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Apple Pay in US Casinos
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This page is for iPhone, iPad and Mac users in the United States who want to deposit at regulated online casinos with Apple Pay. Online gambling has grown quickly since 2018, when regulated betting markets began to open up, and online casinos are now licensed in a small number of states. Many of those operators let you fund your account with Apple Pay, which links to your existing credit or debit card. Below we explain how state regulation works and how Apple Pay deposits work.
Online Gambling Regulation in the US
As of writing, at least seven US states have legal iGaming sectors with operational online casinos. Results arrive within seconds of each bet and every game carries a built-in house edge, which is why regulators treat casino games as higher risk than many other forms of gambling. See our list of online casinos.
The initial US state that allowed online casino gambling was Delaware in 2013, quickly followed by New Jersey. The other five are Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Michigan, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. It is vital to point out that before 2011, there was no possibility for Americans to enjoy casino-style games of chance. To play slots, video poker, bingo, keno, and table casino classics, they had to use foreign sites that feature them for real money action.
International casino websites have been active since the mid-1990s, with Antigua and Barbuda being the first nation to license them, but they were never made legal for US players by federal law. State-regulated online casinos only became possible after the Department of Justice issued a new interpretation of the Wire Act in 2011, which concluded that the 1961 Wire Act applied only to sports betting. That law was originally aimed at curbing interstate gambling as a tool to cripple mob profits from organized crime.
In 2011, the DOJ chose to reevaluate the Wire Act of 1961, and it decided that it did not apply to forms of gambling other than sports betting. Hence, from that moment on, states were free to pass legislation concerning this activity as they saw fit. Because this interpretation of the renowned law did not affect sports betting, and due to the PASPA-induced ban of 1992, wagering on sports in the US, online and offline, remained illegal outside of Nevada until 2018, when PASPA was repealed through a Supreme Court case verdict.
The 2011 interpretation also affected online poker, which was widely enjoyed in the US before at offshore platforms, before the event known as Black Friday Crackdown. That was a nationwide initiative of shutting down poker operators offering card gambling services to Americans, as these entities were in violation of UIGEA, or the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which forbids the processing of online gambling-related transactions by American financial institutions.
There are multiple reasons why online casino adoption in the US has been slower than sports betting in the United States. These include political, cultural, and economic factors. The main one is that lawmakers see casino gaming as riskier of producing social harm, as casino games are fast and designed for repeated play. Gaming products, while generating more revenues, too require stricter regulatory oversight. Furthermore, wagering on sporting contests has also gotten normalized to a high degree in the country thanks to the popularity of fantasy sports.
In the states where online casinos are legal, many licensed operators list Apple Pay as a deposit option. It is a natural pick for people who play on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. If that is you, the next section explains how it works.
Using Apple Pay Across US Online Casinos
Despite what some sites may say online, Apple Pay is not an e-wallet in the sense that Skrill or PayPal are. It cannot hold funds (apart from Apple Cash, a separate US feature). It is an intermediary between you and the credit or debit card you have linked to it, and the casino sees the payment as a card payment. Because of this, many US online casinos that offer Apple Pay do not allow it for withdrawals.
A payout has to go somewhere that can receive money, and Apple Pay is a way to pay, not an account you can send money to. US operators also have to follow anti-money laundering rules and generally pay out to a method that is verified as yours. That is why they usually redirect withdrawals to options such as PayPal, a check or an ACH bank transfer.
Apple Pay launched in the US in October 2014 and is built into current Apple devices. It is accepted by many merchants in stores and online. Acceptance at online casinos depends on each operator and on the card behind the wallet.
Many US operators accept Apple Pay for deposits. A few may allow withdrawals back to the linked card, but this is generally unavailable.
The process of utilizing Apple Pay for online casino play in the US begins with you adding your card to your Apple device wallet. Technically, Apple Pay is built into all Apple devices, and in the wallet section, all you have to do is select the add card choice, scan your physical card, or manually enter all the required details. After that is done, it is time for you to choose an authentication method, and following that step, you are all ready for depositing at casino sites in America.
Below we explain how to deposit with Apple Pay at a licensed casino.
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Deposits and Withdrawals with Apple Pay
Apple Pay is convenient for people who already use Apple devices, and it is quick to approve with Face ID or Touch ID. Most US banks support it, and many casino websites do too.
Before utilizing it for funding your casino gaming online, naturally, you first must find a platform that is suitable for you to use. The process should entail analyzing all viable candidates’ promotional offerings, game selections, customer support levels, and reading reviews on how they treat players and how fast they supply payouts. Upon settling on a trustworthy brand and making an account with it, here is what you must do next to begin gambling with Apple Pay:
Once your card is linked, a deposit usually takes a minute or less. Tokenization and device authentication mean the casino does not receive your card number.
Also, as touched upon above, withdrawing is often not allowed through Apple Pay, and at most regulated US casinos you will need another method. Common choices are a bank transfer, PayPal, Venmo or a check. Payout times differ by method and operator, so check the casino's stated times; checks are generally the slowest.
Conclusion
Apple Pay can be a convenient deposit method for Apple device owners in a US state with licensed online casinos. It charges your linked card, so it is no more anonymous than a card payment, and the casino sees a card payment. Withdrawals usually have to be made through another method, so check the casino's cashier before you register. Play only at casinos licensed in your state and within a budget you set.
FAQs
Can I withdraw to Apple Pay at US online casinos?
Often not. Apple Pay is a way to pay with your linked card, not an account that receives money. Most US casinos pay out by bank transfer, PayPal, Venmo or check instead, though a few may allow payouts to the linked card.
Is Apple Pay an e-wallet?
No. It cannot hold funds (apart from Apple Cash, a separate US feature). It passes a payment to the credit or debit card you have linked.
Does using Apple Pay make gambling anonymous?
No. It charges your linked card, which your issuer can block, and the casino still verifies your identity. Tokenization only keeps your card number from the casino.
Can I use Apple Pay at an online casino in any US state?
Only in states that license online casinos, and only at operators licensed in the state where you are when you play.
Does Apple Pay charge fees for casino deposits?
Fees are not published for gambling payments. The casino or your card issuer may charge fees, so check both.
Other ways to pay in the US
We also review these payment methods for players in the US: Bitcoin, Zelle, PayPal, Bit2Card, Cash App, PayNearMe, Play+ and Tether.