For many years, Blackjack has been one of the most widely enjoyed casino games in the world with players determined to beat the dealer. In recent times, with the advent of online casinos, the game has seen many new variants, bringing more people into the game than ever before. Online casinos themselves have improved greatly since their introduction in the late 1990’s, with the virtual games being more lifelike than ever before and online live casinos offering the real casino experience from the comfort of your own home.
Depositing to an Online Casino
There are many ways to make a deposit to an online casino, the amount of options varying from site to site and dependent upon your location. In many parts of the world, you’ll find a great range of deposit options, the simplest of all being a debit card taking funds directly from your bank account. However, in other parts of the world the situation can be trickier, and this applies in particular to casino users from the US and Canada.
UIGEA and Deposit Problems
In 2006 the gambling scenario in the US changed with the introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). This bill prohibited payments from financial institutions to gambling sites and many saw this as the beginning of the end for casino gambling in the US. However, this wasn’t the case, with many offshore casinos still happy to accept gamblers from the US, although the ruling has had a major effect on the deposit process. Firstly, the deposit options are limited, with neither debit cards nor e-wallets currently available and on occasions, credit cards will be declined, even if listed as a deposit option. This has had a knock-on effect for Canadians, with many financial companies not allowing deposits from Canada.
Here I look at a selection of the most popular deposit options:
Debit Cards – These are one of the most popular deposit options at online casinos, where you’ll use a payment card linked to your current account. These deposits are instant and require you to simply give the casino your card details. Withdrawals can normally be made back to debit cards. Not available as an option from the US/Canada.
Credit Cards – These work in a very similar way to debit cards, the key difference being that you’ll not be able to withdraw back to a credit card. Credit card deposits are generally available from the US and Canada, however the payment can be declined in certain instances, and users may have to look for an alternative method. The most popular credit card available at online casinos is a Visa card; however you will also find MasterCard and American Express available at many sites.
Prepaid Cards – At sites offering credit card deposits, you’ll also find that prepaid cards displaying the relevant symbol will be available. When depositing from the US and Canada you should ensure that the cards are available for international purchases. Being prepaid cards, withdrawal back to the card isn’t an option.
Money Transfers – These are used predominantly in the US and Canada as viable alternatives to a credit card deposit. To make a money transfer you’ll contact the casino site for details, then head to a vendor to make the transfer, finally contacting the casino site to inform them of the transfer number. You’ll be able to make money transfers from companies such as Western Union and MoneyGram.
E-Wallets – These deposits are particularly popular in gambling with many using an e-wallet as a personal gambling account, moving money around from site to site quickly and easily without supplying a number of casinos with banking details. Popular e-wallet companies include Skrill (Moneybookers), Neteller and PayPal. Currently, e-wallets are not available as a deposit option from the US.
Checks and Bank Wires – These are available as deposit options in the US and Canada as well as elsewhere, however you’ll generally find that you’ll only be able to deposit larger amounts. This is particularly the case with bank wires; however some sites will recompense these large deposits with bigger than usual bonuses.
Matchpay – This is a unique and innovative payment option that allows players to deposit and withdraw funds by matching with other users who are looking to trade their account balances. Matchpay creates a peer-to-peer network where users can buy and sell balances, providing a flexible and secure way to manage funds. This method is particularly popular because it adds an extra layer of privacy and can often bypass traditional banking restrictions. To use Matchpay, you simply need to sign up on the platform, list the amount you want to trade, and wait for a match.
Inter-Account Transfers – Some casino sites, particularly those with sportsbooks attached may offer the option of transferring funds from other users, as well as transferring money from other sportsbook/casino accounts.