Gambling Deposit Methods
The first choice any gambler makes after deciding to play online is choosing a gambling site or mobile app. The second is choosing a gambling deposit method.
Licensed US online gambling operators have agreements with many mainstream payment processors, including credit card companies, e-wallets.
Players in some states can even legally gamble online using cash-based services.
Legal online casinos and mobile gambling apps in the United States only partner with trusted payment processors, so choosing a deposit method comes down to finding what works best for each gambler’s personal preferences.
USGambling.com aims to help players fund their gaming accounts by providing a complete list and breakdown of the major deposit options accepted by legal US casinos in your state.
21+ to Play. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
How To Fund Online Gambling Accounts
Real money online gambling with signing up for an account at a licensed online casino and completing the necessary identity verification process. State regulations require operators to collect the name, address, phone number, e-mail address and last four digits of each customer’s social security number to verify each customer’s age and identity.
From there, players have a multitude of deposit options that have all been approved by the local gaming commission. All deposit methods accepted by licensed casinos are safe, but each has its own unique selling points that make some more useful than others depending on each gambler’s needs.
Gamblin banking methods can generally be organized into the following categories. Below, we will discuss each method in more detail.
Easiest Online Gambling Deposit Options
These are the best deposit methods for new gamblers who want to get started as quickly and easily as possible. These methods do not require players to register an account or leave the house – most people have these options ready to go right now without any extra work.
- Credit card / debit card
- ACH / eCheck
- Electronic bill pay
E-Wallets
E-wallets require an initial setup but are convenient for frequent gamblers. Once an e-wallet account is established, players can use it to store money, make deposits and receive withdrawals.
An advantage of e-wallets is they make it easy to keep one’s gambling bankroll segregated from one’s rent and grocery money. It is a simple thing to make a withdrawal to an e-wallet and then either transfer those funds to a different casino or to cash them out as desired. This makes it easy to avoid mixing gambling funds with other funds and to track total wins/losses.
- PayPal
- Skrill
Cash-Based Deposit Methods
These deposit methods are designed to turn physical cash into playable funds online. Gamblers who have actual cash in hand and want to gamble online with that should consider one of the following options. These methods are also ideal for privacy-minded gamblers who are not comfortable sharing their banking details with mobile gambling operators.
- PayNearMe
- Cash at the Cage
Other Casino Banking Services
These remaining deposit options do not neatly fit into any of the above categories but still offer certain advantages. We will discuss each of these in more detail shortly.
- Wire transfer
- Play+ Reloadable Debit Card
Types Of Gambling Payment Methods
Licensed online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks in the US tend to share a pretty common set of deposit options. There are little variations from one gambling site to the next, but the methods described below are the most common.
Credit Cards and Debit Cards
This is the go-to method for hassle-free casino deposits. Visa and Mastercard are accepted pretty much across the board, and there is word that Discover is slowly coming around to the realities of legal, regulated online gambling in the USA.
Debit and credit card deposits at legal online casinos work just like making a purchase at any other website. The player inputs his or her card number and security code, chooses a deposit amount, and confirms the deposit. The casino account will be credited instantly.
Play+ Reloadable Debit Card
The Play+ reloadable debit card is one of the more flexible deposit methods available to gamblers. It is part e-wallet, part debit card that facilitates instant online deposits in addition to providing players with a physical debit card that can be used to make purchases and ATM withdrawals.
Players can choose Play+ from the deposit menu and then sign up for an online account. Funds can be uploaded online via credit card or bank transfer and then forwarded to the player’s gambling account for instant funding. Meanwhile, a physical Play+ card is mailed to the player’s registered address.
ACH / eCheck
ACH and eCheck casino deposits are convenient in the same way credit card deposits are: most players already have what they need to make a deposit today. All an ACH deposit needs is a bank account and a little money to spend.
Players can select this gambling payment method, then input their bank account number, routing number and amount to deposit. The funds will be credited to the gambling account instantly but may take a few days to be deducted from the checking account.
Electronic Bill Pay
The electronic bill pay method works similarly to an ACH/eCheck in that it transfers money from the player’s bank account to the player’s casino account. The difference is this method uses the online “Bill Pay” feature provided by many banking institutions to authorize the casino deposit.
