Deposits And Withdrawals Guide For Online Pokies Players

What Banking Options Are There In 2024?

Most online casinos allow payments in Australian dollars, and using Aussie-friendly payment options like debit cards and e-Wallets. Even if an AUD option isn't available, players can generally convert cash into GBP or Euros first.

Making deposits is simple: sign up and head to the Cashier tab. From there you will have a drop-down menu of banking options, each with their own processing time and fee. Deposits can be instant or take a few days.

Reverse Withdrawals: Withdrawals may carry a charge and a slightly longer processing time. This is because of the extra time needed to carry out security checks on the customer. Players also sometimes have a grace period where they can "reverse" the withdrawal request.

Manual Flushes: Some online casinos allow players to skip the Reverse Withdrawal stage altogether. This is known as the "manual flush" and lets customers empty their account without a wait.

Know Your ID Verification Procedures

Making sure customers are of legal age and are who they say they are is important for casinos. Licences can be removed if online casinos don't adhere to strict security measures. If you are playing for real money, expect an identification check somewhere along the line.

When you sign up to a licensed pokies site, you will usually have to supply some ID within your first month of registering. Stipulations change from one licensing jurisdiction to another, but usually it will consist of emailing a copy of a passport, National Identity card, or drivers licence. You may also have to supply a copy of a Medicare Card, Centrelink Card, or a recent utility bill. Some sites may ask for authorisation from a third party (like a doctor or teacher) to prove you are who you say you are.

Once your ID has been verified, you are free to make a withdrawal.  

Understanding Fees And Charges

It can cost money to send money on the net from your account to another person or business. Those fees can be big if you're converting currencies, or the casino is based overseas.

Most of the time, casinos and pokies sites will waive all transaction fees. Others may add a 2.5 percent charge if you are only depositing a small amount, so always check the Cashier page first.

Credit cards will usually always treat gambling deposits as "cash advances" and apply a hefty fee. And while e-Wallets won't cost a cent when transferring money, there will be charge when moving cash from the wallet to a bank account.

Popular Deposit Options For Aussies

Australians have a huge range of banking options available in 2024. Some have fees, others are free, and withdrawal times can vary wildly. A personal cheque is a possibility at some sites but expect a wait of 3-4 weeks for a withdrawal. Bank transfers take less time but e-Wallets and cards can take as little as two working days.

Debit Cards

(Examples: VISA Debit)

Many Aussie debit cards can be used to deposit funds into an online gambling account. You can use funds straight from your bank account without incurring annoying cash advance fees like you get with credit cards (see below).

Using your card is easy: head to the pokies site Cashier and select the type of debit card you have. Enter the Cardholder name (as it appears on your card), the long card number, and 3-digit security code from the back. You'll also need your card expiry date. Enter the amount, plus your gambling site password, and hit 'Submit'. Funds should appear instantly.

It's always worth checking with your bank before trying to use a card. Some banks won't allow online gambling deposits, but others will. Suncorp, Bank of Queensland, and Citibank are notorious for declining online payments to some gambling sites. Do your homework.

Withdrawals: Cashing out with a debit card is also possible. Go back to the Cashier and select the same debit card you deposited with. In fact, some gambling websites will ONLY allow withdrawals to the same deposit method.

If a debit card withdrawal isn't possible, players can usually cash out straight to an Aussie bank account.

Processing Times: 2-5 business days

Credit Cards

(Examples: VISA, Mastercard, Diners Club, AMEX)

Credit cards are issued by all major banks and other providers. VISA and Mastercard are normally accepted at all casino sites, and sometimes Diners Club and American Express.

Depositing is simple: visit the Cashier and enter your card details plus your account password. Funds will appear automatically in your gambling account.

Watch out for fees. Normally, a transfer to a gambling site will count as a "cash advance" and carry a 2.5-3 percent addition to any deposit. Also, if you are converting AUD into another currency like GBP or Euros, you may incur further charges.

Withdrawals: Cashing out to a credit card is possible. In the case of Mastercard, you may only be able to cash out if you used the same Mastercard to deposit with. In some cases, if you use a credit card you will be asked to photocopy the back and front and send it to the Customer Support team. This is also in line with most jurisdictions.

Processing Times: 3-5 business days

VISA: VISA is one of the world's leading credit card providers. Transactions are protected by leading SSL (Secure Socket Layers) encryption to ensure total safety.

Mastercard: Mastercard has been accepting deposits from Aussies for years. Withdrawals are possible, but generally you will have to use the same card to deposit with. Prepaid Mastercards are also available to use.

