What Are the Safest Casino Payment Methods? 2023

When making online casino payments, there are many safe and secure roads open to you, but the right path isn’t always obvious. Some payment methods may be quicker than others, but perhaps they charge a transactional fee or are more complicated to use. A lot of the time, the right option simply comes down to personal preference.

To help you understand casino payment methods better and learn how to choose the safest payment methods available in the UK, PayGamble experts put together this comprehensive guide answering most – if not – all of your questions.

Discover the safest casino payment methods with us to get the best value for your gambling experience!

Most Common Online Casino Payment Methods

Let’s kick things off by taking a look at some of the most widely used casino payment options.

• Debit Cards. Having been around for so long, most people trust the major debit card suppliers. It also helps that the vast majority of casino players possess one.
• E-Wallets. At the turn of the century, Neteller was responsible for close to 90% of gambling transactions. E-wallets have always been associated with online casinos.
• Online Banking. With the rise of mobile fintech, it’s easier and more convenient than ever before to send funds directly from your bank.

What is it about these payment options that makes them so popular? What features are the customers so attracted to?

Their main attraction is the fact that they’ve been used since the dawn of internet gambling. People know these methods are reliable, and they are comfortable with the banks and brands involved.

Secondly, it’s the ease of use. Almost everyone has a debit card in their wallet. While mobile apps have made access to online banking and e-wallets more widely available.

Although mobile payment options and cryptocurrency usage is on the rise, these choices are a long way off mainstream acceptance. Older generations may never come around to using them.

What are the Safest Casino Payment Methods in the UK?

We’ve seen the common payment options, but does that mean they’re the safest? Let’s take a look at the most secure choices for players in the UK casino market.

Credit and Debit Cards

Almost everyone owns some form of plastic today. Even if it’s just a Visa Electron or Maestro debit card, the prevalence of cards ensures they’ll always remain among the most common casino deposit options.

Reputable payment processors like Mastercard and trustworthy payment options like American Express have been around for decades. So you can have real confidence that your money is in safe hands.

Safest Debit and Credit Cards:

• Mastercard
• American Express
• Visa

Prepaid Cards

A prepaid card is an excellent deposit option for those looking to stay in control. It’s a useful tool in terms of responsible gambling because it is loaded with a fixed amount. Once that money is gone, there’s no way to add more funds to your account.

What’s more, imagine someone were to successfully gain access to your casino account. If an empty prepaid card is the only deposit method attached, they can’t deposit and play fraudulently.

Safest Prepaid Cards:

• Paysafecard
• ecoVoucher (ecoPayz)
• Neosurf

E-Wallets

An e-wallet is convenient, as well as safe. It allows you to keep your bankroll in one place, away from your main bank account. A note of caution, though, you can’t always use an e-wallet to claim deposit bonuses and other promotions.

Although brands like Cash App or Venmo are great for purchases, they’re not widely accepted by casinos. However, companies like Skrill and Neteller have been working with poker and casino operators for a quarter of a century.

Safest E-wallets:

• PayPal
• Neteller
• Skrill

Cryptocurrencies

The gambling industry was one of the first sectors to widely adopt cryptocurrency, and you’ll see a variety of coins on offer. Among the hundreds of tokens, the earliest crypto names, like Bitcoin and Litecoin, are the most common. But with the emergence of crypto casinos, you can find all kinds of options.

One disadvantage of cryptocurrency payments is that they are often excluded from bonus offers. What’s more, they’re banned in certain countries.

Safest Cryptocurrencies:

• Tether
• Bitcoin
• Ethereum

Instant Bank Transfers/Wire Transfers

Paying money directly from your bank account to a casino is extremely convenient. Gambling sites have always offered this facility, via a traditional bank wire transfer, but this can be a slow process.

These days, however, a range of online banking options exist that greatly speed things up. Keep your eyes peeled for names like Instadebit, Zelle, and iDebit.

Safest Bank Transfers:

• Interac
• Trustly
• InstaDebit

Mobile Payment

Today, everyone has a mobile phone in their pocket, which makes it a handy banking option. And if you’re playing via an online casino app, it’s a big advantage to have your payment option right there alongside it.

Plenty of mobile wallets exist for both iOS and Android devices. They tend to score well for user-friendliness too, since they make use of the very latest mobile technology and design techniques.

Safest Mobile Wallets:

• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Boku

The popularity of these casino payment methods lies in the blend of convenience, speed, and security, but also the lack of fees and reasonable limits.

