Poker Sites That Use Paypal
PayPal will never be offered again at offshore poker sites but it will be allowed at state licensed poker sites. The only current two states is Nevada and New Jersey where the WSOP poker site has Paypal for NV and NJ residents only. Credit cards are now the most common method of deposits and checks sent through Fedex being the most used form of withdraws.
Most Americans who have an online presence these days have a PayPal account. PayPal isn’t just a player in American markets. They are the worldwide leader in processing Internet payments. They also act an e-wallet or an online bank account for users.
Online poker players often wonder why PayPal isn’t an option on their favorite poker website. At one time PayPal did process gambling transactions in the US market, but that period was over a decade ago. The Federal law currently prohibits transactions to and from gambling sites unless licensed by the state.
Today, the legal climate surrounding online gambling in the United States makes using this payment processor unfeasible for the majority of the United States.
Paypal’s History in US Online Gambling Markets
The online poker and casino sites in the US that accept PayPal as a method of deposit do not charge users a fee for using PayPal. There are also no fees for funding a PayPal account directly from a US bank account or by electronic funds transfer. Here are some of the major benefits of using PayPal for your online poker account: Setting up a PayPal account is free. There are no deposit fees for funding your poker account using PayPal. It’s easy to make a PayPal account and the transactions are almost instant. All major poker sites in regulated regions have PayPal as a payment option. Online poker players often wonder why PayPal isn’t an option on their favorite poker website. At one time PayPal did process gambling transactions in the US market, but that period was over a decade ago. The Federal law currently prohibits transactions to and from gambling sites unless licensed by the state.
During the early years of online gambling at the turn of the century, PayPal was one of the world leaders in processing gambling transaction. However, after the legality of online gambling sites began to be questioned by US regulators, the company bowed out of processing payments for the then burgeoning industry.
The last gambling transactions PayPal processed were in 2003, several years before the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was passed, which criminalized overseas gambling operators that did business with US customers, along with banks and payment processors who did the same.
The void left by PayPal was filled by Neteller and MoneyBookers (Skrill). Neteller used to process the vast majority of online gambling transactions at poker sites worldwide but were knocked out of the US market after they were indicted in 2007 by the US Department of Justice. (Source)
In Other Jurisdictions
PayPal had quite the hiatus from online gambling markets since they left the US-facing industry in 2003. While Neteller and Skrill operate in many grey markets across the world, PayPal restricts itself to jurisdictions where the legality of the activity is absolutely clear.
They only operate in states where the activity is expressly legal and only work with respected operators that have proper licensing. This has limited the areas where they do business. Countries like the United Kingdom and Ireland are where they do most of their business, due to their heavily liberalized stance on gambling and highly regulated environments.
Paypal’s Future in Regulated US Poker?
Both Neteller and Skrill have entered New Jersey’s legal online gambling market as payment processors. PayPal has also entered into New Jersey as well as Nevada via the WSOP only, currently. The company also presently works with Amaya Gaming and PokerStars and allows users to buy chips for their play money poker site, PokerStars.net. PayPal would also be familiar to American online gamblers as a brand they can trust.
They certainly wouldn’t have any trouble finding customers. Creating a PayPal account takes just a few minutes. They have over 165 million customers worldwide and over 50 million in the United States. The largest payment processor and e-wallet in the world will almost certainly be back for American players in all regulated online gambling markets.
Author:Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
(C) Copyright PokerWebsites.com, 2018
Deposit with PayPal at the Biggest and Best Poker Brands
PayPal is the biggest eWallet payment processor worldwide. This system became well known when eBay was new, and has since gone on to become an easy way to pay at millions of online merchants.
You can use PayPal to deposit at online poker sites – though not at all of them. This deposit method is only available at the biggest brands, with smaller offshore sites not accepting it. Since PayPal are selective in which gambling brands they allow to use their system, this option being available can be taken as a trust signal.
The table below shows the best PayPal poker sites, along with information about their latest bonus offer.
Online Poker Sites That Use Paypal
Best Paypal Poker Sites
- Location: UK
- Established: 1999
- Bonus Code:n/a - use links
- Traffic: 32,864 Players
- Mac Friendly: Yes
888 are one of the biggest gambling brands around, and their poker room has enjoyed strong growth over the last few years. This site features smart software which is compatible with all types of devices. This includes dedicated Android and Apple apps; a Mac and PC download and a Flash poker site which works in your browser window – which is compatible with Linux machines.
