Poker Deposit Methods

Getting money to and from an online casino site or to and from an online poker site can be tricky. For educational and entertainment purposes, I offer this guide to getting money to and from online gambling sites. Specific poker deposit methods are covered in detail on this site as well; check the menu on the left for articles about specific poker deposit methods.

Keep in mind that gambling online might be illegal from certain jurisdictions. Some states in the USA have specific laws prohibiting wagers online. While I know of no cases where an online poker player was prosecuted for playing poker for real money online, I advise you to obey the laws in your jurisdiction.

I should also note that a law called UIGEA was passed in 2006 which prohibits the transfer of funds for the purpose of gambling illegally online. This law applies to banks and payment processors though, not individuals who want to play. This has made it more difficult in some cases to process a deposit or withdrawal from an online poker room or a casino. But plenty of poker deposit methods still exist for players wanting to play online for real money.

The Easiest Poker Deposit Method

Credit Card Poker Deposits

The easiest way to make a deposit into an online poker account is to just use a credit card. But depending on where you live and what kind of situation the online poker site is facing at the time with its credit card processors, you might experience various levels of success getting the credit card payment to go through. Some banks and credits cards block transactions flagged as gaming-related, but some poker rooms have payment processors which can accept a charge via a credit card anyway. The worst case scenario if you try to use a credit card to deposit is that the card will decline and you won't have money in your account.

Other Poker Deposit Methods

eWalletXpress Poker Deposits

I'm a big fan of an online wallet service called eWalletXpress, which is an excellent option for low rollers like me. Bigger players might be frustrated with the deposit and withdrawal minimums and maximums via their service though. They have a maximum withdrawal amount of $2500 per week, so if you're an online poker pro, this might be a little more inconvenient than you prefer.

Instant Check Poker Deposits (Echeck or E-check Poker Deposits)

To use an instant check process to fund an online poker account, you'll need to release your checking account number to the online poker site you're using. This information might or might not be within your comfort zone, although realistically speaking, you release your checking account number every time you write a check to anyone.

So inputting that data online isn't substantially different from mailing them a paper check. If you wouldn't be comfortable sending a paper check to the online poker site at which you're going to play, then instant check poker deposits probably aren't for you. On the other hand, if you're dealing with a large, trusted poker site like Bodog, Full Tilt, or PokerStars, you probably have little to worry about in terms of your checking account information.

Western Union Poker Deposits

For players who want to get $1000 to $3000 a month into their poker account quickly, Western Union is probably as good an option as any, but it takes a little time and effort. You have to call the poker site and get the beneficiary name. Then you set up the money transfer with Western Union and get a money transfer control number. The poker site will need the money transfer control number in order to process your transfer.

I should probably note that Western Union charges pretty significant fees to transfer money.

The Best Poker Deposit Method

The best thing to do is to contact customer service at the poker site where you want to play and discuss the best poker deposit method with them. Payment processing is changing so rapidly in the online poker industry that any advice given here might be out of date by the day after it was written or published. But the customer support department where you want to play has a vested interest in helping you to be able to deposit money into your poker account quickly and easily. So the best poker deposit method is the method you work out with the online poker site you're dealing with.