When looking for payment methods to use at a UK online casino, you’ll find plenty of modern solutions. Digital wallets are all the craze these days, and mobile-only banks have also left their mark in this space.
But with all the craze surrounding these newer methods, we often forget to look at a trusty older version: debit card payments.
You might view debit card online casino deposits and withdrawals as synonymous with taking a long time to complete. However, that’s not necessarily true these days.
So, why should you think about debit card payments for online casino gaming? Let’s take a look at the main reasons.
What are Debit Card Payments?
A debit card payment is when you pay for something, and the money comes directly from your funds. You’ll probably have heard of the term while shopping or seen “direct debit” on your banking statement.
With many UK banks, you’ll notice that debit card payments initially show up as “pending” in your mobile app before they go out. This is usually the next working day.
Debit card payments differ from credit cards because you’re paying for a good or service with your own money. The exception is paying using your overdraft, which you’ll need to pay back, and we don’t recommend.
Now you know a bit about what debit card payments are, let’s take a look at some of the reasons you should still think about using them.
Debit Card Payments are Easy and Secure
While the newer online casino payment methods you see are user-friendly, it still takes a bit of time to get used to them. Debit card payments are easy to use, and you already know how to do so – all you have to do is enter your card or bank account details to deposit and do likewise when it’s time to withdraw.
Another benefit of using debit card payments is that they’re secure. For the most part, you don’t need to worry about any malicious activity taking place and threatening your safety.
You Only Need One Bank Account
Sticking with convenience, debit card online casino payments are easy because you don’t need to set up a new account. Instead, you can use what you already have – and you won’t need to transfer any money from elsewhere.
When you’re ready to withdraw money from your online casino, you can also choose to make sure the money goes to the same account without any problems. As such, you’ll be able to get your winnings with fewer steps than if you were to transfer them into an online wallet and move your money from there.
You’ll Have the Necessary Support if Something Happens
Most of the time, you won’t have any issues when depositing money into your online casino account from your bank. And the same is true when withdrawing your winnings. But that’s not to say that 100% of online casino transactions go through without any issues.
If something goes wrong, you can trust that you’ll have the necessary customer support if you use debit card payments with your bank. And beyond that, you’ll also have plenty of options; email, social media, phone, and in-branch, to name four.
Knowing that you’ve got various customer support options will offer peace of mind and make sure that you’ll get to a problem quicker if something arises.
You Can Set Gambling Transaction Blockers
Gambling has been a source of entertainment for centuries, and online casinos are built around the purpose of being fun. If you find yourself crossing the line from fun to feeling like you’re dependent on this activity, it’s critical that you set boundaries.
Many of the UK’s largest banks have optional gambling transaction blockers, which you can set for as long as you’d like to exclude yourself from online casino gaming.
In addition to gambling transaction blockers, you’ll also find that many UK banks have dedicated customer support teams for gambling-related harms – plus other responsible gambling measures. If something happens, they can point you in the right direction for dedicated support and recovery.
Credit Card Payments are Banned in the UK
Even if you wanted to gamble via credit card in the UK, you wouldn’t have this choice available. Since April 2020, all gambling operators regulated by the UK Gambling Commission have been banned from accepting transactions made via these means.
On the flip side, debit card payments are still very much legal in the country. As a result, you shouldn’t have any issues depositing via this method – unless the casino doesn’t accept your form of payment or you have a gambling transaction blocker switched on.
You Can Withdraw with Debit Card Payments, Rather Than Just Depositing
Another huge perk of using debit card payments for online casino payments is that you’re not solely limited to depositing with them. You can also withdraw directly to your bank account.
This might not seem like such a huge benefit, but it is if we draw up comparisons to other online casino banking methods. For example, with phone bill payments, you can deposit money with your favourite UK online casino – but you will need to find another way to take those earnings out of your account later.
You Can Track Your Spending More Effectively
These days, many UK banks offer comprehensive tools to help you track your spending habits. You can often see a breakdown of what you spent your money on in the form of graphs and categories, as well as checking your bank statements.
Despite the convenience of modern payment methods, you’ll likely use those in addition to your main bank. As such, working out how much you spend in total each month can become a bit of a headache.
By keeping your money in one account and using this for all of your transactions, you might find it easier to set and stick to a budget at the beginning of each month.
What if You Still Don’t Want to Pay via Debit Card with Your Online Casino?
Even after reading the benefits we’ve listed for debit card online casino payments, you might still want to pick a different way to deposit and withdraw with a UK betting site. If that’s the case, you’ve got plenty of choices.
One of the most common alternative payment methods these days is the digital wallet. Like with a regular bank, you can quickly deposit and withdraw money using the money in your account. Moreover, transferring your funds elsewhere is straightforward (though you might need to pay some fees for doing so).
Some of the most popular gambling digital wallets include Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal.
You might also want to consider using a mobile-only bank instead. You can use debit card payments if you do, and they work pretty similar to your regular bank; the only primary difference is they don’t have in-person branches.
A couple of UK mobile-only banks to keep in mind are Revolut and Monzo.
Consider Debit Cards When Playing at a UK Online Casino
When discussing the best UK online casino payment methods, it’s important not to discount some of the most reliable choices just because they’ve been around for a little longer. Debit cards are easy to use, ensure that you get good customer support, and can help you manage your finances better.
Almost every major casino website in the country accepts online casino payments via Visa and Mastercard, so you won’t need to go far to find one that fits your needs.