Credit Cards

One of the most popular and easiest ways to make a deposit at online poker sites is to simply open up your wallet, and pull out a credit card. There are however quite a few reasons that credit card deposits won’t work for making deposits at online poker sites.Depending on where you’re located in the world, there may actually be a law that prohibits the banks that issue credit cards from doing business with online gambling companies. Such is the case in the United States, where banks aren’t able to process gambling transactions.

In most places in the United States, there’s not even a law that prohibits players from gambling, there’s just that silly law that says our ports will be safer if banks don’t get involved, and therefore prohibits them from doing so. That law is called the UIGEA, or the Universal Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Many other countries have followed the United States’ lead and enacted similar laws.The good news is that there are still credit/debit cards available that residents of these tricky markets CAN still use to make credit card deposits.For people located within the United Kingdom however, and in many other parts of the world, credit cards are still the most popular deposit method when it comes to funding poker accounts.

Types of Credit Cards used at Online Poker Sites

• Diners Club
• Amex
• Visa
• MasterCard
• Maestro
• Discover
• Laser

Debit Cards Accepted at Poker Sites

• MasterCard
• Amex
• Visa
• Maestro
• Switch

Making Credit Card Deposits

Once you’ve chosen the online poker sites where you want to make deposits, and have verified that depositing by credit card is indeed an option, go ahead and get logged into your account at the poker site.

• Choose the best poker deposit bonus offer you can find from a room that accepts credit card deposits.
• If you have an account, login. If you do not have an account, download the sites software, and set one up. If you need helpwith that process, check out our review of the poker site for step by step directions.
• Visit the poker sites cashier window to make a deposit. Generally, the deposit button is very plainly visible from the pokersites lobby; it’s usually even red or green.
• Now enter your credit card details into the onscreen form provided by the poker site. This usually includes the credit card number,the expiration date and the CCV number that’s barely visible on the backside of the card.
• Choose your deposit amount and hit submit.

More Reasons Your Credit Card May Be Declined

We already mentioned above that your card may be declined simply because of geography and the legalities as far as using credit cards for depositing to online poker sites in your area. There are a few other reasons your card might be declined that you can actually avoid.

• If you’re asked to enter your zip code, be sure it’s the same zip code that your credit card bill is sent to.
• The CCV (the three digit code on the back of your card can be VERY difficult to read. This # is the number the bank uses to ensurethat you do indeed have the credit card in your possession. If you’re not sure what it is, grab a magnifying glass so that you can seeit clearly before entering it.

Once you’ve made your deposit, the funds will immediately become available in your poker account.

Sending the Poker Site a Scanned Copy of Your Credit Card

Sometimes the poker site will ask you to send them a copy of your card, or both your card and your identification. This is a pretty rare occurrence, and frankly, a mildly annoying one. Just remember the cliche’ it’s for your own good. The casino is simply trying to prevent would-be criminals from stealing away with your identity and losing your bankroll playing poker poorly.

There are two simple ways to get your card scanned and sent.

• Use a scanner and scan both the front and back sides of both requested cards
• Use a digital camera to take a ‘legible’ picture of both sides of both cards.

Prepaid Cards Accepted at United States Poker Sites

In most cases, even when your own credit cards aren’t working at the poker site where you’d like to play, a prepaid credit card that’s intended for use internationally will work. The following list of prepaid credit cards is available for your use. We don’t endorse any of these cards in particular, and we’ve yet to review them (bookmark this page though, so that you’ll be able to check back when we have reviewed them, just press ctrl d on your computers keyboard.)

• Netspend
• AAA Prepaid Visa
• Account Now
• UPSIDE PREPAID VISA
• Walmart Money Card
• PayPower Prepaid Card
• Rush card Prepaid Visa
• Wired Plastic Prepaid Credit Card
• Ready Debit Prepaid Card

Keep in mind when choosing between the above cards that each card charges various fees for something. Some cards charge more for withdrawals, some for setting up an account, some for maintaining an account, and others for making deposits. As you review each card, figure out which fees you’ll be affected by the most, and which cards offer the lower fees, plus the best perks. For instance, Wired Plastic allows users to earn points for cell phone payment cards.