Depositing at an online casino utilizing a credit card is perhaps the oldest way to transfer funds in online gambling. This deposit method is the most popular method for moving funds, as most users throughout the world have either a debit or credit card through Visa or MasterCard.
Depositing via credit card is accepted throughout the world, and is a preferred choice for many American punters who don’t have the option of being able to use e-Wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, or PayPal, as the methods are not approved in the US market.
The merits of using a credit card to deposit are many, as player transactions are instantly handled and you have instant access to your money. Additionally, using a credit card also gives you potential access to potential rewards (depending on your credit card) as well as general protections against fraud.
If you do not have a credit card, there are also many online casinos that accept prepaid credit cards, wherein you don’t have to worry about paying any money back to your creditor, as you pay the money up front and deposit simply using the money you already paid in.
While using a credit card at online casinos is a good option for players, the payment method does have a few drawbacks. First off is the fact that some online casinos roll service fees into deposits, meaning that you will sometimes pay a bit extra just for the luxury of playing online. A prime example of this is Bovada, which charges a 4.9% surcharge for deposits, meaning that you will pay more than the amount you are set to wager.
Another potential pitfall of using credit cards is the fact that some operators restrict the types of cards accepted. For US friendly casinos, many payment processors have issues accepting MasterCard, so Visa is the option most likely to work (although there are some spots that do work with MasterCard).
At the end of the day, credit cards still remain the most popular option to deposit with at online casinos, and for good reason. If you’re looking to deposit via a credit, debit, or prepaid card be sure to keep an eye out for extra fees, but be aware that this is perhaps the fastest way to see funds added to your account.
