Prepaid gift cards allow you to purchase a gift card with cash and then use that card to deposit at an online casino. Many players use gift cards because prepaid cards are easy to purchase with cash and they keep your banking information safe. There are several gift card providers that can be used to deposit online.
Two popular gift card companies for online gambling include the MST Gift Card and the EcoCard. Both of these deposit methods allow you to purchase a card at a local vendor and then use that card to fund your gambling account. You can click on either of the links above to learn more about each type of card.
Online gambling sites occasionally offer other types of gift cards that work in a similar manner. You can always find the latest list of accepted prepaid cards by logging into your casino account and visiting the cashier. The casino will show which gift cards are accepted and it will tell you where you can purchase these cards.
Pros and Cons
There are a couple of pros and cons to using prepaid gift cards:
Pro #1: Prepaid gift cards require no banking information. Most other casino deposit methods require you to fill out your banking details or supply your credit card information to the casino. Prepaid gift cards are purchased with cash and are not linked to your bank account. This adds additional security to the deposit process.
Pro #2: You can use cash to make a deposit. Prepaid gift cards can be purchased with cold, hard currency. If you have extra cash laying around the house, prepaid gift cards are an easy vehicle to get that cash online. You can purchase a prepaid gift card from the nearest gas station and then send that money to your casino account.
Pro #3: Gift cards are easy to use. This benefit is pretty self-explanatory. If you know how to drive a car or walk to the local gas station, you have everything you need to purchase a prepaid gift card. Some prepaid gift cards can even be purchased online in the form of “virtual” debit cards.
Con #1: The biggest downside to prepaid gift cards is that you have to go buy the card somewhere. This adds an extra step to the deposit process. Other gambling deposit options can be initiated online without leaving the house.
Con #2: Most cards cannot be used for withdrawals. Prepaid gift cards are almost always one-way transactions. If you win money while gambling online, you will have to find a different method to withdraw your money. On a positive note, there are a variety of simple withdrawal methods such as electronic transfers and paper checks.