February 22nd 2001 ©

Online Casinos offer a myriad of payment services these days, with the empahsis on choice. Everyone is different, from those who drop $10 here and there for kicks, to those who can almost make a living with their High-Roller approach. This article presents the facts about each available method, hoping that I can help you to choose the payment method that is most suitable to you.

When you do cash out, it can take weeks to get your cash. One of the most persistant complaints by customers of Internet casinos is that they do not receive their checks in the time they expect.

International mailings can take weeks to arrive, and in some cases, never arrive at all. Couple that with the fact that some online casinos only process cash outs once per week, and you have a lengthy delay in getting your check. So what are your options?

Credit Card

The most common way used by casinos is to deposit a refund back to your credit card. Usually this is free, but Casinos may only refund the amount you originally deposited to you credit card, and not your winnings, preferring to send them by check. The reason for this lies solely with the rules enforced by credit card companies. New rules currently pending may mean a complete halt to being paid by credit card! Credit card transactions generally take a while to process because of a history of fraud, so you may wait a while to get your winnings.

PayPal

Over 10 million people in 36 countries currently use PayPal. Using this personal payment system, money can be sent to anyone with a valid email address. Just click on the Send Money tab and enter the recipient's email address and the payment amount and it will be debited from your account.
If you are not a US resident, you will have to enter a credit card and wait a while to have it verified before you can begin sending money instantly.
If you purchase Casino credits using PayPal you will be able to use them at the casino immediately. The same goes for having your winnings transferred to your account. Depending on how you have your Paypal account set up, you can then move your money from your Paypal account to your credit card or bank account, or you can use it to buy things online!

FirePay

Players can sign up for this service at www.firepay.com, or at the casino that offers the service. Putting money in your account works the same way as Paypal, but the payment system is slightly different. You use your Firepay account as if it were a credit card! Just go to the casino you want to use and enter your account number. Purchases and winnings can then flow back and forth to your account. You can then use the same account at any casino that offers Firepay as a method of payment.

Electronic Check

Electronic check takes a long time to set up and usually costs around 1$ per witdrawal you make. When you have it set up, your deposits to the casino are instantaneous but your cashins are held for 7 days for security reasons. Currently, only casinos using Cryptologic software use this payment method, so you don't get the option at the majority of casinos.

Bank Wire

To use this method you will be required to provide the casino with information about your checking account such as account number, routing number etc. After that, the casino will be capable of making direct deposits to your bank account. Bank wire usually causes additional fees to be charged by the casino or your bank and therefore is only recommended when receiving large winnings. The benefit is that you get instantaneous cash-outs right into your bank account without going through a middle account such as PayPal or Firepay. The fees, however, can be hefty.

So, weigh up your options, take a close look at what kind of player you are and how much you tend to transfer, and then make an informed decision! One thing is for sure, the month long wait for checks should now be over!

The Blackjack Man