Guide to Depositing at Online Gambling Sites

There are two things you need to do in order to gamble online
for real money.

1. Open an account with a gambling site.
2. Add funds to your online gambling account.

The first step is an easy one, although we should remind you
how important it is to choose the right site. The second step is
easy too, but it’s one that players often ask us for advice on.
That’s why we’ve put this article together. It covers everything
players could possibly want to know about depositing at online
gambling sites.

We start the article by looking at the various methods you
can use to deposit, and go on to explain the process for making
a deposit. We then provide some information on withdrawing too.
We finish by answering a number of frequently asked questions
about making gambling deposits.

Deposit Options at Gambling Sites

Most gambling sites give you several different options for
depositing funds. The exact options available will vary from
site to site, and some options may not be available depending on
where you live. For example, PayPal isn’t an option for anyone
living in the United States and Canada.

We’ve written another article where we list all the options
that can be used for online gambling deposits and explain more
about each one. For the purposes of this article, here’s a short
list of the most popular and widely available options.

• Credit Card
• Debit Card
• E-wallet
• Money Transfer
• Prepaid Cards
• Bank Wire/Transfer

Credit & Debit Cards

Credit cards and debit cards are probably the easiest options
to use. Visa and MasterCard are accepted at the vast majority of
sites, and American Express and Diner’s Club are sometimes
available as well. It’s worth noting that some credit card
companies won’t allow you to use your card for online gambling
transactions. This is more of an issue for Americans than anyone
else, but even for them it’s not a particularly common problem.

E-Wallets

For those unfamiliar with the term E-wallets, they are
basically prepaid online accounts. You can fund them using
various methods, and then easily send those funds to other
individuals or companies. PayPal is the biggest and best known
e-wallet; Neteller and Skrill are very popular too.

Using e-wallets is a great way to deposit at gambling sites.
It’s very simple and it’s also one of the quickest ways to
receive funds when cashing out any winnings. Unfortunately for
Americans (again!), many e-wallets do not allow US residents to
use them for gambling transactions.

Money Transfer

Money transfer services, also known as cash transfer services
or money orders, are a popular way to deposit among gamblers
from the United States. MoneyGram and Western Union are the two
most widely used services. This is a slightly more complicated
way to deposit, as it involves more steps than most other
methods, but it’s reliable and it’s often the best option for
Americans.

Prepaid Cards

Using prepaid cards is essentially the same process as using
a credit card or debit card, and it’s an option available at
most gambling sites. They are popular primarily because they
allow gamblers to fund their online accounts without their banks
or credit card companies knowing what they’re doing. This is
relevant because gambling transactions can affect credit
ratings.

Bank Wire/Transfer

A bank wire, or bank transfer, is another relatively simple
option. The problem with this method, however, is that players
won’t usually be able to gamble with the funds instantly. It can
be as many as three or four days for the funds to be available
in fact, depending on how long the transfer itself takes and how
long the site takes to process the transaction.

How to Deposit at Gambling Sites

As we’ve already mentioned, depositing funds at an online
gambling site is not a particularly difficult or complicated
process. If we were to be cynical about it, we could point out
that it is actually in the best interests of a site to make it
as easy as possible for players to send them their money…

Regardless, it’s entirely your decision as to whether you
want to deposit or not. If you do, and you’re new to gambling
online, then you might find the following step by step guide
useful. Please bear in mind that the process isn’t exactly the
same at every site, but it’s usually very similar at most
places.

Step 1 – Visit the Cashier

When you’re logged in at a gambling site, there will usually
be an option to visit the cashier. This is sometimes a simple
text link, as shown in the example below, or it’s sometimes a
more prominent button. Alternatively, there may be a link or
button that says “deposit now” or “my account.” Whichever option
is available, you’ll need to click it in order to proceed to the
next step.

Step 2 – Choose Deposit Option

Once you reach the cashier area of the site, you’ll typically
be presented with a list of available options. In the following
screenshot, we have provided an example of this. Let’s assume
you want to use your credit card. In order to proceed to the
next step, you’ll need to click on that option.

Step 3 – Enter Payment Information

You’ll now be taken to a screen where you can enter the
relevant payment information for your chosen option. When using
a credit card, for example, you’ll need to provide the card
number, the expiration date, and the security code. You’ll also
have to enter the amount you wish to deposit. Please note that
at many sites, there will be an option to enter a bonus code or
promotional code at this point. If you are eligible for a bonus
or special offer, you must remember to enter the necessary code.

Withdrawing From Gambling Sites

You can see from the above step by step guide just how easy
it is to deposit at online gambling sites. It’s just as easy to
withdraw too, and the process is very similar. Again you have to
visit the cashier, but this time you need to select “Withdraw”
or “Cash Out.” Then choose your preferred method of withdrawal,
and the amount you want to withdraw. Assuming you have the
requested amount in your account, your withdrawal will be sent
for processing.

Please be aware that, unlike the majority of deposits,
withdrawals aren’t typically processed instantly. Most sites,
and certainly the reputable ones, will usually process them
within 24 hours, but it can take longer. Depending on the
withdrawal method chosen, it can then take a few more days
before the funds actually reach you. E-wallet withdrawals tend
to be the quickest, followed by withdrawals by debit or credit
card.

Check withdrawals generally take the longest, and
unfortunately that’s often the only option for US gamblers. The
top US facing sites will send checks out to you as fast as they
can though.

It’s important to note that many sites have withdrawal limits
in place. If you win big, you may have to spread those winnings
over several withdrawals and over a few weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

To conclude this article, we have answered some of the most
frequently asked questions relating to depositing funds at
online gambling sites.