Live Casino Deposit Options in Canada

Credit Card Casino Payments – Visa, MC, AmEx

Credit cards are among the most commonly applied purchase method in eCommerce, second only to debit cards. However, some online gambling jurisdictions have placed restrictions on credit card deposits – namely to avoid the inherent dangers of betting on borrowed money. While plenty of live dealer casinos still accept credit cards, I don’t recommend them for that very reason. With that being said…

Credit cards are a viable and rapid means for depositing and cashing out funds. However, cashouts may only be honored up to the amount originally deposited. If, for example, you deposit $100 with your AmEx card, you will only be able to withdraw up to $100 back to it. Requesting anything over that amount will require a different method of retrieval for the excess.

Credit card payments are instant, but may incur a fee from your credit card company, not to mention interest if you don’t pay off the bill in a timely manner.

Debit Card Purchases & Withdrawals – Visa, MC

This is the most common iGaming deposit method of all. Visa and MasterCard debit are trusted options, backed by the insurance and security of the issuing bank or credit union. Depositing with a debit card draws the funds directly and instantly from your bank. Withdrawals can also be made back to the same debit card, so long as it was used to make at least one purchase (for ID verification purposes).

Instant EFT Casino Cashouts

An Instant EFT is an exclusively Canadian method of payment available at some live casinos. The abbreviation EFT stands for Electronic Funds Transfer. It is essentially the way banks move money around in Canada. It’s used millions of times every day. A direct-deposit pay cheque is delivered through EFT. When you swipe your debit card at the store, your bank sends the cash via EFT.

What makes this a unique payment solution for live casinos is that it’s almost always offered exclusively as a withdrawal method (not for deposits). It is, essentially, a bank transfer, which is commonly available for deposits. If you’ve already supplied your banking details for the purpose of a deposit, you can choose Instant EFT to expedite a cashout.

Cheque Withdrawals in the Mail

Another withdrawal-only payment method, players almost always have the option of requesting their winnings in the form of a paper cheque. It is among the slowest methods, of course – they don’t call it “snail mail” for nothing – but it ensures the absolute security of your financial information, and eliminates a lot of electronic trails (if you’re into that sort of thing).

If you’re requesting a cheque from an international live casino operator, you can expect to wait an average of 2-3 weeks for its arrival.

Citadel Instant Banking for iGaming

Citadel Commerce Corp is a financial institution based right here in Canada. It operates its Instant Banking service as a cost-effective and secure middle-man between your bank account and the live casino you’re depositing with, eliminating the need to share your financial details directly with the operator. Instead, you’ll fill out a brief application that links you to your source of funds (i.e. your bank), then Citadel does all the work.

If you’re looking for a supremely secure option, this is a good one. It’s particularly preferred by a lot of Canada’s mobile casino gamblers. The only potential drawback is that, while Citadel is generally available for sending and receiving money, most live dealer casinos only list it as a deposit option (no withdrawals).

As a supportive point of reference, Instant Banking by Citadel is a product of the same institution that brought us InstaDebit.

Direct Bank Transfer Payments

This is a simple, straight-forward method of depositing or cashing out with iGaming websites. Almost every operator on the planet offers this method. All you need is your banking details – bank transit number (5 digits), the financial institution number (3 digits), account number (up to 12 digits), etc. DBT deposits are free and instant. Withdrawals take 3-5 business days, and will surely incur a charge from your bank.

eCheck / eCheque Deposits & Withdrawals

In effect, an eCheck (a.k.a. Instant Check) is no different than a bank transfer. It is an instant payment option that requires you to fill out an electronic cheque that looks and reads just like a paper cheque. Using EFT protocol, payments are instantly approved so long as the amount you’re depositing is available in your bank account.

All you need to make an eCheck deposit is the Routing Number and Bank Account Number from a paper check, and in some cases, the actual check number found in the top right corner. Click the image to the left for a full size preview, better detailing the process. 

