Are casino payment services safe?

When it comes to the internet and money, there is no such thing as 100% safe. Today’s hackers and fraudsters are becoming extremely sophisticated. With that out the way, we can say that all major payment services and reputable casinos take a variety of security measures to keep things safe. While you have no control over how the payment service providers and casino apply their security, you do have control over how you manage things on your side. For example, setting up strong passwords, not sharing information with untrusted parties, and making sure your computer and or phone is protected with anti-virus and anti-malware software. The bottom line is the majority of services are safe and many have measures in place to refund you if an unauthorized transaction happens, but if you ensure you are playing your part by being security conscious, you can enhance your online security.

What payment services are completely anonymous?

The only payment option that can give you complete anonymity is crypto. You will need to choose a crypto casino that allows you to play anonymously, however, we do not recommend this as many of these casinos are not regulated or licensed so if you get scammed or have an issue, you are at the mercy of the casino. If you simply want to avoid sharing financial details like your credit info with a casino, then you can opt for something like a prepaid card.

What is the best payment method for casinos?

There is no definitive answer to this. It all depends on your needs, the casino you intend to play at, how much you plan to spend, where you are located in the world, and other factors. You will need to do a little homework based on these factors to determine what is ideal for you and your scenario. Our best advice is to stick with well-known and reputable payment services and casinos to ensure your safety and a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.

Best Payment Services for Online Casinos

Choosing an online casino to play at is just one step to getting your winning streak started. A crucial decision when gambling online is selecting the best payment service or method for you. You want a payment option that is fast, convenient, easy to use and doesn’t charge an arm and a leg for fees.

However, it’s not just depositing funds that you need to keep in mind, but also withdrawals and how quickly and easily you can access or use your withdrawn money. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular and best payment methods for gambling sites.

The major categories of payment methods include:

Credit/Debit cards
Prepaid cards
eWallets
Instant bank transfer
Bank transfer & eCheck
Alternative payment methods (Mobile/Online payment services)
Cryptocurrencies

So, let’s jump right in…

By Stan

March 5, 2024 5 min read

Casino Payment Methods

Once upon a time, there were very few payment methods for gambling, and even credit cards were unreliable as many payment processors would reject gambling payments. This led to a revolution of new payment options for gambling online.

Today, there is a plethora of payment services you can use for your online gaming, which are secure, easy to use, and most importantly reliable. Before we explore these, here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a gambling payment service:

Availability – The payment option needs to be readily available, for example, if you choose a prepaid card or voucher, are there points of sale nearby for you to buy and top-up? Also, is the particular payment option available in your country?
Security – All online payment services use some level of security, which is just a given, plus if the provider is a licensed payment processor they have to abide by certain standards. The bigger issue with safety and security is your personal needs. If you are extremely security conscious, then you will want a method that has additional protection, for example, 2-factor authentication and 3-D Secure.
Speed – Of course you want your transactions to be fast, if not instant. While the majority of casino payment options are near instant (1-2 minutes), there are those that can take days for funds to reflect, like bank transfers. Even vouchers and prepaid cards require you to buy them first, so they are not exactly instant.
Fees – Payment service providers are in the business to make money, so you can expect some fees. The big question is how much are you prepared to pay, which ultimately eats into your bankroll. There may be fees for transactions, currency conversion and even account inactivity fees.
Deposits and Withdrawals – You need to know that some payment methods only allow you to deposit into your casino account, and you cannot withdraw back to the same method.
Casino Bonuses – This is very much casino-dependent, however, certain deposit payment methods will not qualify you for casino bonuses. On the flip side of the coin, some casinos offer exclusive and extra bonuses for some payment options.

