Popular Deposit Methods Used by Gamblers in the US

PayPal – After PayPal was bought by the eBay corporation back in 2002, it became the preferred method of payment for that titan of internet commerce. In that way, PayPal became the default electronic payment method for American online shoppers. PayPal is highly trusted in North America and known throughout the world, though it’s not quite so large among European gamblers. In fact, PayPal isn’t found in nearly as many sites as Moneybookers and Neteller, perhaps because eBay’s directors want to keep their favorite web commerce transactions site out of trouble with the United States government. Still, you’ll find PayPal as an online casino payment method in many European and Asian countries.

IDEAL – IDEAL is an internet payment method which processes around 70 million online payments every year. A consortium of Dutch banks founded iDEAL in partnership, including ASN Bank, Van Lanschot, ING Bank, SNS Bank, Friesland Bank, Rabobank, Triodos Bank, RegioBank and ABN AMRO. IDEAL is a prominent electronic wallet service, especially at sites licensed by the Netherlands Antilles island of Curacao, which was part of the Dutch overseas territories until 1986. IDEAL is used by many European players on the continent, too.

Giropay – Giropay is the electronic payment method supported by roughly 1,500 savings banks and cooperative banks (and one conventional bank: Deutsche Postbank). It is set up quite similarly to the Dutch banking cooperative iDEAL. Giropay has 13 million German account holders and a significant number of online gamblers holding some of those accounts. If you have a German bank account, you can use this online payment service. That makes this a popular option for people living in Germany.

UseMyBank (UseMyFunds) – UseMyBank or UseMyFunds is a web wallet service based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. UseMyBank facilitates online payments by transferring funds from your bank to online casinos. This method is only useful for making deposits. No withdrawals are allowed. The deposits are instant, while the information required is minimal. UseMyFunds deposits look like debit card payments, but security is the top concern for UseMyBank. English is the only language supported, while the company has no integration with the US financial system. Still, it’s a handy and safe way to get cash from your bank account to the casino site.

Instadebit – Instadebit is another Canadian e-commerce company, so it’s a particularly good payment method for Canadian online casino gamblers. Instadebit’s transactions and security procedures resemble those of PayPal, but its activities are regulated by Canadian government agencies. You’ll be able to pay using the American dollar or the Canadian dollar, but withdrawals are also an option. Best of all, you won’t be turning your bank account information over to an offshore company.

MyPaylinQ – MyPaylinQ is an e-wallet service based out of Costa Rica which services over three dozen United States gambling sites and over five dozen United Kingdom online gambling operations. The transaction fees on MyPaylinQ are higher than what you’ll find with companies like PayPal, but since the company is located in Central America, American players have no fear their information or payment history is going to be divulged to the U.S. government (or their funds frozen). It’s therefore worth the added fees to be secure in the knowledge you won’t have your funds frozen any time soon.

Click2Pay – Click2Pay is an electronic pay service out of Munich, Germany, which was originally designed for online shopping. Click2Pay is now accepted for payment in over 180 countries worldwide, providing secure and easy-to-use deposits. One of those countries is not the United States, unfortunately. Support is available 24-7, though some of the numbers aren’t toll-free. You might find Click2Pay’s sign-up questions a little intrusive, but these are meant to verify you are who you say you are. Ultimately, the questions are designed to protect you from identity thieves.

Western Union – Speaking of legitimate, it’s hard to get more traditional than Western Union. Western Union was the first major company to use electric wiring to send messages, after Western Union was founded in 1851 as a telegraph company. Generations and several technological iterations later, Western Union is still one of the most reliable message carriers in the communications business. Another major use of Western Union these days is to send money over the wire to your online casino account, which is why Western Union makes this list.

Moneygram – Moneygram is another older, respected company from the United States. Based originally in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Moneygram International was bought by Goldman Sachs and other partners a few years ago and is now located in Dallas, Texas. Moneygram has 300,000 outlets around the globe and is found in well over 150 nations. As said once before, whether you want to send money or a message to Afghanistan or Zimbabwe, Moneygram International gives you the option.

eCheck – An eCheck lets you set up an electronic funds transfer system, sending money from your checking account for any sort of check payment you would otherwise make with a personal check. Electronic checks are available to real money gamblers in the United States and Canada.

Wire Transfer – Also called a bank wire transfer, an electronic funds transfer or simply a bank transfer, this is a relatively safe and easy method to fund your gambling deposits. Bank transfers also work for Payforit casinos, where you make a monthly payment for gaming on your phone bill. The method is instantaneous, while few chances for wire fraud exist due to security methods already tried. An instant-wire transfer is an improvement, so serious real money players might look into this method of payment at your favorite casino properties.