Poker Deposit Methods Available To USA Players
When you are ready to play poker for real-money online, you've got to be able to deposit currency into your player account. It takes money to play for money but that isn't always easy for anyone that current resides in the United States thanks to gambling laws like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.
Not only do we help you understand all the online poker laws by state, we also have first hand knowledge when it comes to getting money into accounts. Some of our guys would like to believe they never have to make a deposit but they know better... we all hit that bad run and need to reload our accounts. This page is designed to help you understand better what options are available when it's time to get money in plus we can also help you with getting money out of online poker rooms as well.
Enough playing around, let's get serious. Here's what you need to know:
Credit/Debit Cards & Gift Cards - Most USA players choose to go straight to their wallet and grab their plastic, which is actually a pretty good move if it will work. We touched on a few of the reasons why your transaction may be declined earlier (UIGEA) which you can reference. There is really no-telling when your credit or debit card deposit will be accepted. We've personally experienced users in the same town but using different banks have different results while trying to deposit on the same day. There is no harm in trying plus it is the only real way to tell.
Cards Accepted (by popularity): VISA, American Express, MasterCard, JCB, Diner's Club, Discover Card
If declined, all hope is not lost. There is always another option and it might even include being able to purchase a VISA branded gift or prepaid card online with your VISA credit/debit card which can then be used to fund your poker account with cash. Always get more help before going this route as gift and prepaid cards are backed by different banks and the cashier can let you know which brand of card is working at the time i.e. NetSpend, MST, GreenDot, etc...
Still, if you don't have access to a credit/debit card to purchase an accepted gift card or the poker room isn't offering any at the time, there are other methods including some that can be funded in-person with cash. Here are a few of those methods:
Wire Transfers - A generic name for sending Western Union or Moneygram money wires, these carry a bit higher fees but can be purchased with cash at a retailer or electronically if funded by a credit card or checking account.
Players will need to contact the cashier before going through with this method and learn exactly what options they have available when it comes to accessing the wire transfer methods that are currently accepted. You do not want to be stuck using a wire transfer service that only works online or vice-versa because there may not be a physical retailer near you; flexibility is key.
Services Currently In Use: Western Union, Moneygram and Rapid Transfer
Bank Wire - A few websites will setup a direct account-to-account transfer from your checking, savings or even a new account you setup just for bank wires so that you can fund your account. This does take some time, especially if you open a new account at your bank, but once setup everything is in place for future deposits and even for payouts too!
Fees for bank wires are typically low and users can usually have them waived once the initial fees have been paid to set everything up. In other words, you may have to pay a fee to get this setup but after that it should/could be free when using it for subsequent deposits.
Because of the setup, we recommend sticking with only reputable poker rooms because you do not want to go through this process every time plus you don't want fly-by-night websites holding that information.
Electronic Wallets - This is basically a method that works similar to how PayPal works for eBay transactions. Unfortunately PayPal will not authorize American poker deposits so residents must rely on other companies which are safe but may only be around for a few months.
In other words, only fund your e-wallet account with what you plan to send to your poker account; it is not a bank account or even a PayPal account and should be used accordingly. Contact the cashier first if you intend to use an e-wallet option to make sure that it is still working/accepted at the poker room.
eWallets can be rather frustrating because all poker rooms use them but not all of them accept U.S. registrations. This makes the majority of options completely useless for Americans so knowing the right ones to use is key.
Checks / Money Orders / Cashier's Checks - This would seem like the most obvious option when credit/debit cards fail however it is not an instant method plus, strangely enough, not all poker sites accept them. These do carry low fees and are extremely safe however users must wait up to ten business days for the draft to actually arrive and clear the bank in whatever country the website operates within.
As soon as the funds have cleared, players will have the funds credited to their accounts instantly. It is recommended that depositors using any of these methods should intially be wise with their play and decisions because reloading via the same method could take just as long as the initial deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Poker Deposit Methods
Which Deposit Methods Are Accepted At Bovada Poker?
Americans only have a few choices when they choose to play poker for real-money at Bovada and need to make a deposit. As usual, credit cards lead the way here but Bovada is limited in that it only accepts VISA branded cards including gift and debit accounts.
The only other options to get funds into Bovada is by using wire transfer services. Labeled as Rapid Transfer (Western Union) and Money Transfer (Moneygram), Americans have access to the two biggest and most trusted wire transfer services they could possibly use. Start at the cashier before using either method.
Which Deposit Methods Are Accepted At Sportsbetting.ag Poker?
The deposit options at SportsBetting.ag's poker room are a bit more liberal than the rest of the websites and it's evident by their credit/debit card options. Those options include credit, debit and gift cards branded with the VISA or American Express logo.
MasterCard is not available to new players at Sportsbetting.ag but can be unlocked after a player has gained trust with the website. Ask the cashier if you want more details about getting qualified for being able to deposit using your MasterCard cards.
Other options for deposit include wire transfers like the methods we described above as well as account-to-account bank transfers and sending a money order or check through the mail. With those options, one is bound to do the trick for you.
Which Deposit Methods Are Accepted At 5Dimes Poker?
Credit cards are always the first choice but it is important to note that 5Dimes cannot accept VISA deposits from Maryland, Washington D.C. or residents in Washington State. Also, new users will need to deposit at least $50 and no more than $250 when making their first deposit using cards like VISA.
Outside of credit, debit and gift cards, users have the option to send a money order or a personal check through the mail. There are some fees and you will need to contact the cashier to find out what they are at the current time of deposit. This also applies to using wire transfers which are labeled "person-to-person".
Which Deposit Methods Are Accepted At BetOnline Poker?
BetOnline has many USA friendly deposit methods headlined by credit/debit cards like American Express and VISA. This is another poker room that is rumored to be able to accept MasterCard after players have been with the site for a while and anyone interested should contact the cashier to get full details.
Users also have friendly options with wire transfers like Western Union and Moneygram plus the tried and true method of sending a draft (check, money order, cashier's check) through the postal service.
All of the methods used to deposit into BetOnline are effective and are accepted with a high rate of success. It is more a matter of choosing which one works best for your situation.