Payment Methods

Method	Explanation
Credit Cards	Credit cards need little introduction, and cards from VISA, MasterCard, AMEX, etc. are the most widely used and accepted payments by gambling sites. The only key issue you might have is local laws and regulations that may not permit credit card payments for gambling. Also, if you live in a region where gambling is prohibited, then you may have issues with your bank allowing credit card payments. Be sure to read more about credit cards for online casinos here.
Debit Cards	Debit cards are a close sibling of credit cards. The major difference between them is that with credit cards, you accrue debt that must be paid back, whereas debit cards are directly linked to your bank account and when you spend, the amount is deducted automatically from your account. Debit cards like Electron, Maestro, and various others from big brands like VISA and Mastercard are widely accepted by gambling sites. Just be sure to check with your card issuer that you can make online international payments with your debit card as some debit cards are only for local use, or can only be used at a point of sale or ATM.
Prepaid Cards	A prepaid card is like a voucher. You buy a card that is preloaded with funds, and you use it similarly to a credit card. The likes of VISA, MasterCard, and AMEX all offer prepaid cards that can be purchased at stores and online. Just be aware that you can only deposit into your casino account with prepaid cards and you cannot withdraw from the casino to them. Learn more about prepaid cards for online casinos here
eWallets	eWallets are some of the best payment services for gambling online. eWallets are like having an “online savings account” where you can send and receive money, you can transact online, and withdraw to your bank account. Some eWallets even provide a MasterCard debit card so you can pay online and offline, and even withdraw from ATMs around the world. Players like Neteller, Skrill, and EcoPayz have been integral in the gambling ecosystem for two decades and are widely accepted and supported by gaming sites. In general, they all work the same, are really secure and convenient to use, and with their handy apps, you can manage things from your smartphone. PayPal, despite being the king of online payments, is a fair latecomer to the casino world. PayPal for many years distanced itself from gambling, however, they have entered into certain legal gambling jurisdictions. PayPal is only accepted at some casinos, so you will be limited in your choices. Another thing to be aware of is the infamously high fees charged by PayPal. Want to know more about eWallets? Then be sure to read about the best eWallets for casinos here.
Instant Bank Transfer	A growing trend globally, and not just for gambling is instant bank transfers, also known as open banking. This payment method uses a payment service provider that facilitates direct payments from your bank to the merchant, and vice versa, for example withdrawing from the casino. A good example of an instant banking service is Trustly. Instant bank transfers do not require you to upload funds to an eWallet or prepaid card, etc. as the transactions take place directly with your bank account. If you are concerned about security when you read the words “directly with your bank account”, you need not worry as the instant bank transfer service provider does not have your logins, or even see these, as you are logging directly into your bank, and there is 2-factor authentication and other measures that only you are privy to. Instant bank transfers are becoming more and more popular on gambling sites, plus the fees are low and there are high transaction limits which are perfect for big gamblers. With that said, always keep track of your spending because, with the high limits and direct payments, you may find yourself draining funds from your bank account.
Bank Transfers and eCheck	Bank transfers and wire payments have been around even longer than credit cards. Bank transfers basically involve requesting your bank to transfer money from your account to the merchant (casino). While bank transfers are safe and reliable, they are slow, especially if you are paying a casino located in another country. You won’t be able to play at the casino until the funds reach them which can take up to a week. This is not always the case because if, for example, you live in the EU and the casino is located in the EU and accepts SEPA payments, then in some cases, payments can reflect in a matter of minutes or hours. SEPA payments are also low-cost too. If on the other hand, you are making a cross-border wire payment, the SWIFT fees can be very high per transaction, easily costing from $30 up to $80+. The other concern is if there are any incorrect payment details it can take weeks for the money to be returned to you. Lastly, once a wire payment is made, it is almost impossible to be stopped or reversed. eChecks are similar to instant bank transfers in that they are near-instant payments, but they work through the ACH payment network. When you choose eCheck in the casino cashier, the casino then requests the funds directly from your bank, but your bank then asks you to confirm that you want to make the payment before processing it. This can be anywhere from a few minutes to hours but the fees are low. While many casinos offer eChecks as a payment option, it is not as popular as eWallets and other payment methods.

Alternative Payment Methods

We’ve covered all the major payment services for online casinos above, however, there are various payment methods that fall into the category of alternative payment methods. Let’s take a look at some of these:

AstroPay

In the early 2000s, as the internet started going mainstream and online payments were becoming a thing, many people around the world found that they couldn’t make international payments with their credit cards.

