for during your research would be to find how long the payment processor in question has been in business, do they have a good standing online with users, and are there any articles or forum posts you can find from those who have pointed out weaknesses with said processor, such as delayed availability of funds, inability to access accounts, etc.
Safety and Regulations
Internet gaming sites employ some of if not the best anti-fraud technology in the world, but that’s used primarily to prevent cheating and to keep the existing funds in your account safe. The security of the deposit and withdrawal of funds is left up to the payment processor, so don’t skip out on doing the necessary research. The best payment processors are held accountable by a number of different regulatory organizations, meaning you can process transactions with them with peace of mind. Visit a few gaming sites and see if the same processor names keep coming up as available options. These will be the ones that have the highest safety standards.
Types of Deposit Methods
More often than not, you’ll find that all online gaming providers will offer a combination of payment processors that fall into one of the following three categories:
Credit Card, Debit Card, Prepaid Card.
e-Wallet.
Transfer Services.
All three categories have been used successfully since the inception of internet gaming, so really what you’re looking for is the option that best suits you and your situation. Lets look at the pros and cons of each as well as the top companies for every category.
1. Credit Card, Debit Card, Prepaid Card
Making an immediate deposit with a credit card is universally the most popular method used by internet gamblers around the world because it allows you to quickly deposit funds (based on the limit you have with your provided financial institution). It normally requires the least amount of personal information to be provided at time of deposit, but the trade off is that there normally isn’t a way to withdraw the money from your online gaming account back to your credit/debit/prepaid card later on. This means you’ll have to select a different withdrawal option, preventing this payment method from being a true all-in-one solution.
Pros:- Simple, fast way to get money in your account quickly.
Cons:- Limited withdrawal options, incomplete total solution.
Information Required at Time of Deposit:- Billing address, card number, expiration date, and Card Verification Value (CVV) code.
Top Companies in this Category:
Credit Cards
Visa: Considered the most accepted credit card in the world for online gambling.Mastercard: Accepted at many sites and is equally as safe a method as Visa.
Debit Cards
Switch
Maestro
Visa Debit
Laser
Prepaid Cards
UKash: Popular in the UK and across Europe. Players pre-buy funds that go on their UKash account, with account details then entered in to the online gambling site during payment request.PaySafe: Similar to UKash and offers users ability to add funds to account via live vendors.
2. e-Wallets
e-Wallets gained huge popularity in the gaming world through their ability to serve as a true all-in-one outlet for users to make both deposits and withdrawals. The emergence of e-Wallet providers simplified many of the downfalls found in other payment processors, and became the preferred method of choice for gaming operators themselves due to the ease of use provided by these trusted companies. In fact, some gaming sites will even offer specials in the form of deposit bonuses for customers that use e-Wallets.
Pros :- Typically the safest and most secure way to both deposit and withdraw money. Allows users to quickly move money from different gambling sites that use the same e-Wallet as a payment processor. Offers special bonuses to encourage customers to use this method.
Cons :- Fees are typically charged by the e-Wallet provider to the customer for use of the service. Establishing brand new e-Wallet accounts and linking them to your gaming account may take a few days.
Information Required at Time of Deposit :- Billing address, email address, credit card information, and potentially more details required to verify identify.
Top Companies in this Category:
PayPal :- The global leader in e-Wallets. However, PayPal is very picky about what gaming sites and countries it does business with for internet gambling. US players for example are unable to use PayPal as a funding option for their account.
NETeller :- A very popular e-Wallet that was created specifically to be used for gambling. Reputation for having high deposit fees, but does offer an in-house debit card that can be used to access funds quickly.
Skrill :- Originally known as MoneyBookers, Skrill has emerged as an industry leader in e-Wallets for the gambling community and is accepted in over 200 countries.
3. Transfer Services
Very popular in the US (due to lack of support from other methods allowed in the UK and other parts of the world), transfer services like money orders and bank transfers are a very secure way to deposit and withdraw funds. The downside is that elevated fees are normally involved and the funds cannot be easily used for other gaming sites you may be a part of the same way you can using popular e-Wallets. Doing transfers can also be daunting for users that don’t want to have to deal with routing numbers or other formalities that are necessary when dealing with wiring money.
Pros :- Quick and easy once established, can be done in-person if need be.
Cons :- Complicated setup, lack of supporting features, high fees.
Information Required at Time of Deposit :- Billing address, email address, credit card information, and potentially more details required to verify identify.
Top Companies in this Category:
Western Union: Top wire transfer service in the US.Moneygram.
eChecks.
Best Payment Methods Based on Region
UK Gaming:
Gambling in the UK is made simple due to very few restrictions that allow for most payment methods to be used freely.
Deposits:- e-Wallet or credit card.Withdrawals:- e-Wallet.
US Gaming:
After the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed, online gaming in the US was severely crippled and most payment processors withdrew their support. Currently, there are no e-Wallet providers available for use by US customers.
Deposits:- Credit card/prepaid card or money order.Withdrawal:- Check sent via courier or wire transfer.