Players can get started with this option by logging in to their gambling site of choice, selecting “bill pay” or “online banking transfer” and typing in an amount to deposit into their online casino account.
From there, the player selects his or her bank from the list of available banks and then approves the gambling deposit by entering his or her online banking username and password.
PayPal
PayPal is the most popular e-wallet in the United States by a wide margin. For those unfamiliar, PayPal acts as an online wallet in which customers can safely store funds, make payments, and receive money transfers.
Paypal is used by millions of customers to make purchases and by most online merchants to accept payments and is now a popular funding option for players in states with legal online casinos that accept Paypal to deposit real money into their accounts.
Gamblers can sign up for an account for free at PayPal.com and then upload funds via bank transfer at Paypal online casinos.
Players can also receive withdrawals back to their PayPal gambling accounts for near-instant access to their winnings.
Skrill
Skrill is an international e-wallet that is now operational at US casinos and sportsbooks with a focus on regulated online gaming markets. Customers can sign up for an account at Skrill.com and then fund their accounts via credit card or bank transfer.
PayNearMe
Cash and privacy-oriented gamblers can use PayNearMe to deposit at online casinos with actual, physical cash. Selecting PayNearMe from within the casino’s cashier area will generate a payslip that can be taken to the nearest 7-Eleven and paid with cash.
PayNearMe casino deposits are credited immediately and at no point does PayNearMe require personal banking information.
Cash at the Cage
Nearly all licensed gambling sites in the USA have at least one active partnership with a land-based casino and can accept in-person cash deposits at that location. Players can log in and select “cash at the cage” to see the nearest location for in-person casino deposits.
Wire Transfer
Moving a little lower down the list in terms of convenience is the wire transfer. An increasing number of casinos are starting to phase out wire transfers, but some licensed gambling sites do still accept bank wires.
Withdrawing Funds at US Gambling Sites
One of the other big advantages licensed US casinos offer over their illegal offshore competition is a significantly improved withdrawal experience.
Where once gamblers had to wait weeks to receive their money (if they received it at all), gamblers in states with legal online casinos can have their money in hand within a few business days.
Most withdrawals from licensed US casino sites are processed anywhere from instantly to 2-3 business days depending on the withdrawal method.
Most online casinos in the USA offer any or all of the following withdrawal methods:
- Transfer to the credit or debit card that was used to deposit
- PayPal and Skrill
- Electronic bank transfer
- Play+ prepaid card (funds can then be withdrawn via bank transfer, ATM withdrawal or spent anywhere Discover is accepted)
- Cash at the casino cage
- Paper check via mail
- Wire transfer
Identity verification is required prior to issuing a withdrawal to any player for the first time.
Players should be prepared to supply personal information and a copy/image of a government-issued ID when making a withdrawal. “Know your customer” policies are required by state law or gaming regulations in every state with legal online gambling.
Online Gambling Deposit Regulations
In every state that has legalized online casino apps to date, state law addresses casino payment methods by stating which banking options are acceptable and giving regulators the power to approve additional deposit methods on a case-by-case basis.
For instance, New Jersey online casino regulations found at NJAC § 13:69O-1.3(d) state players may fund their accounts via:
- A patron’s deposit account
- Credit or debit card
- Cash, gaming chips, or slot tokens at a cashiering location approved by the NJDGE
- Reloadable prepaid card
- Cash complimentaries, promotional credits and bonuses
- Winnings
- Adjustments made by the casino site with documentation provided to the player
- ACH transfer
- Transactions at sports wagering kiosks
- Any other means approved by the Division
Mobile gambling apps and websites are also required to verify the identity of every customer prior to accepting wagers and to confirm that information prior to issuing a withdrawal.
For example, Pennsylvania regulations require gambling operators to collect the following information from each player:
- Legal name
- Date of birth
- Either the full social security number or last four digits, or the equivalent for a foreign player such as a passport or taxpayer-identification number
- Physical address
- E-mail address
- Phone number
These regulations also require operators to verify that information by crosschecking it against government and private databases as well as examining a copy of a government-issued ID.
Other states have similar regulations in place regarding casino payment processing and identity verification.
Gambling Payment Processing FAQ
Below are answers to frequently asked questions regarding making deposits and receiving payouts.