In 2006, Astropay entered the scene to give people the ability to deposit funds into their AstroPay account using their local currency and bank. Then, they could perform online transactions using AstroPay.

You could almost say AstroPay is like an eWallet, but unlike an eWallet where you have a handful of funding options, AstroPay is directly integrated with hundreds of banks and payment methods including, Google Pay, MasterCard, VISA, Airtel, Pix, Boleto, Trustly, and many more.

AstroPay works with an app for your mobile device, plus they offer the option of getting a VISA debit card that is linked to your Astropay eWallet, so you can use the card anywhere that VISA is accepted. Another option they have is you can also use AstroPay Voucher, which is essentially a prepaid card.

AstroPay payment services are widely accepted by online casinos. Another perk of AstroPay is you can have multiple currency balances in your eWallet, but just be aware that if you make payments in a currency other than the currency balance you choose to pay from, there will be currency conversion fees.

Overall, AstroPay is a hybrid of different payment services, all rolled into one that is ideal for betting sites, providing secure, fast, and convenient payments.

MiFinity

MiFinity is another casino payment service that is an eWallet but with some of its own unique features. MiFinity has been around for 20 years and is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the Malta Financial Services Authority, so you can rest assured they are a reputable company.

MiFinity works very similar to AstroPay in that you have an app that serves as your eWallet which you can deposit into, withdraw funds, and transfer for free to other MiFinity users. The eWallet is available in 17 currencies and 20 languages.

Adding funds to your MiFinity eWallet is super easy as they have 40 different integrated payment options, so you can in many cases use a local payment method which is not only convenient but keeps fees to a minimum.

A really cool feature of MiFinity is their MiFinity virtual IBAN. An IBAN, i.e., International Bank Account Number, is a global standard between all banks that allows for international payments. With your unique MiFinity IBAN, you can deposit funds or get others to make payments to your MiFinity eWallet as if they are doing a bank transfer. If the transaction is within the EEA or UK, there are no fees, and the funds generally clear the same day.

Another offering of MiFinity is you can fund your account with MiFinity eVouchers that can be purchased from their various online resellers. Other available funding options are Interac, Sofort, UnionPay, CashtoCode, and others.

Other crypto casino bonuses terms and conditions

Wagering requirements are not the only thing in the terms and conditions within betting bonuses offered by crypto casinos that customers need to look out for when reading all of the small print.

Terms	Explanation
	Betting bonuses normally have a time limit, which is often set at seven days – a week. What this means is that the bonus will expire if it is not used within that minimum time limit period. New players signing up at crypto casinos should therefore ensure that they will have enough time to meet any of the terms and conditions before they decide whether or not to take a betting bonus.
	Maximum win limits are often in place for certain types of crypto casino bonuses now as well. From the point of view of the crypto casino, this protects them from having to pay out very large sums of money to players who have perhaps been using free spins or even a no deposit bonus. However, it does mean some players may not receive the full winnings that they were expecting.
	Sometimes, betting bonuses at crypto casinos are only available if a certain deposit method is used. At other casinos, it is commonly the case that using e-wallets like PayPal to make an initial deposit will rule a player out from being able to claim a welcome bonus. With a crypto casino, it might be the case that users must deposit in Bitcoin in order to get a betting bonus.
	Game restrictions can be detailed within the terms and conditions for crypto casino deals too. It is often the case that free spins can only be used on certain slot games, which is likely to be those titles that a crypto casino is trying to encourage their customers to try out on their site.
	Maximum betting limits might be included in the betting bonus terms and conditions too. This can make it harder for a player to make their way through a deal’s wagering requirements.

Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge, and hundreds more.

Our list of payment services for online casinos would not be complete without mentioning cryptocurrencies. By now, you have certainly heard about cryptocurrencies, aka, crypto.

The online gambling world has always been progressive when it comes to payment methods, and crypto has started becoming more and more popular with online casinos and gamblers.

You will find many of the older established online casinos have added the option of depositing and withdrawing using crypto. However, there is a new breed of online casinos that are pure crypto casinos and only work with crypto.