You will find a long list of deposit methods at 888, with PayPal being one of the easiest and most secure. You will also find some innovative games, I recommend checking out the new Blast! Sit N Goes, which are timed and have a randomly assigned prize pool.
n/a - use links
for a 100% up to $600 + $88 Free
- Location: UK
- Established: 1999
- Bonus Code:n/a - use links
- Traffic: 22,164 Players
- Mac Friendly: Yes
This huge gambling brand are famous for their sports betting site, which offers lines on just about every sport you can imagine. Bet 365 also have a huge poker room, which is part of the iPoker Network. This group of betting sites share a poker room, which can be accessed via several brands.
You can deposit and withdraw using PayPal at Bet 365, and will receive the full 100% to $100, plus $5 tournament entry token hen using this. Other deposit methods include credit and debit cards, eWallets including Skrill and Neteller and local bank transfers.
With so many betting sites supplying the players, iPoker sites are feature notoriously soft games. Check out Bet 365 for yourself, and you’ll see the difference!
n/a - use links
for a 100% up to $200
Poker Sites That Accept Paypal Us Players
Best Paypal Online Casinos
Along with the top Paypal poker sites, we have also ranked the best Paypal casinos online. The list below include some well known brands, such as Betfair and Bet365 who offer all types of gambling services, as well as operators that provide only casino games. All of the bonuses are outlined below, however most of them include an extra 10 - 15% instant bonus exclusively for Paypal customers.
| Rank | Poker Site | Sign Up Bonus | Minimum Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% up to £500 | £10 | |
| 2 | Bet365 Casino | 100% up to £200 | £10 |
Pros and Cons of Choosing PayPal Poker Deposits
The biggest advantage of PayPal poker deposits is that most people will already have an account. This avoids signing up to a new (and lesser known) system. What I like about depositing with PayPal is that you never need to give log-in or credit card information to the poker sites. Instead you choose how much to deposit in the poker cashier, and then go to PayPal separately to confirm. Make sure you are logging in using a secure window. Once you approve the payment the funds will be available instantly to take to the tables.
There are some hidden advantages to using PayPal. The first of these is that you can avoid any gambling site transactions appearing on your bank statement (which would be the case if you used a credit card). You can also keep part of your overall poker bankroll separately in your PayPal account. When you see a good promotion or poker bonus offer, you will have the funds waiting – so you can quickly take advantage.
Drawbacks including needing to sign-up in the first place. This is a simple enough process, you register online, verify your bank account with a micro-payment, and then upload the funds. This is a one-off process, once you have a verified account then you will be able to fund your poker account and shop at millions of online merchants from then on. There are fees associated with using PayPal. These kick in when you receive money, not when you send it.
Alternatives to PayPal for Poker Site Deposits
Since only the biggest and best known sites welcome PayPal, you might need to look for an alternative deposit method. Here are the broad categories of options available to you.
Credit and Debit Cards: This is the fastest method and the most common. Making a poker deposit is much the same as making any online purchase. This method works with US friendly poker sites, as long as your card is able to make international purchases.
eWallets: PayPal is only one example of an eWallet system. Other popular brands include Skrill and Neteller. These work in much the same way as PayPal. You will find that some wallets charge a fee when you send money, and others when you receive it.
Money Transfer: Western Union and MoneyGram are popular methods for US players looking to deposit at online poker sites. You do not deposit directly, instead you wire cash to an individual named by the poker site. Higher fees mean this method is not so popular outside of the US – where bank wires fill the same purpose.
BitCoin: This virtual currency has increasing coverage at United States poker sites in particular. To use you will need a Bitcoin wallet, and to fund that wallet via an exchange. Once you have deposited, this can also be used for withdrawals.
Prepaid Card and Vouchers: You can purchase prepaid Visa cards for your poker deposits. In some countries, voucher type systems are also used – for example PaySafeCard.
More About PayPal Online Poker Deposits
PayPal is the largest payment processor in the world. This is the company that serves the likes of EBay, Amazon.com and countless other online merchants. The fact that they process transactions for certain online poker sites is great to know, because nobody has a more trusted name than PayPal.
Payments made through PayPal are typically very fast. If you already have your PayPal account funded, you can make instant deposits to online poker sites. If you don’t already have your PayPal account funded, you can also initiate instant debits from your bank account and send that money straight to your poker account.
Cashing back out from PayPal is a simple process as well. Once you request a cashout from your poker site and get the funds in your PayPal account, you can send the money straight to your bank account. PayPal has always been quick about getting money back to their customers.
If PayPal was accepted at all online poker sites, it would easily be the most popular poker deposit option. The name is well known around the world and the PayPal company has served millions and millions of customers. If you plan on playing at any of the poker sites listed here, PayPal is definitely the way to go.