How to Deposit at an Online Casino with your Visa Card
I rate Visa as the single easiest deposit option for online casino players. Whether you are US based and depositing at an offshore casino – or based outside the US – there are options available for you. Visa deposits come in 3 types. Visa Credit Cards, Visa Debit Cards (which are linked directly to your current account balance) and pre-paid Visa Cards (also known as Visa Gift Cards).
This page takes you through all you need to know about getting money onto an online casino safely and easily using Visa.
First of all below a note on the US banking restrictions and clarification that there are no Federal laws aimed at individual casino players. After that you’ll find a stage-by-stage guide to using your Visa card to make that deposit. Some alternative options should your Visa transaction end up getting declined and some notes on withdrawing from online casinos can be found after that.
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US Banking Restrictions and Visa Casino Deposits
An act known as the UIGEA, passed back in 2006, restricts banks and other financial institutions from transacting with gambling site operators. This act caused the bigger global site operators to leave the US. There is nothing in this act (which is often misrepresented as making online gambling illegal) that so much as mentions individual players – this is 100% targeted at the banks.
In practical terms, it means that the banks and networks which are used to process transactions will try to block gambling site deposits. Offshore casinos can accept Visa deposits using international payments. This means that as long as your card can make purchases abroad, you will often be able to get your deposit through first time.
Depositing with 3 Types of Visa Card
#1 – Visa Credit Cards
This is the standard option used from the US. They are usually issued by banks, though will not be linked directly to your checking account. You get to choose whether to pay off the full balance at the end of the month or roll this over.
#2 – Visa Debit Cards
These are more common outside of the US and work by taking money directly from your checking (current) account. If you have no money in your account, then you will not usually be able to purchase on credit with this type of Visa branded card.
#3 – Prepaid Visa Cards / Gift Cards
There are many brands which fit into this category, including the well-known Green Dot cards. You can buy these at gas stations or your local convenience store in preset amounts (for example $100, $50 and so on). You will pay a fee on top of this amount. Effectively you have a credit card which works up to the balance you bought. Brands which are able to make international purchases can then be used to deposit at online casinos.
How to Deposit at Online Casinos with your Visa Card
Before you deposit, it is worth spending a few minutes checking the reputation and trust factors of a casino. A great starting point is our Casino Sites section, which includes reviews of trusted and reputable online casinos. I like to check for a license, external testing of game fairness and a great track record of online payments.
Next you’ll need to register an account. As a security policy, casinos will need verification (if not right after your deposit then before you can withdraw). This means that you need to make sure your account information matches your id.
You’ll now be ready to make your deposit. Head to the cashier (usually following a bright and large button to get there) and click the Visa option. Now add the full card number, security number (from the signature strip), name as printed on the card and date the card expires. You might also have the opportunity to add a bonus code at this point in the process.
Once you click submit the casino will use the payment gateways to process your transaction. This can take a couple of minutes. You’ll then find out whether your transaction got through, or was declined.
The final step at most casinos is verification. This is a security measure which is designed to protect you from fraud. You’ll be asked to fill in a form and to provide both scans of your Id and a picture of your card. Some casinos want this right away (before you play), others wait until you request a withdrawal.
What if your Visa Casino Deposit gets declined?
US offshore casinos are only able to operate thanks to their payment processing expertise. An easy first step if your Visa is declined is to speak to the staff and find out what is working at the moment. Sometimes that same card will get through a second time (with a switch in payment gateway). Other times you might be advised to try a prepaid card or a money transfer service instead.
Casino Withdrawals and Visa Cards
Once again there is a US / Non-US split. If you are based in the US then Visa card withdrawals are not possible. The payment gateways and banks will block these. This means you will have to choose from a short list of withdrawal methods instead. The most popular of these is a paper check (which banks will honor), with money transfer services or sometimes wire transfers the alternatives.
Worldwide you can often withdraw to Visa if you went down the Debit Card route, effectively this is a wire back to your bank account. If your casino will not support this there are plenty of alternatives including the popular eWallet systems.
A Brief History of Visa Cards
The popularity of Visa cards around the world is staggering. There are an estimated 1.5 billion cards which can be used in 160 countries. This card started life as a California-only project owned by Bank of America in 1958. This was then called the BankAmericard. After a successful nationwide rollout the biggest change came in 1970. BoA passed control to a group of issuing banks, a collective ownership system which still runs today – with 20,000 financial institutions involved. The name Visa was first used in 1976.