How to fund an online casino

Once you have joined an online casino site, you will need to fund your account if you want to play for real money. Adding funds to your account is called making a deposit and on most sites the process is very simple. This will vary slightly from one site to another, but usually you just need to follow a few simple steps.

  • How to deposit at an online casino
  • Login
  • Visit the checkout
  • Choose your preferred method
  • Enter the relevant payment details
  • Enter the amount you wish to deposit.

You will notice that the third step listed above is choosing your preferred method. In fact, there are several different methods that can be used to receive funds online, and most sites offer you many options in this area. Not all methods are available on every gambling site, but you will usually find at least one method that works for you.

On this page, we will cover a little more about the most common deposit methods and how they work. It is worth reading them so you can decide how best to deposit your money.

Credit cards and debit cards

Making a deposit with a credit card or debit card is very easy. It is also the most popular method among players. Almost every gaming site accepts credit and debit cards, although they don’t necessarily accept all types of cards. Visa and MasterCard are usually fine, but American Express, Diners Club and other cards are not widely accepted.

Credit and debit card deposits are usually processed instantly, so you can expect your funds to be available for use right away. On most sites, you will be able to withdraw any winnings back to whatever card you deposited with.

Bank transfer

Most online casinos allow you to deposit using a wire transfer (also called wire transfer). This is a good option in any of the following circumstances.

  • If you want to deposit a large amount of money
  • If you don’t have a credit card
  • If you are not comfortable sending bank details online

The disadvantage of this method is that it is not as fast as most of the others. However, withdrawing funds via bank transfer is possible on most sites and can be a relatively quick way to claim your winnings.

How to deposit via bank transfer

Using this method is simply arranging a transfer from your bank account to the deposit of the casino where you wish to deposit. Obviously, you will first need to request the relevant bank details if the site does not publish this information, and you will probably be asked for a specific reference number when transferring. As soon as your transfer is received, the funds will be added to your personal account. However, this does not necessarily happen instantly, as a processing period may be required.

Electronic wallets

An e-wallet is a bit like an online bank account. E-wallets are generally very easy to set up and fund, and you can then use them to spend your money in any online store that accepts them. They can be very useful for players, especially those who use several different sites and often deposit and withdraw money from them.

Many e-wallet services have emerged in recent years, but some of them have been around for a while. Three of them are especially popular.

  • PayPal
  • Neteller
  • Skrill (formerly known as Moneybookers)

Unfortunately for US players, neither Neteller nor Skrill accept US customers and PayPal does not allow US gambling transactions. However, if you live elsewhere, you should seriously consider using one or more of these for your deposits.

  • Deposit with Neteller
  • Deposit with Skrill
  • Deposit with Paypal
  • Prepaid vouchers and cards

The use of prepaid vouchers and virtual credit cards has become noticeably more common over the years. These are good options for the following people.

  • For those who don’t have a credit card
  • For those who do not have an e-wallet
  • Those who live in the United States

The basic concept is quite simple – you buy a prepaid voucher or card for a fixed amount and then you can use that voucher or card to make a deposit. However, you usually cannot withdraw funds using this method.

There are several different types of vouchers and prepaid cards that can be used on gambling sites.

Money transfer services

You can use money transfer services such as Western Union to make a deposit at some sites, although the number of sites offering this option has decreased slightly over the past few years. Making a deposit this way is easy enough, but the exact process will vary from one site to another. This is a decent option if you’re in the United States, especially if you don’t have a credit card.