Closer Look at Some of the Top Casino Payment Methods

When gambling online, there are a number of crucial choices to be made. Aside from selecting a casino to play at, the option of which payment method to employ is possibly the most important.

This selection will be influenced by a multitude of circumstances. They include security, payment speed, convenience, and in some instances, the law. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common online casino payment options.

#1 American Express

American Express has been in the financial services industry since 1857. A highly respected and internationally reputable credit card company, many gamblers use AmEx in order to collect reward points. Although not all sites accept American Express, it’s a trustworthy option for those that do.

#2 Visa

Another name with a huge reputation for safe and reliable payments, Visa processes 150 million transactions every day across the globe. A provider of both credit and debit cards, they’ve been in the business for more than 60 years. Few banking methods are as widely accepted by casino sites as Visa cards.

#3 Visa Gift Cards

Prepaid gift vouchers are the perfect hassle-free present for someone that’s tricky to buy for. Lots of people end up with one and have no idea how to spend it, increasingly using them for online gambling. Visa gift cards are accepted by many wagering sites, making them a secure and practical option for funding casino accounts.

#4 Check

Depositing and withdrawing by check is not the easiest way of transacting with an online business. But many people simply don’t have access to a more modern casino deposit method. Besides, there’s something reassuring about using a tangible payment option. Plus, the slower process can also help people to gamble responsibly.

#5 eCheck

A happy compromise between old-school paper checks and more high-tech payment options, eChecks are very popular in the United States. They utilize the Automated Clearing House (ACH) to transact online, meaning they’re quicker and more convenient than a regular check. For those yet to embrace e-wallets, mobile payments or alternative methods, they’re the ideal choice.

#6 Cashier’s Check

If you’re handling particularly large sums of money and are unable to transact electronically, a Cashier’s Check is the perfect option. Extremely secure and hard to counterfeit, these are guaranteed by the bank for a fee, to ensure they won’t bounce. It will require a trip to your local branch, but if it’s peace of mind you’re after, there are few better methods.

Casino players seem to favour these payment options as they have a long history of reliability, security, and integrity. Such methods have been around for decades, unlike more modern alternatives. And with that comes a certain comfort and reassurance that your money will be safe from fraud. Naturally, we will keep monitoring for any changes and updates regarding online gambling and its compatible payment methods.

What Is Important When Selecting a Payment Method?

There are several vital elements to consider when selecting a payment option for online gaming. Let’s quickly run through them now:

• Safety. As we’ve already highlighted, rising financial fraud means that security is more important than ever.
• Speed. We all want to start playing as quickly as possible and, if we’re lucky enough to win, we expect prompt payouts.
• Convenience. Nobody likes a slow and clunky interface; simplicity is the key to a great user experience when making payments.
• Limits. Certain banking options impose withdrawal and deposit limits for a given period of time.
• Fees. While many casino payment options are free, some charge hefty processing fees.

How to Choose the Best Payment Methods for an Online Casino?

Now that you understand what to look for in your banking options, how do you actually find that information? Well, you can start by following the advice below!

• Safety

A great place to begin is with the casino’s gaming license. The best sites are authorized to operate by well-respected regulatory bodies. And the most trustworthy payment processors will only work with reputable, properly regulated casinos.

Examples to look out for are the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. These apply some of the toughest regulations on the planet. If your casino falls under their jurisdiction, chances are they’ll be carrying out financial best practices.

• Speed

The majority of online casinos list their payment options on their website, along with useful information like processing speeds. That way, you can get an idea of how long your deposits and withdrawals will take before you even register.

If they don’t offer such information, you can speak to customer service or simply sign up anyway. Most casino companies display the information on their cashier page, accessible to all registered casino account holders.

• Convenience

You often can’t tell how easy a casino’s cashier facility is to use until you actually try. But you can always do your research ahead of time by checking out gambling site reviews on the internet. If it’s not easy to transact, you can be sure that other players will be complaining!

One thing you can easily check for yourself, though, is accessibility. Even if they don’t list full details of their payment options until you log in, you’ll see logos in the website footer. This gives you an indication of the banking methods you’ll have access to.

• Limits

This information will usually be listed on the same page of the casino’s website as the processing speed. If it’s not, the same advice applies. You can consult the live chat agents, send an email or simply sign up and log in to access the cashier.

If you can’t find full details, a general minimum deposit and maximum withdrawal amount are usually listed in the Ts&Cs. In truth, most casino limits are fine for the average player. You only need to worry if you’re planning to move serious volumes of money around.

• Fees

Again, processing fees are likely to be listed on a dedicated payments section of the casino’s website. And if not, you can search through the site’s terms and conditions or have a chat with the customer support team.

