Which Payment Methods are Best for UK Players?

When choosing a way to fund their online casino account, UK gamblers normally opt for credit or debit cards, E-wallets such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller, Citadel Instant Banking or UKash.

Credit or Debit Cards – These remain a popular online payment option despite the increasing number of alternatives. It’s not all that surprising since cards are among the most secure methods of moving cash via the internet and are extremely easy to use when making deposits and withdrawals. Visa and MasterCard are accepted pretty much everywhere, typically come with larger transaction limits than other options offered at gaming sites and, once transferred, winnings are instantly accessible via ATMs.

PayPal – is one of the best payment options for those looking to remain “anonymous”. You will have to provide certain personal information when opening a PayPal account, but will never have to share any with an online casino. Deposits are made with your email address and password, and nothing more. PayPal is very easy to use, it’s safe thanks to highest levels of security imposed by the European banking license, and service is free of charge.

Skrill / Neteller – These two E-wallets are, almost by default, featured by online casinos everywhere. They share many of the same benefits, namely speed (usually the fastest withdrawal option available), ease-of-use, safety and anonymity. Like with PayPal, you’ll have to register to become a user and fund your Skrill or Neteller account with the help of credit/debit cards, online bank transfer, prepaid cards or other E-wallets. The only potential snag is that some gaming sites will withhold their welcome offers if you choose to fund your account with either of these digital wallets, so make sure to read the T&Cs before paying anything.

Citadel Instant Banking – allows you to use your own internet banking account to transfer money to an online casino. It doesn’t require that you register in order to use the service, the provider doesn’t store any of your personal or financial information and will not charge you any fees. In order to make a deposit, you only have to select Citadel on the casino’s payment page, choose your bank, and use your internet banking data to login and confirm the payment.

UKash (now PaySafeCard) – This London-based service allows online payments to be made without the need for a credit/debit card – or even a bank account. It was a voucher system which came with a 19-digit code one would use for completing online transactions. In 2014, Skrill Group bought the company and incorporated UKash within the PaySafeCard system. Whichever UKash vouchers you might still own are expired, though you can still exchange them for PaySafeCard widely accepted on the online gambling scene. The latter works in a similar way; cards can be bought with cash at participating retailers and money transferred with a 16-digit PIN. The only drawback is that PaySafeCard can’t be used for withdrawals.