DEBIT CARDS
Debit Cards and Online Casinos
If you have one, we recommend you use Maestro when gambling online. While some charges apply when using other cards, they don't with Maestro. For example, topping up an eWallet such as NETELLER with MasterCard Debit, VISA Debit and VISA Electron will incur charges of around 1.75%, whereas Maestro users are charged nothing.
Unlike some credit card issuers who charge you a ‘cash advance' interest rate to deposit in an online casino, there are no such charges with Maestro.
Using a debit card means that you'll stay in the black as you can only deposit money that you've already got. Checking your bank statements provides you with an easy way to keep tabs on how much you're spending.
Plus, for an added layer of protection, most casinos allow you to impose deposit limits. These special limits have to be requested and can be daily, weekly and monthly. The casino won't allow you to go over these limits and if you chose to remove them they'll give you a cooling off period to make sure you're not making any rash decisions in the heat of the moment.
Securing Your Card
Like paying for anything online you have to follow some basic security rules:
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Don't hand over valuable card or bank information by email or telephone.
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Keep your cards and bank details in a safe place.
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Never lend your card to someone else. Not even a family member.
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Print out the data of all transactions and keep it safe in case you need to query something.
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Check statements for payments that you haven't made.
Finally, it's worth bearing in mind that when using a debit card, the name on the card must match the name of the casino account holder exactly or the transaction may be stopped.
Debit cards are the most common form of payment method both online and offline. 44.9 million people using them in the UK - a figure that makes up 89% of adults in the country. Therefore it's no surprise that almost all online casinos accept them.
The main benefits of using debit cards are the speed at which they can be made, the cost (it's free), and the simplicity of the process (just five bits of info are needed).
When you compare debit card with credit cards there are a few differences. Unlike credit cards, debit cards are not covered by the Consumer Credit Act so if a casino does go bankrupt you won't see your money again. This is extremely unlikely to happen, especially as plenty of UK facing casinos are now publicly listed. When was the last time you heard of a casino going bust?
If you are an avid points or air miles collector you're wasting your time with debit cards. This isn't necessarily a big deal but is something to consider if you're going to be using them regularly.
- Maestro offers the lowest deposit and withdrawal rates of any payment method. It's free!
- Great way to load up any eWallets you may have.
- You can avoid larger fees associated with using credit cards.
- Larger deposit limits (if any) making it ideal for big players.
- Accepted by all online casinos.
- Multiple security measures in place.
- No fund protection.
- Some people aren't keen on having a straight bank-to-casino payment method.
