Casino Payment methods
Everything you need to know when it comes to online payments and banking. From deposits to withdrawals, we break down the jargon so you don’t have to.
Breaking Down ‘Online Banking Speak’
One misperception about banking (depositing and withdrawing) with online casinos and bookmakers is that it can be a little tricky to navigate through the various processes. But what are these processes? Are there hidden fees? What is the best method for me?
The hope here is that we can help you to avail all of your online payment/banking fears, giving you insight into what are the best processes and methods, breaking down the ‘casino speak’ into easy to understand English. That misperception mentioned above is all too common, but the truth is that the way online companies do business today is safe and relatively straightforward.
For me personally, it has always been an issue of transparency and knowing what I was going to get with my chosen method of banking with such and such online casino/bookmaker. However, today it all seems to be a little easier to see where your money is going, how long it will take and at what cost (if any at all).
For me personally, I have always found using Energy Casino one of the easiest places to navigate through and deposit and withdraw quickly and reliably.
Meet the Online Cashier
All online casinos and bookmakers have an option for a cashier (responsible for cash-ins and cash-outs), don’t be too wary about this as it’s becoming more and more straightforward to guide your way through all of this – thanks to step-by-steps and detailed FAQs.
The cashier is the place where you also make your real-money withdrawals. Each online casino/bookmaker has a banking system that is usually pretty similar across all the main online gaming companies (the software providers are shared), which ultimately means that you’ll find plenty of similarities across the banking options you’ll encounter online. Once you’ve used one cashier, the next one will not differ entirely, giving you the knowledge that you won’t have to learn a whole new process.
However, the main differences come in the methods the casinos allow you to deposit and withdraw. Each casino’s website will have a banking page (sometimes hidden amongst an FAQ page) that will provide you with the full options for depositing and withdrawing – it is vital here that you take a look at charges and whether or not you can both deposit and withdraw with one option, this isn’t always the case.
Looking at Instant Cash Outs
Instant cashouts are pretty self-explanatory and are a huge draw for all online players looking for instant returns.
With a UK-based casino like Ladbrokes, its definition of ‘instant’ is that they process cash outs very same day (depending on your chosen withdrawal method), like many other online casinos. Withdrawing using Ladbrokes and Neteller is guaranteed to take a maximum of 6 hours that day, so by the time you’ve run some errands you’re money will be sitting in your account!
Casino Action, for instance, has an automated waiting hold of 2 days, thereafter your cash is released depending on your method of withdrawal. At Casino Action it takes 1 to 2 working days using methods such as Neteller, Skrill and PayPal.
The eWallets – What and Who Are They?
Regardless if you’re a seasoned or beginner online player, I would highly recommend signing up to an eWallet, mainly for security reasons and the speed in which payments are delivered.
While not all eWallets support gambling activities, there are a number of recognised services that do.
Neteller
One of the most popular ones online is Neteller, which is always closely affiliated with online gambling sites globally.
If I had to pick one which I would most recommend for online gambling play then I’d probably suggest Neteller, a popular eWallet and widely offered by almost all online casinos. From the majority of casinos (such as the above example of Ladbrokes), the cash out time is within the same day with Neteller, that’s almost as good as it gets in regards to a reliable and ‘instant’ eWallet.
PayPal
PayPal too, are now closely affiliated with online gambling, specifically, it seems with UK-based online gaming sites. The great thing about using PayPal UK is the top-notch security assurances, the easy to use banking methods, plus it’s totally mobile and you can use it as your very own wallet wherever you are. Many UK casinos and bookmakers offer PayPal’s e-Wallet as a banking option.
Other Wallet Options
In regards to its competition (and choice for you), Click2Pay, Skrill, Click2Pay, MyCitadel, and WebMoney are also largely used and accepted by most online casinos, bookmakers etc.
