Gone are the days when players were allowed to pay by credit card; as in mid-April 2020 the Gambling Commission outlawed this as a payment method for gambling as a whole. And you can be sure this even includes trying to pay indirectly by credit card, too.
Having said that, when it comes to depositing funds into your online bingo account, there are still dozens of ways you can top up your bingo kitty – all with the confidence that the transaction is processed in a safe and reliable environment.
Here at BingoSites.com, we have compiled a helpful guide to help you familiarize yourself with all of the most commonly used (and safe) payment methods available, as well as things to look out for and any extra charges to you might be subjected to.
Online Bingo – Payment Methods
There is such a diversity of payment method available now when it comes to playing your favourite bingo games online. Of course, before you can begin to play, you will need to deposit some funds into your online bingo account.
Our team at BingoSites.com have compiled a list of some of the most frequently used and widely trusted payment methods to get you started.
Visa: Pretty much everyone is going to have at least heard of Visa, and it has to be one of the most trusted payment methods due to its familiarity. Generally speaking there will not be a charge for processing payments, and usually, the minimum deposit required is low with this one. Most importantly, payments at bingo sites are instant.
Mastercard: Where or not you are withdrawing money, or making a deposit, MasterCard is up there with Visa in terms of reputation and convenience. As well as the fact this payment method is widely accepted at online bingo sites.
What is Mastercard Securecode? It’s a very clever extra blanket of security for you, protecting you against fraud and other such horrors. Here’s how it works – During your transaction online, you will enter your unique Securecode (this is to verify it’s you), this is submitted directly to Mastercard and remains between you and them (the online bingo site does not have access to your SecureCode).
Maestro: Mastercard owns Maestro, and it is a hugely popular debit card option which is often free of charges. It’s usually as simple as linking up your card to your online bingo account and then leaving it to lady luck.
Bank Transfer: Regardless of whether you refer to this one as a bank transfer or a wire transfer – people have been using this payment method for decades. It is always important to remember that although this payment method is safe, it can take a number of days to appear in your online bingo pot, so you probably won’t be able to play with the funds straight away.
Paysafecard: This one is basically a prepaid voucher, so you do not need a debit card or visa etc to use it. Using a 16 digit pin code, as a customer you can buy vouchers at sales outlets, and just enter that code when it comes to paying, (or in this case disappointing funds into your online bingo site).
What are E-Wallets?
We can’t talk about payment methods without mentioning e-wallets, digital wallets, or mobile wallets. Surprisingly, the first-ever digital payment can be traced back to 1997 in Helsinki. A well known fizzy drinks brand would allow customers to pay for a drink from the machine by using their mobile phone.
As of now, there are quite a few to choose from. Forget about looking for your card details, entering your billing address etc – as with a few clicks, that new jacket is yours. And you know what they say – the way to a man’s wallet is through his phone! Okay, maybe not, but it is really that simple to make payments these days.
Now, if you happen to prefer the ease of not having to enter long card numbers into your favourite site, here are some of our favourite e-wallets for online bingo players.
Paypal: This is definitely the e-wallet most of us have heard of, and doesn’t seem to be waning in popularity. Paypal is used all over the world. You are able to deposit funds from however many different bank accounts or debit cards as you want to, and this will all be banded together in one safe place. Just top it up, and then you are able to move it across to your online bingo account instantly.
NETeller: Like with most e-wallets, within a matter of minutes, you are able to safely integrate money from various accounts, putting it in one place. NETeller was originally created with online gamblers in mind, so you can be sure it will be a safe way to deposit money into your online bingo account.
Skrill: Originally called Moneybooker, Skrill is a fast and easy way to deposit money into your online bingo account. The minimum deposit is really low, and there are no fees. There may, however, be a small charge for withdrawals. This depends on what type of banking option you are using to deposit onto your e-wallet.
Apple Pay: This e-wallet hasn’t been on the scene for as long as the others, but that’s not to say it isn’t popular. Before we begin with this one, it is important to note that you can only use Apple pay if you have an Apple ID, then you are able to use it on any iPadOS, iOS and watchOS.
Generally, there will be an option for you to scan your card of choice using your iPhone or iPad, but you will need to just check that your card issuer supports Apple Pay.
Instadebit: Another e-wallet, although perhaps lesser-known. Simply top it up, and decide how much you would like to deposit into your online bingo account. Voila.
As with paying for anything online, you need to bear in mind that each website will differ. In terms of how long it takes them to process your payments, it can mean the difference between immediate and days.
Of course, this is also very dependent on your payment method. So always check the data-tag of both your card issuer and your bingo website of choice.