Once you’ve initiated at least one successful deposit via eCheck, you should be able to choose this same method for withdrawal. However, the actual payout will take place as a bank transfer, taking 3-5 business days and likely incurring a transfer fee from your bank.

ecoPayz eWallet Payments

This web wallet is a virtual bank account that operates internationally. Users can open a free account and deposit funds into it directly from their bank, then use the online payment processor to deposit and withdrawal at live casinos. The fees are reasonable, giving users the security they demand.

Simply choose ecoPayz from the casino cashier, enter the amount, then log in to your ecoPayz account to confirm the purchase. Once you make a successful ecoPayz deposit, you’ll be able to use this method for cashouts, as well.

iDebit for Casino Banking

Available only to Canadian users, iDebit is an instant online banking payment system that helps protect user information by providing an intermediary service between the consumer and merchant. It is a free service that offers instant payments, bank-level security, and no need for a credit or debit card. The only thing you will need is a bank account with one of Canada’s many iDebit Supporting Banks.

To use iDebit, chose this method from the live casino cashier’s drop-down menu. You’ll enter the amount to deposit and be asked to choose your bank name from a list (RBC, CIBC, TD Bank, etc.). Press continue, and you’ll be redirected to your bank’s website to log into your online banking account and confirm the purchase details.

You will not need an account with iDebit to use this service. It’s automatically available to any Canadian with an online banking account at any supporting bank. You can learn more about iDebit Casino Deposits here.

InstaDebit Purchases & Payouts

Powered by Canadian-based Citadel Commerce Corp (supplier of Instant Banking by Citadel), InstaDebit is incredibly similar to iDebit, except that you will need an InstaDebit account to use the service. It works as an intermediary between your bank and the live casino, eliminating the need to divulge any sensitive financial information to the operator.

Signing up for InstaDebit requires linking it to your Canadian bank account. In doing so, InstaDebit will make a small deposit (under $2) to your account. It can take 3-5 business days for the funds to appear. Once they do, you’ll tell InstaDebit the amount of the transaction, thereby verifying that the account is yours. Aside from this one-time verification process, the service is very quick.

InstaDebit For Deposits: When you choose to deposit with this method, you’ll be redirected to the InstaDebit website to log in and confirm the payment. The money will come directly from your bank account, for which you’ll be charged a small fee of $1.95. If your InstaDebit wallet already has enough money in it to cover the payment, the transfer is free. However, you cannot load funds into this wallet. It can only receive funds from outside sources (e.g. an online casino withdrawal).

InstaDebit for Withdraws: When you request a cashout, the money will go into your InstaDebit wallet. You can then have it sent to your bank account for a $2.00 fee. Alternatively, you can leave the money in your wallet for future casino deposits and online purchases.

Interac eTransfer Deposits & Withdrawals

Perhaps the most well-known Canadian online banking intermediary, Interac is a free service available to anyone in the country with an account at any one of Interac’s many participating financial institutions. Interac offers a wide range of services, including the option to make and receive payments to/from international live casino operators.

Interac eTransfers are different from Interac Online (detailed below). It’s more readily available, and typically promoted for both deposits and withdrawals. Interac eTransfers allow users to transfer money to/from bank accounts, both domestic and international, using only an email address or mobile phone number. Of course, the money isn’t sent via email or text message. No sensitive information is shared during the communique. These mediums are used for confirmation purposes, only. The payments themselves are facilitated by Interac, protected by the institution’s trusted, multi-layer security protocol.

1 – 2 – 3 – Done

1. First, you’ll need to log onto your online bank account and press the yellow and black Interac logo Here, you’ll be able to set up a custom Interac PIN#. Hold onto this and keep it safe – you’ll need it each time you make a deposit.
2. Next, log in to your casino account and open a live chat window. Tell the support rep you want to make an Interac deposit. You will be given their mobile number or email address, and asked to supply a security question and answer. Any question/answer of your choosing will do, but make sure both parties know the exact answer.
3. Finally, log back into your bank account. Press on Interac again and choose to Send Money. Enter the amount to send, the phone number or email address for the recipient (casino), and the security question and answer agreed upon. Then press the submit button. The casino will receive the message, provide the answer to the security question, and the transaction is complete.

A bit of a pain? Maybe. But for the suped-up security and the convenience of mobile payments, you can’t beat it.