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Ripple (XRP), Tether (USDT), Binance Coin (BNB), and many others are supported by these casinos and offer a near-instant way to fund your casino account and withdraw.

If you are new to the world of crypto, there is a bit of a learning curve to purchasing, storing, and transacting with crypto, but as the technology is evolving, payment service providers are developing more intuitive and user-friendly ways of using cryptocurrencies.

You will need a crypto wallet with crypto funds in it before you can start using crypto for your gambling. The easiest and most secure way to purchase crypto is using a reputable crypto exchange like Binance, which allows you to buy crypto with a variety of payment options.

With a crypto wallet setup and funded, depositing with the casino is super easy. You visit the cashier and choose the crypto deposit option and the type of crypto you want to deposit. You will then be presented with the crypto wallet address of the casino and or a QR code. Then, open your crypto wallet, choose the send option, and put in the casino wallet address and the amount you want to transfer and send. Usually, within a few minutes, your funds will reflect.

Withdrawing from your casino account is just as easy, as you simply complete a withdrawal request and provide your crypto wallet address. With many crypto casinos, the process is automated, and your withdrawn funds will reach your wallet within minutes.

Some of the biggest benefits of using crypto payments for your gambling is many sites let you play anonymously (although you may still need to do KYC when withdrawing). Other pros are the security, low costs (generally, not always), and near-instant transactions.

Disadvantages of crypto casino bonuses

Naturally, there can be downsides of crypto casino bonuses too and it would be remiss not to go over some of the most significant disadvantages that need to be taken into account as well.

With a lot of crypto casino bonuses, players need to commit some of their own crypto to claim them. With a deposit bonus, for example, players have to add their own funds to the account that they create in order to be able to trigger the welcome offer that has been put on the table. Wagering requirements can often be a bit tricky to meet, depending on terms and conditions such as the games that can be played to reach them, the time limit involved and so on.

It can also sometimes be the case at crypto casinos that deals have a maximum win limit from bonuses too, which restricts the amount of crypto that a player can receive as their winnings. All in all, though, it is down for casino players to decide whether or not bonuses are good value.

Conclusion

Anyone who was a bit unsure about crypto bonuses should feel more confident after reading our full guide to how crypto casino bonuses work and what terms and conditions to look out for.

With a lot of different crypto casino bonuses out there, it is understandable to be a little overwhelmed, especially as the small print of the T&Cs is often filled with jargon. However, crypto casino bonuses are worth persisting with. They often offer free bonus money to play with, while free spins are another way to win real money with no risk involved whatsoever.

Check out the best crypto casino bonuses right now – and good luck!

Best Payment Services for Casino FAQs

Are casino payment services safe?: When it comes to the internet and money, there is no such thing as 100% safe. Today’s hackers and fraudsters are becoming extremely sophisticated. With that out the way, we can say that all major payment services and reputable casinos take a variety of security measures to keep things safe.

While you have no control over how the payment service providers and casino apply their security, you do have control over how you manage things on your side. For example, setting up strong passwords, not sharing information with untrusted parties, and making sure your computer and or phone is protected with anti-virus and anti-malware software.

The bottom line is the majority of services are safe and many have measures in place to refund you if an unauthorized transaction happens, but if you ensure you are playing your part by being security conscious, you can enhance your online security.
What payment services are completely anonymous?: The only payment option that can give you complete anonymity is crypto. You will need to choose a crypto casino that allows you to play anonymously, however, we do not recommend this as many of these casinos are not regulated or licensed so if you get scammed or have an issue, you are at the mercy of the casino. If you simply want to avoid sharing financial details like your credit info with a casino, then you can opt for something like a prepaid card.
What is the best payment method for casinos?: There is no definitive answer to this. It all depends on your needs, the casino you intend to play at, how much you plan to spend, where you are located in the world, and other factors.

You will need to do a little homework based on these factors to determine what is ideal for you and your scenario. Our best advice is to stick with well-known and reputable payment services and casinos to ensure your safety and a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.