Watch out, though, because while most casinos don’t charge fees, the payment processor itself still could. Be sure to check the website of your preferred banking option as well to make sure.

Does My Location Dictate the Choice?

Online gambling has no physical borders, and, no matter which country in the world you’re in, it’s possible to play. However, you can certainly be limited by local laws, which might restrict certain payment methods. Additionally, some processing options that are preferred in one region may not even exist in another.

A good example of this is East Africa, where sports betting and casino players favour mobile money. Telcos like Safaricom provide the largely unbanked population with convenient fintech services via USSD. Their M-Pesa mobile money product is responsible for over $700 million worth of gambling transactions every six months in Kenya alone.

Another geographical factor is the range of currencies available. There could potentially be a currency conversion fee for playing at an offshore casino, for instance. So yes, it’s fair to say that your physical location plays an important role in choosing the right casino payment method.

How to Stay Safe When Playing at an Online Casino

Before you settle down to play your favorite casino games, make sure you read our top tips for staying safe online.

• Use a secure payment method

With no shortage of trustworthy, reputable payment options, there’s really no excuse for taking a risk. Properly regulated casinos will always work with major names like Visa, Mastercard, Interac, or PayPal. They have a long history of implementing the latest technology to keep you safe.

• Double-check the casino’s T&C

Read the terms and conditions properly to make sure there are no unpleasant surprises in store. You may not be allowed to request a withdrawal until you’ve completed your deposit bonus wagering requirements, for example. Also, make sure that reputable bodies like eCOGRA or iTech Labs have independently tested the games and payment gateways.

• Use a strong password

The most obvious way to keep your funds and sensitive data safe is to make sure you’re using a secure password. Include numbers, letters, special symbols and apply a mixture of upper and lower case text.

• Use two-factor authentication

Enabling 2FA adds an extra step to the login process, making it harder for would-be scammers to access your account. An SMS may be sent to your mobile device containing a code, or it might be an email.

• Don’t reveal your personal information to anyone

Identity fraud is a growing problem, so ensure that you don’t hand out your personal details willy-nilly. Keep sensitive information off the web, particularly social media. Don’t give out your details over the phone unless you’re sure that who you’re talking to is genuine.

Social Responsibility and Online Casino Safety

Aside from financial security, an aspect of online casino safety that’s often overlooked is that of social responsibility. For the vast majority, gambling is a form of entertainment no different to playing sports, watching movies or listening to live music. However, there is a small minority who are vulnerable, and casinos have a duty of care to look out for their safety.

KYC Checks

The most obviously vulnerable people are youngsters. There’s a good reason why countries set a minimum age limit for online gambling, just as they do with buying alcohol or cigarettes. But those who are determined to circumvent the rules still need to be filtered out by a casino’s security team. That’s one of the main reasons why gambling sites apply such strict Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.

In days gone by, you could register a casino account with little more than a name, telephone number and email address. But today, you must prove that you really are who you claim to be by showing identity cards, utility bills and other documents. Admittedly, this is partially to help counter money laundering and terrorism, which is a valid reason on its own. But it’s also to stop underage players from using false documents to gamble.

Problem Gambling

Another vulnerable group that must be kept safe by online casinos are problem gamblers. In recent years, the best wagering sites have been proactive in introducing safety measures to help people remain in control of their gambling. But regulators are demanding tougher controls to ensure that casinos and betting sites behave responsibly and do not take advantage of such people.

In addition to providing access to third-party providers of financial and psychological support, casinos today must offer responsible gambling tools. The most extreme option is self-exclusion, where the player voluntarily opts to block access to the gambling provider. Periods of exclusion usually range from six months to a lifetime ban, though the rules vary by jurisdiction.

Not all problem gambling tools are as extreme as self-exclusion, however. You can configure gentle reminders, which pop up on the screen to remind you how long you’ve been playing, for instance. Other safety measures for problem gamblers include deposit limits, withdrawal limits, loss limits and temporary timeouts. A more recent trend allows the removal of the popular reverse withdrawal facility, followed by a Withdrawal Lock option, too.

The Safest and Most Secure Online Casino Payment Methods In a Nutshell

When picking a new casino site, it’s vital that you research things properly. One of the most important elements is undoubtedly choosing one that offers safe payment options. Although speed and accessibility is important, you should never compromise on security.

Stick to the advice found in our guide, and you’ll easily be able to navigate the world of online casino payments. If you’ve got any questions or concerns, let us know! Good luck!