AMEX/American Express: The US giant has some of the largest card limits around. But you will find American Express not generally accepted at online casinos in 2024.

Cash Card

Some sites offer special cash cards which allow players to withdraw funds from an ATM. It's rather like an EFTPOS card, except all the money you cash out comes from the casino or pokies site. Cash cards are purely used to withdraw funds, so you won't earn any interest on money like you do with a debit card.

paysafecard

paysafecard is now the world's leading online prepaid voucher payment method. There are no wallets or cards involved with paysafecard. Instead, customers purchase a special voucher and use it to spend cash online.

The best part about paysafecard is that most online casinos happily accept it as a valid deposit method. Oh, and there are no fees associated with the process.

To get started, you buy paysafecard vouchers from a local outlet, or more typically, online at www.paysafecard.com. Making a deposit is simple. Head to the Cashier and enter the special 16-digit paysafecard voucher number. If you have several vouchers with funds on you will also have the option to combine multiple payments.

Withdrawals: Withdrawals aren't permitted with paysafecard. Instead, a Wire Transfer or Fast Bank Transfer will be offered as an alternative.

Processing Times: Refer to Bank Transfer times.

POLi

POLi is a unique deposit method you will generally find at Australian-friendly gambling sites. POLi works as a third-party processor between your bank account and a gambling account.

Most Australian banks offer POLi transfers. Best of all, there are no fees when using the service. And of course, there is no need to share sensitive card details on the casino pages.

Withdrawals: Unfortunately, cash-outs using POLi aren't available. However, casinos will normally offer an alternative banking option like a Wire Transfer.

Processing Times: 3-5 business days

PayPal

One of the original online "e-wallets", PayPal allows anonymous transfers across the internet, in the currency of your choice. Most gambling and pokies sites accept PayPal deposits and withdrawals.

First, you'll need to set up an account at the PayPal website (www.paypal.com). With a simple username and password you can use your PayPal account as a third party to transfer cash from a bank account, credit card, or other e-wallet. It's a safe and anonymous way to move money around.

At the Cashier, select PayPal and enter the amount you want to transfer. Hit the Submit button and you will be sent to the PayPal website to complete the transaction.

There are no fees from your casino, but watch out for fees when sending cash to your gambling account or cashing out of your wallet. Typically, a fee of 3.4 percent of the balance is usual for cards. Sending cash abroad will incur an extra fee.

Withdrawals: Withdrawing is simple. Head to the Cashier and fill in the withdrawal form. You will also be sent to the PayPal site to complete the transaction. From your e-Wallet you can move cash back to a debit card or bank account.

Processing Times: 1-2 business days

NETELLER

NETELLER was set up with online gamblers in mind. The service is a virtual e-Wallet that allows anonymous transactions from a bank account or debit card to merchants online.

Most online casinos and pokies sites accept NETELLER payments, and you won't get charged by the casino.

NETELLER has a confusing range of fees for making transactions. Depending on what method you fill your e-Wallet by, you can incur anything from 1-7 percent of the balance. We found that using POLi is pretty cheap, about 1-2 percent of the total balance. At the other end of the scale, funding your NETELLER wallet with paysafecard incurs a whacking 7-percent charge.

Withdrawals: NETELLER can be used for cash-outs.

Processing Times: 3-5 business days

Skrill

Like PayPal, Skrill is a popular e-Wallet used to move funds anonymously across the internet. The casino makes Skrill payments a breeze. To use it, sign up for an account at the Skrill homepage and fill your virtual wallet with funds from a card, bank account, or second e-Wallet.

Withdrawals: Skrill transactions are simple. Select the Skrill option from the banking menu and enter the amount of cash you want to withdraw. You will then be redirected to the Skrill page to complete the transaction. The casino won't charge customers to use Skrill, but you will be charged to move funds from Skrill to a card or bank account.

Processing Times: 3-5 business days

Bank Transfer

If you don't have a card, or you don't want to use it for gambling, Aussies can move cash direct to a site from their bank accounts. Usually, it simply involves making an online transaction from your bank account (the casino will supply their bank account details for you). Remember that if the casino's account is based overseas you may have to pay a fee to send them money.

Withdrawals: Withdrawals are usually possible using a Bank Transfer. In some cases, the online casino may facilitate a 'Fast Bank Transfer' to your bank account. Expect a wait of a week (depending on the casino) for you funds.

Processing Times: 7-10 days