A handy and useful savings tip for you now (so sit up and take note) regarding eWallets, is that when you deposit/withdraw into your eWallet account any conversion rates (currency) are subject to the rate stated by your eWallet. It is my recommendation that you should try to open an online casino/bookmaker account in the same currency as your eWallet, thereby avoiding unnecessary costs to your very own wallet!
The Bitcoin ‘Currency’
The latest way to pay and transact through online gaming is using Bitcoin ‘currency’. There are now dedicated casinos for the Bitcoin’s including Bitcoin Casino. Bitcoins are virtual ‘currency tokens’ rather than ‘hold in your hand’ coins or notes and they are dealt with entirely differently than regular cash, as you must have a Bitcoin address. This address is made up of a string of letters and numbers, which acts as a type of virtual postal box to and from, which the Bitcoin ‘currency’ is sent.
There is no need to register these virtual addresses, with users using them to protect their identity when making transactions. These addresses are stored in specially designed eWallets which are used to manage the ‘currencies’ savings.
Read our Bitcoin Casino review here.
Privacy and Security Issues
It is common for a casino/bookmaker to ask you to provide some form of identification, this may be in the form of a passport, driving licence and this may also include a bill with your address on it.
All deposit methods on a site will ask you for your identification, in the form of PIN numbers or security codes, but these processes are usually assisted by a site-by-site walkthrough, so don’t worry too much about all the ‘jargon’ going on.
Although these forms of I.D checks are quite a pain to some customers who might not have a passport or a driving licence at hand, they are still very necessary to the quality and safety of the online gaming community, and at the end of the day it is to the players own well-being that online gaming sites are operating so strictly. So it’s worth being prepared with the right forms of identification when signing up and banking with your chosen site, or you could be delayed and no one wants that right?
Returns to Players
Returns to players (RTP’s) are the payout percentages that are given back to the player from the respective online casino games. PTP’s basically relate to the percentage that the particular casino game pays out to the individual player. The remaining amount is known as a ‘house advantage’ (there’s another handy piece of ‘jargon’ translated for you).
Ready for some numbers? Okay so for example, if a game has a payout percentage of 95% for £50 wagered, you will on average get £47.50 back. The online gaming operator will retain the remaining £2.50 on average of this. This is not to say that this will always happen, as the payout percentage is worked out on an average and based annually.
So what’s a good percentage number when checking out which casino is best for you to place your deposits and claiming withdrawals? You need to be looking at 95% and above in all truth. Alternative online casino games such as blackjack and roulette have higher payout percentages, in some cases being above 98%, this is why blackjack is almost never included in wagering requirements for deposit bonuses that you find when welcomed to a new casino/bookmaker.
Using your Debit Card
Unfortunately it is no longer possible to deposit or withdraw using a credit card like visa or mastercard. Luckily there are many other options available. It is increasingly popular to deposit and withdraw online using a reliable eWallet, with the recommended options listed above in this report. You can, of course, add funds using a debit card to your eWallet, and subsequently use your chosen eWallet to deposit and withdraw from a casino, nice and simple!
However, it’s also a valid option to use your debit card directly to bank in online gaming. There are two points you should always consider when using this payment method 1.) you can’t (should not be able) deposit more than the funds you have in your account, and 2.) cash payouts and deposit requirements may incur upon using debit cards. So always make sure to check the banking details of the respected online gaming site first and weigh up your payment options.
It’s worth noting that for UK users if you wish to use a Maestro card at your selected site then you need to open the account in GBP only, the chances are you always will do that anyway, but just to remind you as they can’t process foreign currencies.
So what are the positives of using a debit card as your preferred method of banking? Quick, instant processing when depositing, but with a casino like Ladbrokes, you may have to wait 1-5 days to claim your withdrawal. So always make comparisons on your chosen sites banking options before committing.
Our Recommendations
Energy Casino has proven time and time again to UK players that it’s a quick and easy casino to deposit and withdraw with. They accept wire transfer, bank transfers, cheques and all major debit and debit card payments, such as Maestro, Visa and Mastercard. They also support Neteller, MoneyBookers, Paypal and Click2Pay.
