Deposits and Withdraws

At some point, maybe not right away, you are going to want to deposit money on a poker site. The thrill of a cash game is going to be too much of a temptation and besides, most players started with the intentions of playing for real money to begin with. For many players, this is where the head ache starts. While every site offers a variety of deposit methods, most of them are not usable by the majority of players. Some methods are simply not seen as safe and others are so complicated to use that you simply give up in the middle of a process that feels like an endless maze. What you should do is, before you pick a site, make sure it has a method that you can use and that you are comfortable with. Explore them all and make sure you know how they work and any fees involved.

Every site will accept Visa and 99% will take Master Card. The concerns that come up here numerous. First, a lot of people are worried about giving out credit card numbers. However, the security to protect that information is far above average with on line poker rooms. The largest problem with using a Visa or Master Card to fund your account, in fact is a security feature your card has. Most credit cards will not allow a transaction to a business that is listed as a gaming site. Very few will make the deposit for you. There are a couple of sites that are listed as entertainment and allow the deposit but most do not. This is odd if you compare the statistics of internet credit card fraud. The majority of credit card fraud cases where credit card numbers are used are buy ins on porn sites. Porn sites are listed as entertainment. Strange how gaming sites are blocked and the most common listings for fraud are accepted but it is for your protection.

Over 90% of poker rooms also accept Neteller. Neteller is an on line financial transaction company that can be used as a bank. You deposit funds using a list of methods and are charged a few for transactions. Neteller’s more used methods of deposits are Visa, debit cards, and bank drafts. This obviously brings up the security questions about account numbers but very effective safeguards are in place to protect you. What gets to most players that use this method is the fee you are charged per transaction and the limited number of methods to fund the Neteller account. 

Fire Pay, Citadel, Safe Pay, Epassport and Pin Pay are also common methods excepted by poker sites but they are very similar to Neteller. Below you will find a web address for some of these companies. Go to the sites and read up on them, Learn their deposit and cash out options and make sure you understand all the fees and restrictions. The unseen difficulty with these groups is the repetitive actions that you have to go through in order to finally get a few dollars onto the poker site its self. In some cases, players have had to make a deposit to one service in order to fund a second service that could deposit into their poker account. By the time the deposit got to its destination, the player has paid between $10 and $20 in fees, or more in some cases just to make a minimum deposit onto the site. No matter what method you chose, walk through it completely step by step and make sure that your money or at least part of it will get to your poker room account by the time your through.

Another method offered is Western Union. Obviously the two cons to this are, locating a western union office and the high fees they charge. This, as with all secondary services, takes time so don’t expect to make a quick deposit and be tossing out chips in only a few minutes.

Most poker sites will also allow bank drafts from your personal bank account. This is simply a way to wire money to them from your bank and certain fees will apply depending on your bank. The process can take a great deal of time due to individual banking policies.

Now as for cashing out money, most sites prefer that you cash out the same way you deposited. This also has variable limitations not just on the method but on minimum and maximum amounts that the sites themselves list. Requesting a check from a site is a common method but the red tape in just making the request can take forever. They take more steps to make sure you are who you say you are when cashing out than they do when you deposit. It is a security issue and a good one but can be very frustrating. The main thing about cashing out is, be knowledgeable and have a method planned prior to making the deposit.

With any of the fore mentioned methods and any others you may consider, read up on them, study them and make sure you understand what you are getting into. Know the costs and fees and limits not just of the secondary services but of the sites as well. Deposit minimums vary from site to site and method to method. Be informed about what and who is handing your money. Ask questions and if you are unsatisfied with the answers, look to other means of making the transaction. You also need to keep in mind that cashing out using a credit card is virtually impossible in the US due to laws, restrictions and regulations that try to govern gambling.

Neteller                     www.neteller.com
Fire Pay                     www.firepay.com
Citadal                      www.citadalcommerce.com
Epasspot                   www.epassport.com