Interac Online Gambling

Interac Online is less complex than its eTransfer cousin, but is still backed by the same Canadian-born, incomparably-trusted Interac name. When you choose Interac Online to make a deposit, you’ll be asked to select your bank name from a list of supporting financial institutions (i.e. RBC, CIBC, Scotiabank, etc.). You’re redirected to your bank’s website to log in to your online bank account, as you normally would. From there, you’ll confirm the payment details.

This particular method has its drawbacks, too. For one, it’s not as readily available as Interac eTransfers, mostly because fewer Canadian banks support it. Don’t get me wrong, all of the major banks, and a few minor ones, use Interac, but it’s somewhere in the 80%-90% range, as opposed to nationwide. Being a form of EFT, it’s rarely provided as a method of withdrawal, either.

You can learn more about Interac Online Casino Deposits here.

Jeton Wallet Casino Payments

One of the newer options for Canadian iGamers is Jeton Wallet. It’s a web wallet account designed for ultimate convenience, wherein users can make send and receive money online instantly and securely. Registration is free and straight-forward. From there, a Jeton Wallet can be funded in a number of ways, including credit card, debit card, and direct linking to your bank account, among others.

To deposit with Jeton, choose this method from the casino’s cashier and follow the basic instruction. Enter the amount to deposit and press the button to continue. You’ll be asked to log in to your Jeton Wallet account to confirm the payment, which is instantly sent over to the casino. Withdrawals work in the same manner. So long as you’ve used Jeton to deposit, you can use it to place a withdrawal.

What’s the negative, you ask? Generally speaking, there aren’t any negatives with Jeton. Payments are secure and instant, and the fees are low. The only problem we’ve found is that not enough online casinos accept Jeton yet. We’re hoping that changes in the near future.

MiFinity Payments and Withdrawals

MiFinity is not just an eWallet, but a digital bank account. As a real bank, it has its own IBAN, which means faster transactions. Many users praise the system for same-day transfers with their MiFinity accounts. Land-based banks can’t possibly move international transfers that fast, and other web wallets will charge a fee for it.

If you’re wondering where MiFinity has been all your life, the answer is Europe. The company has been around for quite some time, but only came to Canada in 2021 following a landmark partnership with Interac. Today, anyone with an Interac-accessible bank account (i.e. IBAN-compatible) can use it.

Like traditional web wallets, users are able to fund their MiFinity account with a credit card, debit card, or via direct linking to their bank account. Funds can then be deposited instantly into any casinos accepting MiFinity payments. When you select MiFinity from the cashier, you’re redirected to the MiFinity website to log in and confirm the purchase.

Much Better Deposits and Cashouts

MuchBetter is another web wallet service available to Canadian members, although it’s not very high on our recommendation list. As the name implies, it was designed to offer a “much better” payment system for online consumers. Unfortunately, its services are heavily geared towards the U.S. Its availability in Canada was more of an afterthought, and a short one at that.

The first problem is speed. MuchBetter utilizes the American ACH transfer protocol, instead of Canada’s provably more efficient EFT. On top of that, virtually every transaction comes with a $4.00 fee attached, whereas most eWallets charge less, and only for receiving money, not sending it.

Much Better isn’t all bad, though. The service does offer CAD accounts to avoid currency exchange rates. It’s also an official partner of Interac, which explains why it works more like an Interac eTransfer than a web wallet.

When a Canadian account holder makes a casino deposit with MuchBetter, they must select a mobile number or email to send it to, and set up a security Q&A with the operator. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. Then again, most casinos that accept Much Better and Canadian players will also accept Interac, so you might as well skip the higher fees and just use Interac.

Neosurf Casino Vouchers

For more than 15 years, Neosurf has been providing prepaid cards and virtual vouchers for the sole purpose of ensuring safety and security in the online payments sector. If you don’t want to use a real credit or debit card online, you can purchase a Neosurf card from a local retailer, or a virtual voucher via My Neosurf. Note that, at time of writing, no local retailers exist here in Canada.