Online Bingo – How to Deposit
Always check the minimum deposit required, which can be as little as £5 and might also help you decide which online bingo site is best for you and the way you like to play.
The vast majority of online bingo sites won’t charge you a penny to deposit funds into your online bingo account, which is great news, but always check as each will differ.
Unlike when withdrawing; you probably won’t need to verify your account before making a deposit. In fact, you should find the process pretty easy from start to finish.
We at BingoSites.com are going to run through what you are going to need to do in order to get started and make your first online bingo deposit.
- Register/Login: If you are already registered with the bingo site, at this stage you will just need to enter your email and password.
If you are not an existing customer, you will need to enter some basic information. Usually, this will be as follows: full name, residential address, date of birth, username, unique password.
- Payment Method Selection: You will need to select your payment/depositing method of choice from a drop-down list (such as any of the payment methods we’ve listed above).
We strongly advise sticking with a payment method you trust, whatever best suits you. This would usually be a debit card or e-wallet (for example).
- Make a Deposit: Now it’s time to decide how much you are willing to deposit/wager/bet. The vast majority of online bingo sites will specify what your minimum deposit can be (usually between £5 and £10).
Always check what (if any) charges you might be subjected to in order to deposit into your bingo account; because whilst most sites do not charge players to deposit – some do.
If after checking the authentication of your chosen bingo site, you are a little nervous to put your full card details in, then we strongly recommend using an e-wallet (check out the e-wallet section above).
The reason this is considered a safer option for some people is that players like to be able to deposit without ever having to enter those primary card/bank details onto a site.
Deposit Limits and Withdrawals
When it comes to deposits and withdrawals, it is always advisable to acquaint yourself with the online bingo site’s terms and conditions.
You need to know and understand any limitations expected of you – as most bingo sites have a maximum and a minimum transaction amount. Understanding these restrictions is sure to help you look after your finances a little better.
The transaction limits will usually depend on your chosen payment method, with a minimum deposit of £5 or £10, and the maximum being anywhere up to £10,000. If however, you did want to deposit more than the maximum, you should perhaps contemplate a bank account transfer instead. This way, you will be allowed a higher deposit limit.
So that’s deposits, what about withdrawals?
Just like deposits, there will almost certainly be a withdrawal limit in place, and these limits will be restricted on a weekly or monthly basis. You might also often find that you have to meet specific wagering requirements in order to withdraw any winnings if they were obtained via a bonus.
If you want more than what’s on offer, we at BingoSites.com don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a little bit cheeky and getting in touch with the online bingo site’s customer support department to ask.
You will often find that they are willing to reduce or expand your withdrawal or deposit limitations upon request. That’s not a guarantee and will depend on the site and also your payment method, but you don’t know until you ask right?
Bingo Deposit Bonuses
Of course, online bingo sites often have great incentives for new customers to join in. Generally speaking, these are given to you on the first deposit you make (a sort of thanks for choosing us).
Be aware that most sites will stipulate to you how much you need to deposit in order to gain access to your bonuses, and sometimes the ‘agreement’ is a deposit match. An example is a 100% match bonus for signing up, with a limit set in place of say, £100 for example.
No two online bingo sites are the same, so always check those all-important terms and conditions. We wouldn’t want you to get stung by high wagering requirements, making that initially exciting bonus seem a lot less appealing.
No deposit bingo bonuses are seldom seen, but always a welcome treat. Without paying a single penny, you can access a generous bingo bonus with no deposit necessary. A word of warning, always check those wagering requirements, some sites have none, others might be extortionate.
To Conclude
We hope that you now have a much better understanding of how online bingo site banking works, and how to avoid any nasty surprises (namely fees).
Make sure the bingo site you choose is fully licenced and regulated – you can either enter the bingo site name into the Gambling Commission website or just look on the bingo site for the stamp of approval.
At the risk of repetition, it is highly recommended that you check any fees you may be liable to, for instance, withdrawal fees. Probably most importantly, you guessed it – check the terms and conditions, and the level of player fund protection offered by the online bingo site in question.
A good but simple piece of advice for anyone who is worried about paying securely online is to check that the ‘Http’ (Hyper Transfer Protocol) in your internet browser address bar, changes to ‘Https’ (Hyper Transfer Protocol Secure). This ‘S’ should give you the peace of mind, that you are using a protected and private secure connection.
At the end of the day, you are in charge of your own money, so always be super vigilant when it comes to which bingo sites you trust with it.
Editor-in-Chief Beth Taylor is Editor-in-Chief at BingoSites.com and has been writing about online bingo for the past 5 years. She is considered an industry expert and is a regular attendee at industry events and conferences. Having studied journalism at King's College London, she combines this with her passion for bingo to produce the independent content for this website.
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