Canada Gaming:
Many US players headed north to Canada after the gambling act was put in to effect due to the countries abundant payment options for internet gaming.
Deposits:- e-Wallet or credit card.Withdrawal:- e-Wallet.
Australia Gaming:
Essentially every option we’ve listed above is available to Australian gamblers, plus a unique service called POLi, which allows user to instantly access their bank account for deposits and withdrawals with no wait period.
Deposits:- POLi or e-Wallet.Withdrawals:- POLi or e-Wallet.
South Africa Gaming:
e-Wallets are accepted at some sites, but direct deposits via credit card and withdrawals using wire transfer are more widely used.
Deposits:- Credit card.Withdrawal:- Wire transfer.
India Gaming:
In recent years some financial institutions in India have voiced their distaste for customers of theirs being involved in gambling transactions. As a result, e-Wallet Skrill has become the hands-down leader in this region.
Deposits:- e-Wallet (Skrill).Withdrawals:- e-Wallet (Skrill).
Common Deposit Problems (and Fixes)
No matter what payment method you use, you’re inevitably going to experience a delay or error in the process along the way, which can easily cause panic in customers who are worried about the state of their money. Here are some common issues that you’ll likely experience during the deposit stage and how to deal with them:
Payment Method Declined :- If you receive this message, the first thing you should check is to make sure the financial account you’re trying to access (credit card, debit card, bank account, etc) has the necessary funds available. If there are enough funds, check to see if the personal information you listed (billing address, etc) is correct, as that is a common and simple error. Lastly, attempt to make a smaller deposit, as some banks will have limits on how much money they’ll allow to be sent to a gambling site.
Payment Limit Exceeded :- This happens when the amount you’re trying to deposit is greater than the limit imposed by the gaming site. Some gambling providers don’t want to be exposed to the risk of having sums in the high four or five digits done in a single transaction. If you encounter this problem, check the site’s “deposit and withdrawal” page for information on transaction limits. If you don’t like what you see, you may be happier simply playing elsewhere.
Deposit Not Immediately Available :- There’s nothing worse than the excitement building up to making your deposit so that you can start playing immediately, only to find the money doesn’t clear in to your account right away. This will be a result of your selected payment processor. e-Wallets almost always deposit funds instantaneously, while credit card transactions may be stalled until the financial institution that issued you the card approves the transfer. The same can be said for wire transfers, which can take a few days before all the details are finalized and cleared. Just be aware of what to expect with your available payment providers, this way it won’t come as a surprise to you.
Common Withdrawal Problems (and Fixes)
You always want to pick the withdrawal method that will get you your money in the fastest and more secure way possible. But take note that most sites make it easier for your to deposit money than to withdraw money by adding extra required information that will be mandatory to complete before you can get your funds out. Here are a few common issues you may run into:
Withdrawal Denied :- To make a deposit normally all you have to do is sign-up for an account on your gaming site, pick a processor, add some generic information, and you’re good. For withdrawals the requirements increase and as a result you may face an error saying that your withdrawal was denied for lack of documentation. Additional paperwork you may have to provide includes proof of identity (driver’s license or photo ID), proof of address, and a signed withdrawal form.
Cashout Limit :- To remain solvent and prevent lack of cash flow, it’s not uncommon for gaming operators to limit how much you can withdraw in a week. Research these limits on their website and see how higher withdrawal amounts are handled (such as recurring weekly payments).
Slow to Receive Funds :- If everything has been properly submitted and is on the level, you could still be looking at a couple of days or more to receive your money, especially during the first withdrawal on a new account. This is why e-Wallets have gained so much favor with online gamblers, as funds can be pulled near instantly.
Making Your First Deposit
You should now be ready to comfortably make your first deposit. Here is a step-by-step on how these types of transactions are handled on the majority of sites.
Log-in to your online gaming account (or create one if you haven’t already).
Locate the “Make Deposit” button on the homepage.
Select the payment processor of your choice based on the information we’ve provided in this guide.
Enter in all relevant information the processor asks for, including billing address and contact information.
Enter the amount you would like to deposit, keeping in mind limits and restrictions that particular site may have.
Double check to ensure that all of the information you entered in is correct, including the deposit amount.
Click the “Confirm” button and wait for the process to complete.
Once you receive your transaction confirmation, all you have to do now is wait for the funds to become available. If you used an e-Wallet, the funds should be available right away.
Last Second Tips for First Time Deposits and Withdrawals
Deposit a small amount to test the turnaround time of the availability of the funds and how smooth the transaction was
Attempt a small withdrawal and, same as above, watch to see how long it takes for the funds to reach your account
If the results for either are unsatisfactory, repeat with other provided payment processors until you find the one that gives you the best results.
And that’s it! Hopefully this guide has answered the majority of your payment method questions. There’s always more you can learn, and you can never be too safe with your money. Constantly check the deposit/withdrawal pages of your favorite gaming sites, as restrictions and guidelines can be changed regularly. Now get out there and have fun!
