Payment methods

The rise of online casinos is nothing short of formidable. With their popularity increasing, alongside their range of games, it is little wonder these casinos make everything as easy as possible for their players, including how payments are made. If you want to play at an online casino you need to find a way to pay. The days of walking into a land-based casino seem a distant memory, so playing online means paying online too. 

For players in Ireland, online casinos provide a host of payment and withdrawal options for you to choose from. Knowing what options are available means you can choose the one that is right for you. Here is all you need to know about payment methods at online casinos.

What makes a payment method popular?

Some payment methods are more popular than others at online casinos. Popularity is determined by the speed at which you can deposit and withdraw, as well as knowing your funds are secure.

It used to be the case that when you tried to withdraw any winnings from your favourite online casino, you would face a frustrating delay. It wasn’t uncommon to have to wait up to five days for your funds to reach you. New payment methods have become so popular because of their speed. It is now common to have your winnings in your account within a matter of hours, or even instantly. When it comes to choosing your payment method, it is worth checking that you can access your winnings quickly. 

Currency support

Most online casinos will accept a number of different currencies, so you should be able to find one that supports your local currency. All of the casinos we recommend support the euro. The most popular currencies accepted online are:

• The euro
• The British pound
• The US dollar
• The Canadian dollar
• The Australian dollar

It is always best to play in your local currency. For one, it is easier to know exactly how much you are playing with and how much your winnings are. Secondly, by playing with another currency you are then going to have to convert it to your local currency. This could eat into your winnings by you being charged conversion fees. That is why it is important that, before signing up with an online casino, make sure they support the euro. 

Debit and credit cards

These are some of the most popular payment methods around the globe. Unsurprisingly, most online casinos will accept Visa, Mastercard and Maestro cards as a form of payment. Debit and credit cards are so popular as a payment method at casinos because the majority of people over 18 possess either one or both. Credit cards can not be used for any form of gambling in the UK, but this does not currently apply to players in Ireland.

An advantage of using a credit or debit card as a form of payment is that the same method will also be used for any withdrawals. This means that when you withdraw your winnings, they will go straight on to your card/into your account with no need to transfer the funds from any third party. When you register your card with the casino, you will need to input your long card number, expiry date and CVC. This is a one-off. Once your card is registered, it is stored for you to use again any time that you choose. 

E-wallets

With the speed at which you are able to withdraw your winnings, e-wallets are quickly becoming the most popular payment method at online casinos. Some e-wallets will charge a nominal fee to process your payments, although these are minimal and pale into insignificance when you consider the positive points. 

Some of the most popular e-wallets you can use at online casinos are:

• PayPal – probably the most well known, and popular, e-wallet. You can use PayPal to make payments and withdraw winnings without having to share your bank account details with your online casino.
• Neteller – working in much the same way that PayPal does, Neteller is a popular payment method accepted at practically all online casinos.
• Skrill – another popular e-wallet that works in a similar vein and is widely accepted.

These e-wallets all offer great levels of protection to their users. In the unlikely event that anything ever goes wrong and your favourite online casino is unable to resolve the issue, your e-wallet provider can usually assist. 

Mobile payments

With the ever-increasing popularity of playing online casino games on a mobile phone, it makes sense that players in Ireland are able to use their phones to make payments. At the payment stage, you are able to make a deposit simply by entering your phone number. You will then receive a code via text message before your account is topped up and you are ready to play. The payment is added to your monthly mobile phone bill, or taken from your available pay as you go balance. 

Several providers allow you to use your mobile to deposit at an online casino. These include:

• Boku
• PayForit
• Zimpler

Your choice of mobile phone service provider shouldn’t limit your ability to use your mobile as a payment method. All major networks, such as EE, Vodafone, Virgin and Three, support this. 

With around 70% of players at online casinos now playing on their mobiles, this payment method is set to increase in popularity and be offered at more and more casinos. 

Security

All of the casinos we recommend in Ireland take your security, and that of your funds, seriously. With significant sums of money passing backward and forwards, as well as a considerable amount of personal information, online casinos take all possible steps to keep your details and your money safe. 

Some of the steps that online casinos take for your security include:

• Firewalls
• Offering a variety of payment options
• Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
• Security certificates

At CasinoSelect, we only recommend reputable and licensed online casinos. These casinos’ safety and security measures are on the same level as banks and other financial institutions. This means you can rest assured that your details are safe.