Many players make the mistake of using a credit card to deposit funds into their online casino account. But credit cards are the worst deposit method even at the best online casino because the transaction is considered a cash advance. Cash advances come with fees as well as high-interest rates. And that’s if the credit card even goes through. Usually, the issuing bank blocks tractions at online gambling sites.
What To Use Instead
Here are the two best deposit methods for online casinos:
- Online bank transfer
- PayPal (or similar e-wallet)
Both of these options mean avoiding fees, cashing out winnings using the same method, and easily tracking your online betting activity.
Why not a debit card? Because, like credit cards, debit card transactions at an online casino are usually rejected by the issuing bank. It’s also not available for cashing out winnings.
Avoid Fees
Legally licensed online casinos do not charge a fee for deposits or withdrawals. PayPal and online bank transfers do not have any fees for online casino transactions either.
However, you can run into the cash advance problem when you add funds to your PayPal account using a credit card. Instead, transfer funds to your PayPal account directly from your checking.
Deposit And Withdraw Using The Same Method
While you can deposit with a credit card, it is not available for withdrawal. Instead, you’d need to use a different banking method to cash out winnings. That adds unnecessary extra steps and increases the likelihood of an error when typing in the info. Of course, it’s also just convenient to do deposits and cashouts via the same method.
Easily Track Online Betting Expenses
Online gambling transactions are easier to track when they’re all done via a centralized method. PayPal is a great choice, but other e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller may be even better if you use PayPal for things beyond online betting.
By the same token, online bank transfer isn’t the best for tracking these transactions, especially if you join multiple online casinos or take advantage of sportsbook bonuses.
Here are some of the reasons why it’s smart to keep careful track of your online casino transactions:
- Sticking To A Budget: While it’s easy to limit yourself on a day-to-day basis, online betting can add up in the long run. E-wallets make sticking to a budget that much easier.
- Paying Taxes: If you have net wins for the year, you’re obligated to pay both state and federal taxes. If you win a big enough payout, the online casino will likely withhold the winnings for taxes per state law.
- Responsible Gaming: Sticking to a budget is one of many strategies to avoid problem gambling, and e-wallets can help with several of them.
Other Good Online Casino Deposit Options
If you’re just looking to avoid fees and want to make sure the transaction goes through, these are viable deposit methods as well:
- ACH/Echeck: Echecks through ACH is like a combination of paper check and online bank transfer, where you can send and accept payments electronically.
- PayNearMe: Beyond accepting cash deposits at participating retailers, PayNearMe offers integrated Apple Pay and Google Pay for deposits as well. The company is also working toward a withdrawal method.
- Cash at casino cage: If your online casino has a land-based partner, you can usually deposit and withdraw in cash at the partnering casino cage.
- Check out our resource page for the fastest payout US online casinos.
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