USA Poker Websites Accepting Visa
Online poker players rightfully reach for their wallets when it comes to funding their accounts with credit cards. In both regulated and offshore online poker markets, the most widely accepted and widely used credit or debit card is Visa and there is a good chance your card will get rejected. You’re looking at a 30% chance the card gets rejected. I first suggest to try a different but comparable site or try a different VISA card. You’d be surprised how many people just stop there instead of trying different sites or different cards. This is very important. Betonline.ag (site reivew) currently uses VISA the most with about 15 processors, or so rumor has it.
Visa Inc., according to a study by The Nilson Report, was responsible for more than 38 percent of all credit cards and 60 percent of all debit cards in the United States. Pretty much anyone who has plastic in their wallet, is going to have at least one Visa card.
Poker players are not likely to find an online poker site that doesn’t have Visa card as a deposit option. This is regardless of their state; the card is basically accepted universally in both unregulated and regulated markets.
Visa and participating banks are bound by UIGEA regulations [A] and banks are not allowed to knowingly process online gambling transactions. Although, these laws have not stopped offshore poker rooms from utilizing Visa as a deposit option. VISA is not like depositing with Amex where most people just call Amex up and have it charged back, because thats the number one reason to have an Amex in my opinion. Visa will hold you to it, which is a good thing.
Players should always look to deposit using their Visa card before using other options in their wallet. Visa cards have a much higher success rate at offshore poker rooms, compared to other cards, such as MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.
Depositing with Visa
Depositing with a Visa credit or debit card at an online poker room isn’t going to be much different from purchasing a product from an online merchant. If you’ve ever entered your Visa card online to purchase something, the process is basically the same.
Once you’ve made an account at the poker room, simply head to the cashier to deposit and find the Visa option. From there, you will just need to enter your information, including your name as it appears on the card, the card number, and CVV code (the last three numbers on the back of your card).
If your Visa card is accepted, your deposit will be credited instantly to your account. You will be able to head right over to the tables and play poker with your funds.
Other Recommended Banking Options
If Your Deposit Fails
We cover a fair bit of this on the credit/debit card depositing article, so we recommend heading over there if your first attempt at depositing fails. However, there are a few specifics when it comes to Visa cards particularly.
As mentioned above, their success rate is extremely high. If they don’t work with one processor, it’s entirely possible that it may work with a site’s other payment processor. Try the card later in the day or speak to support about trying the card with a different payment processor.
It’s important to remember, that the vast majority of issues with cards being declined at offshore or unregulated poker rooms can be solved by calling your bank and making sure the card allows foreign transactions.
Prepaid Visa
If your personal credit cards fail, prepaid Visa cards are the best option for players still determined to deposit via Visa. They’re available just about everywhere for purchase and in many cases can be funded electronically.
Prepaid Visa cards can be purchased at most of the major stores, such as Walmart or Walgreens, and also at many gas stations. They also may be purchased at GreenDot [B], which is a strong option if you don’t have access to a bank account or can’t get a credit card.
Prepaid Visa cards have a higher than average success rate. The key here is to look for cards that can be used for international purchases. Players will still get occasional declines from prepaid Visa cards, but these cards have a 90 percent success rate.
Withdrawals to Visa
Withdrawals via Visa card, and other cards, in general weren’t generally practiced in the offshore industry much until the past few years. There are now many poker sites that process withdrawals and back the cards which players use to deposit. These come with a fee, but many sites offer a one free withdrawal per month. These are typically processed in about a week.
Some offshore rooms will send players a Visa ATM debit card that can be used for withdrawals from the site. This is a convenient method, but isn’t available at all sites. The card usually comes with an upfront fee and monthly processing fee, in addition to cashout fees, but it’s still an extremely accessible and fast method. Funds can be withdrawn at any ATM, and the card can be used just like a personal debit card.
In most cases, before you can withdraw your funds, sites will ask you for scanned copies of your identification, along with scans of the front and back of your card. This is to protect your identity and avoid fraud.
Regulated vs. Offshore Markets
Visa cards have the highest success rate out of any credit card company, regardless of whether the site is a regulated option or offshore poker room. Visa card processing acceptance has gotten better in states where online poker is regulated like Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada, but it’s still not perfect.
Due to UIGEA regulations, credit card companies and banks do their best to block gambling transactions. Although online gambling is regulated and fully legal in several states, many card companies are still refusing to process these transactions [C], even in this new legal climate.
In Closing
Visa cards are going to be your best friend when it comes to depositing at online poker sites, in regulated or offshore markets. At offshore sites there may be a small fee charged to your card for an international transaction, but the reliability of Visa compared to other major credit cards puts it head and shoulders above the other options.
Author: Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
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