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Ever used your credit card at betting sites? It’s an option many bettors like to try for themselves, and for good reason.
Of all the payment options on the iGaming table, credit cards are among the easiest-to-use and most widely accepted. They’re usually fast, too, and you get the added benefit that mainstream banks and card issuers tend to have a rock-solid rep. But of course, nothing in life is perfect…
You and I are both busy people here, so allow me to break down the basics. Using credit cards for sports betting has its ups and downs:
On that second-from-last point on the cons side – for obvious reasons, you should read up on what the law has to say about gambling by credit card wherever you live before betting. In some countries, like the UK and Germany, for starters, it’s completely off-limits.
Whether you’ve been eyeing-up VISA betting sites or MasterCard-compatible casinos, the first thing I reckon you’ll want to know is how to fund your iGaming account, right?
Well, it’s good news – the process is dead-easy, and basically identical between sites. Nine times out of ten, you just need to:
But wait – depending on who you bet with, transaction times are going to vary. Fact of life, I’m afraid. Of all the online betting deposit methods out there, though, credit cards are usually one of the fastest. The best betting brands, which I’ll recommend in a bit, let you credit your account instantly.
Let’s cut to the chase – you can cash out by following basically the same steps as making a deposit; the obvious difference being you’ll want to click “withdraw” instead of “deposit” from your bookie’s payments page.
Now, waiting times will vary from site to site, again, too. I’ve seen casinos process withdrawals in the blink of an eye, while in the same breath, their direct competitors leave folks waiting up to 48 hours. Best way to swerve the slow lane? Sign-up with the best and fastest brands.
Ever played at PayPal betting sites? I reckon we can both agree verification hurdles can be a mess with ‘em, right? Well, I’m happy to say using credit cards with casinos and bookmakers is ordinarily a tad smoother.
Nevertheless, most brands are gonna want you to complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) check before cashing out for the first time. My advice? Get these checks put to bed the very first day you register with a brand. It’ll save you bothersome delays later on.
We’ve been here before, haven’t we? Recap time: average time-frames look like this:
Credit cards are of course famous for two things – credit and fees. Any credit card deposit you make anywhere is a cash advance. Timely payments are a must to swerve dodgy interest charges.
Some good news, though – at your bookmaker’s end, it’s highly unlikely additional fees will be tacked-on for deposits and withdrawals. Highly unlikely, but not completely unknown…
KYC’s the biggie here. As I said earlier, complete your checks early-on if you can – most bookmaker’s will let you do this from your “Account” page.
Credit card or no credit card, the best bookmakers around can be found in the banners of this page. Each of these betting sites has been checked to make sure that they offer you a legal betting service in your location as well as great odds and everything else.
Most of these betting sites should take credit card payments, although if they don’t, then you should be able to use one of the following alternative payment methods:
Other payment method | Popular payment providers |
---|---|
Debit cards | Visa, Mastercard |
Ewallets | PayPal, Skrill, Payz, Neteller |
Prepaid cards | Paysafecard |
Cryptocurrencies | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether |
Bank transfers | N/A |
Trust me on this one, your card-based betting experiences will be a damn site smoother if you make a point of only ever registering with bookies that offer the following:
This one’s kind of stating the obvious, but it’s best to double-check your preferred kind of card is 100% supported.
Likewise, look-up whether the bookie offers you the option to get your KYC checks out of the way on registration day, for the reasons I outlined earlier.
Online sports betting with credit cards ought to be fast. Keep an eye-out for instant deposits. Withdrawal-wise, brands that offer a “24-hours-or-less” promise are most worthy.
The best, most-trusted brands offer self-exclusion tools if you need a time-out. They ought to link you to reputable responsible gambling resources on the outside, too.
Some sites offer exclusive bonuses to customers who deposit via specific cards. Which, if you decide to deposit with these cards, could be used to bet on any market you want.
To be fair, a ton of people have asked me the following: Which countries prohibit credit cards for gambling?
Here are the regions with slightly stricter-than-average rules…
Country | Is credit card gambling off-the-cards? |
---|---|
UK | Yes |
Belgium | Yes |
Germany | Yes |
Ireland | The law lists it as “strongly discouraged”. Personally, I’d avoid it. |
For most, playing at credit card betting sites makes a fat lot of sense. It’s (usually) fast, cards are super-widely accepted, and you won’t have to sign-up for any fiddly online payment services to connect your cold, hard, cash with your casino or bookie’s online account, either.
But yeah… It’s a total no-go in some parts of Europe. And elsewhere, and a bit of shopping around for the best betting sites for speedy cash-outs is essential. Withdrawal times really can be miles apart from one betting site to another, so be sure to pick a brand that won’t leave you hanging around.
The main advantages of using credit cards for sports betting include ease of use, trustworthiness, widespread acceptance among bookmakers, and potential access to exclusive bonuses. Credit cards are typically fast for making deposits.
Yes, there are countries where gambling with a credit card is prohibited or discouraged. For example, in the UK and Germany, the use of credit cards for gambling is completely off-limits. In Ireland, it is strongly discouraged.
Depositing is usually as simple as accessing the “Payments” page on the betting site, clicking “Deposit,” selecting a credit card, and entering the deposit amount. Withdrawals follow a similar process, with varying waiting times depending on the site. Some sites process withdrawals quickly, while others may take up to 48 hours.
You should complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification as soon as possible to avoid delays with withdrawals later on. Most bookmakers allow you to complete this process from your “Account” page. It’s also important to be aware of potential interest charges if you don’t make timely payments on credit card advances.
Typically, deposits are instant when using credit cards at betting sites. Withdrawal times can vary, with some sites processing them in less than 24 hours, while others may take up to 48 hours. It’s unlikely that you will incur additional fees from the bookmaker for deposits and withdrawals.
Alternative payment options that are gaining popularity include Paysafecard, PayPal, and Skrill. These options are fast, trusted, and allow you to connect your funds with your casino or bookie’s online account without signing up for additional services.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.