Online casinos are a leading sector of the iGaming industry. Thanks to the rise in game development studios and casino platforms, there is a constant stream of new games and new online casinos. They easily rival the games offered by traditional land-based casinos, and with live-dealer games now available, the entire online casino experience is closer than ever to the real thing.
Making deposits is a necessary part of playing at online casinos, just as in traditional land-based casinos. While you can use cash or credit/debit cards at a traditional casino, making deposits at online casinos requires an online deposit method.
There are now plenty of online deposit options, thanks to the rise of online shopping, digital banks, and online financial service providers. Some of these deposit methods are very familiar, others are brand new. Add with ultra-modern sounding names, it can be very hard to tell which of these methods are legit.
Wading through all these payment methods can be really time-consuming. That’s where we come in. In this article, we’ll provide insight into the best online deposit options.
No Deposit
Sometimes, the best deposit is no deposit. With some online casinos, you can claim bonuses and start playing without making a deposit. No deposit bonuses are rarer than the common online casino welcome bonuses because they’re a generous perk.
Checking a guide like www.newcasinos.com/ can give you a good indication of which online casinos offer no deposit free spins bonuses. You can decide which online casino to sign up with after reading reviews, comparing bonuses, and deciding which one best suits your style of play and personal interests.
Once you’ve created an account and used all your bonus credits, you can use one of the deposit methods that we’ll talk about below to make a deposit and continue playing. As with which casino you choose, the deposit method you select will depend on personal preference.
Debit and Credit Cards
Debit and credit cards are the most basic way to make a deposit online. Most people have at least one card and are familiar with how they work. The most widely accepted cards are Visa and Mastercard. These are followed by Discover Card and American Express, though these are much less widely accepted.
Prepaid cards offered by Visa and Mastercard are also accepted at most online casinos because they operate through the same system. Many people prefer to use prepaid cards because they offer such a high level of security as they aren’t connected to a bank account.
Debit and credit cards have a high level of security. Because they are run through major credit companies or banks, there are extensive security procedures and protocols in place. Not every country accepts credit card payments due to safer gambling laws, so be aware of which methods are accepted in your location.
Bank or Wire Transfer
A bank or wire transfer is done by sending funds directly from a person’s bank account to an individual or company. Bank or wire transfers can be done in multiple ways. Bank transfers can be done in person at a bank branch or online through the bank’s website or app.
The most common other method is through Western Union. Western Union is a long-established brand that is trusted around the world and operates across the globe. They accept cash, which is a nice option for players who prefer to use cash when gambling. They do charge some fees. Wire transfers aren’t the fastest method but they are very reliable.
e-Wallet
e-Wallets are incredibly common, and most people have access to them thanks to smartphones. The top e-wallets are linked to the mobile device platforms they operate on. The most common e-wallets are Apple Pay (for iOS) and Google Pay (for Android). Samsung Pay is another option for Android users.
The way that e-wallets work is fairly simple. The user can connect their bank account or another payment card with their e-wallet and then it stores a digital version of the card for later use. That digital card can then be used to make deposits online. They can also be used in person when making purchases.
The security and convenience of e-wallets are similar to those of the physical cards they are linked to. They also have the added protection of being impossible to steal since the physical card won’t be present.
Payment Apps
Payment apps are where we see most of the new online deposit services. The original online payment method is PayPal. PayPal is still the leading payment app. This is because it has strong security measures, doesn’t charge many fees, and is available in countries all around the world. Using PayPal is also incredibly simple and it can be linked to a bank account.
There are many other trusted and reliable payment apps. Not every app is available in every country, so always verify that a payment method is supported in your region before creating an account or trying to make a payment. The leading alternatives to PayPal are Zelle, Skrill, CashApp, Amazon Pay, Neteller, and Venmo.