Debit cards are a hugely popular way of making online deposits at US online casinos, as they offer speedy and reliable transactions. Their popularity is partly because debit cards simply provide a way of depositing money instantly as they are linked directly to the funds in your bank account. This means that, unlike a credit card, you can only spend the money that is in your account. As long as your account has the funds, the transaction is processed, and there is normally no fee.
If you don’t have a debit card, you can still use a credit card or prepaid card at an online casino.
Yes, debit cards can be used for online gambling in the US as long as the casino you have an account with accepts them. Generally, deposits do not incur any fees, but some casinos could add one so make sure to check out the terms of use.
Yes, using a debit card at an online casino in the US is very safe. Most players will have used a debit card for online payments at some point already. A debit card’s super-tight security includes its own specific card number and even the additional short number (CVV) located on the back. These measures are in place to prevent any card fraud from occurring.
A sweepstakes casino, also known as a social casino, gives players a chance to win real money by using Sweeps Coins. Sweeps Coins are given as a promotion or when a player buys Gold Coin packages. This allows players to play for free using Gold Coins, or for a chance to win real money using the free Sweeps Coins they earned.
Sweepstakes casinos like Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots allow players to make purchases using debit cards. As noted, players can purchase Gold Coin packages that come with free Sweeps Coins. If a player wins more Sweeps Coins by playing the casino games available at one of these social casinos, they can redeem that Sweeps Coins for real money. This makes it necessary to have a real money payment option that can be used within the gambling site. Depending on the free online casino, different debit card options are available.
You can win real cash prizes online free at these legal US sweeps casinos:
Gambling sites with payment options, such as BetMGM, BetRivers, and Golden Nugget all accept debit cards.
One of the main reasons that debit cards are so easy to use at gambling sites of all types, is that they are instant payments from the account. Banks will record the payment as a direct transaction and therefore allow payment to legal US casinos instantly.
The only time your bank may block a transaction of this type is if they feel the site is fraudulent or you have made an unusually large deposit to a new site. However, these aren’t drawbacks in any way as it demonstrates the high security in place when using a debit card for this type of transaction.
Here are the best US online gambling sites that accept debit cards:
There are a growing number of debit card options available at legal US online casinos. Currently, Visa and MasterCard hold the top spots thanks to their sheer longevity and strong reputations. American Express (Amex) and Discover are also starting to become possibilities or can already be chosen at some real money and free gambling sites. Discover, however, still has some ways to go before it becomes as commonly used as the other three options.
As Visa is a US-based company, it will come as no surprise to find that Visa Debit is available at a large number of US online casinos in various states. Visa has a good reputation thanks to its very strict regulations, high levels of security, and speedy payments. Generally Visa Debit has low or no fees attached too, which makes it a popular option.
What’s great about Visa is that it can be used for both deposits and withdrawals, though withdrawal times tend to be significantly longer (up to a week) than other payment options. Upper-end limits tend to be quite high for Visa transactions, but there’s generally a lower limit of around $20 for both deposits and withdrawals.
MasterCard is another widely used debit card option at US online gaming sites and is generally accepted wherever online gambling is legal. It’s already well-known, and used, by a large number of players and offers a readily accessible, highly secure payment option due to the need for full name, card number and more, when making any transactions. An added perk is that the company will help you recover lost funds should an issue occur.
MasterCard at online casinos may have a fee attached, but usually, these are small. And from our experience, very unlikely. There can also be a fee from the casino’s side. Generally, there’s a $20 minimum for any transaction. At the maximum end, you’re looking at decent high numbers, usually in the thousands of dollars. Both withdrawals and deposits can be made using this method, but be aware that transaction times for withdrawals tend to be a little bit slower than other payment options; deposits are instant though.
American Express has become one of the world’s biggest card issuers so it will come as no surprise to find that a number of US online gambling sites now give Amex Debit payment options. However, it is still relatively new to the iGaming world so not all legal US casinos offer this as an option. Despite this lesser use, it’s a highly trusted method that offers fast, secure transactions with no additional fees. Better yet, it’s also great if you are accessing a site and want to make payments from a mobile device.
At casinos where Amex is offered, both deposits and withdrawals can be made, though the latter can take over a week to process. Similar to other debit card options, limits are much larger than other payment options. However, your bank may have set an additional limit on your card, so make sure you know what that is before you start to play online.
The Discover Card is an online debit card option that can be used at US online casinos. However, it’s still very new to use and as such, very few legal online gambling sites will actually offer this as a payment option. Despite not being commonly available, if you find a casino offering this option, there are some great perks. For instance, there are no fees from the bank nor the casino when you use it. Better still, when you do use it, there’s an option for cashback too!
Unfortunately, Discover has high vendor fees, which have hurt its usage around the country. Elsewhere in its features, Discover offers much the same as other debit cards including similar payment limits, the ability for both withdrawal and deposits and a week processing time for getting back any winnings.
Currently, there are two top debit card options in the US and these are Visa and MasterCard. Despite Amex also coming from the US, it is only used roughly a quarter of the time for online transactions throughout the country.
Visa and MasterCard hold that top spot due to their high levels of security, lack of fees for both cardholder and vendor, and the long-trusted reputation they have built over the years with players knowing that transactions are safe, smooth and secure. This has also led to the majority of players having one or other of these cards, not necessarily by choice, but simply due to the fact that it is the card option provided by their bank. The vendor fees that Discover have in place are somewhat of a dampener to banks and other such companies meaning that Discover is continually passed over in favor of the other options.
We have outlined here the different options available to those who wish to play at free online casinos:
When it comes to making a deposit at an online casino, it couldn’t be easier. Here are the steps:
Withdrawing your hard-earned winnings is a similarly straightforward process:
Withdrawal times can vary depending on the turnaround time by the casino. Generally, debit card withdrawals can take anywhere from 3 to 7 days to process and turn up in your bank account. There does not appear to be much difference in the processing time between the various debit card options.
In general, debit cards do not have any fees attached unless you have overspent and then this fee comes from your bank and out of your overdraft (if you have agreed on one). Generally, none of the different debit cards stand out from the other, with all being fee-free.
There are a number of great advantages to using a debit card at a US online casino:
There are of course some downsides to using a debit Card:
If you have decided that a debit card is the method for you, then it’s time for you to sign up for one. No matter which of the main debit card options you decide to go for (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express), the signup process is very similar. We have outlined the process here:
Transfer speed depends on whether you are depositing or withdrawing. Deposits occur instantly so that you can get playing right away. Withdrawals will have a casino processing time, plus the time it takes for the money to then appear in your bank which can be from 3 to 7 days depending on the casino and the card type.
As a general rule, there are no fees associated with any of the debit card options. However, the casino may add a fee of their own for the usage. Be aware that Discover charges a high vendor fee, which may cause some casinos to add one of their own to make up for it. It’s also good to be aware of the funds in your bank account. If you overspend, you may incur an overdraft fee from your bank. Additionally, you may incur a bank fee if you make a payment in a different currency to the one in your bank account.
Generally, debit cards have the lowest minimum deposit limits out of all payment options. However, these limits will still depend on the casino you are playing at.
Similar to deposits, debit cards offer very low minimum withdrawal limits. At the opposite end of the spectrum, debit cards tend to be able to withdraw in the thousands though this will depend on the maximum withdrawal allowed by the casino.