One of the biggest concerns that many new punters have about opening and maintaining an Internet-based betting account is the security of their personal data and card details.
With newspapers seemingly full of stories about how hackers have gained access to a company’s or government department’s sensitive data, it can be a genuine concern.
Fortunately, almost all the top online bookmakers offer stringent security measures across a whole raft of different payment methods. However there’s no doubt in my mind that one particular deposit option stands out as the best.
#1 E-Wallet Services (PayPal, Neteller etc.)
E-Wallet services, such as PayPal, offer the same instant payment terms as credit and debit cards, but they are a much safer way to fund your account when compared to credit or debit cards. Below find sites which accept e-wallets and why they are the best option:
List Of PayPal Friendly Betting Sites
A full list of betting sites which accept PayPal. Also listed are the min and max deposit amounts, how long it takes to deposit and withdraw as well as the bonus deals you can claim.
List Of Neteller Accepted Bookmakers
Neteller friendly bookmakers listed again along with the bonus available when you join, the minimum deposit and the maximum deposit, banking times and any fee’s you might face.
Why E-Wallets Are Best:
- When you deposit into any betting account using any e-wallet the bookmaker never gets to know any of your card details. Your transferred to PayPal who hide you details and just ask you to confirm the transaction.
This means that your card details are never stored by you betting site so if a security breach did occur your financial details would remain safe.
- If your computer is infected with a virus, and some can log anything you type, then you won’t be typing your financial details again keeping them safe and secure.
- Your bank can’t track what you are doing. On your bank statement all you will see is you paying money into your PayPal account. If you win and withdraw those winnings it just looks like it’s come back from PayPal.
- Even if someone manages to hack your PayPal account as long as you keep the balance small you don’t stand to risk losing too much. If someone hacks your debit card they could potentially spend everything in your bank account.
Is Using Your Debit Card Safe?
List Of Bookmakers Which Accept Debit Cards
If you want to use your deposit card to deposit then this page shows you a list of approved bookmakers which accept debit cards. The bonus available is listed along with the min and max deposit amount.
Debit cards are the most widely used deposit option and can certainly be considered safe. However using them in conjunction with an e-wallet as suggested above does add an extra layer of security.
Visa Card Betting SitesIf you want to use your Visa debit card to make a deposit into an online gambling account then this page shows you exactly where you can do that. Bonus info and deposit criteria included.
Protections are obviously in place when you use your debit card to deposit into any online betting account (page encryption on the deposit page being the main safety net) but when it comes to stopping the initial breach of privacy they don’t work out as well as e-wallets.
Why aren’t they as good?
Well because most online bookmaker will store your card details to make depositing quicker the second time around. This is convenient but if they have a security breach you’re going down with the ship.
If you choose not to have your card on file then if you do get hacked typing your card details in frequently can cause problems. Some Malware is specifically designed to track what you type and scan for financial details or internet banking passwords. The less you openly type in your details the safer you are.
Again in a worst case scenario where your card details get stolen the hacker can attempt to spend all the money in your personal account which is likely more than you’d keep in any e-wallet.
Why are they good?
Money goes directly in and out of your bank account when using a debit card so it does take some of the fuss out of the equation. It also means any money you win can be put directly into your personal account for spending.
You’ll never be charged any fees. Some e-wallets do charge you a small amount to move money back to your bank account. The bookmaker will never charge you though.
Your bank will have security measures in place at their end meaning if odds transactions do start coming out of your account it’s likely they will lock it. We all know how much we can rely on the banks these days though…
Using Credit Cards
I personally wouldn’t advise anyone to use a Credit Card to deposit into their betting account and in fact as of April 2020 they have been banned by the UKGC.
Why I don’t like the credit card option:
There are two main reasons I don’t like the credit card option with the first being that you are spending money which you don’t always have, which is dangerous at the best of times, let alone using that money to gamble with.
The second reason I don’t like them is because they won’t allow you to withdraw any more than you’ve deposited using this method. Your credit card isn’t a bank account and you can’t put credit back on there from winnings.
This means you’ve got to add another withdrawal method anyway so you may as well have used that in the first place.
Plus credit cards come with all the same hacking problems and security breach issues you get with your debit card (card details stored on file, risk when typing in from Malware infection).
Why are they good?
Online transactions made using a credit card are automatically insured by the credit card provider. This means that if your card details do get stolen and money is spent on your card you’ll be able to get it back.
It’s not just as easy as reporting the stolen cash though, it’s a long process and it will take time. It’s a process I’ve been through before and I’d rather not have to repeat but it is a nice safety net.
Regardless they are now banned so users must seek an alternative option.