Using the voucher is as simple as using any debit or prepaid card. Choose Neosurf as your preferred payment method, then enter the 10-digit validation code. You won’t be asked to enter a deposit amount. The entire value of the Neosurf voucher will be applied to your deposit. Neosurf can be purchased in increments of $10, $30, $50, $100, 150 and $250.

Pay By Phone / Mobile Billing Casinos

If you’ve ever told the bartender to, “Put it on my tab!“, the concept of this payment option will make perfect sense. When you use a Pay By Phone service (Boku, Mobile Billing, Payforit, etc.), you’re adding the cost of your deposit to your monthly phone bill. It will work with a pre-funded, pay-as-you-go phone plan, too. You simply need to have enough funds in your prepaid account to cover the cost of the deposit before you make it.

Pay By Phone casino deposits are especially popular among mobile gamblers. The service puts each user’s activities and funding methods all in one convenient place. There’s no need to sign up or log in to an account with any third-party web wallets, or divulge credit card, debit card or bank account info. All you have to do is supply your phone number. For users of monthly phone plans, it’s also necessary to have auto-payments turned on, thereby assuring the carrier of reimbursement.

To use Pay By Phone, look for one of the service logos in the casino’s cashier. Tp it, then enter the amount you wish to deposit. Limits for this type of payment are pretty strict, often tapping out at $50, so take note of that. Next, enter your phone number and carrier information, as instructed. You should get an SMS text message verifying the payment, and you’re all set.

Paysafecard for iGaming

Paysafecard has been processing secure payments for online consumers since 2000. It’s available as a physical card or voucher at retail locations, or you can purchase a virtual voucher online from paysafecard.com. If you intend to use it a lot, there’s a Paysafecard Mobile App for Android and iOS devices, perfect for checking and topping up your balance.

Paysafecard is available in increments of $10, $30, $50, $100, $150 and $250. The best part – there’s no fee to purchase a Paysafecard. The price you load onto the card/voucher is the price you pay. The only fee you may incur is an inactivity fee of $2.50/month if you don’t use it for 18 months. It’s the merchants who accept Paysafecard that fund the service. For this reason, you may have to deposit a high minimum of $50 or more to use it. Check the details in the casino cashier before you buy, just to be certain.

To use Paysafecard, you’ll need to enter the 16-digit number and PIN code. Once you submit the payment, the funds will be available in your account within a matter of seconds.

Sticpay Live Casino Payments

Sticpay is an eWallet that closely mirrors all the tried-and-true qualities of PayPal. The only differences are 1) online gambling payments are not restricted for Canadian users, and 2) not nearly as many merchants accept it. So, if you find an online casino that accepts Sticpay, you’re in luck. This eWallet service is built for international transfers, offering all the bells and whistles. The company even offers a free STIC Card for debit/ATM, allowing users to access their casino winnings as soon as they hit their account.

It only takes a few minutes to sign up and verify your account information. From there, you can start using Sticpay right away. Select this method from your online casino’s banking page, then follow the instructions. You’ll log into Sticpay to confirm the payment. Making a withdrawal is just as easy. Select Sticpay, enter the amount and press the button. As soon as the casino processes the payment (usually 24-48 hours), the funds will appear in Sticpay.

Vanilla Prepaid Gift Card Casinos

Vanilla is a brand of prepaid gift cards supported by both Visa and MasterCard. You can find them at most retail locations, from convenience marts to department stores. You can purchase them in a multitude of denominations, usually anywhere from $25 to $500, with a convenience fee of $5-$10 attached.

Vanilla gift cards are accepted by most online casinos. Either look for Prepaid Card or Gift Card in the banking section. You can use the funds on these cards all at once, or multiple times in smaller increments. So long as there’s enough on the card to cover the payment, it will work.

Depositing with a Vanilla prepaid card (or any other gift card, for that matter) is simple enough. You’ll need to enter the 16-digit card number, and the PIN from the back. the payment should process in a matter of seconds.

WebMoney Casinos Canada

WebMoney is kind of like a virtual web wallet, but different. Established in Moscow, Russia in 1998, the system was initially intended for processing local business settlements. Now that it’s expanded worldwide, users can register an account and use it to transfer money from their bank to an online casino. Although the verification process is a bit more detailed than usual, WebMoney is considered one of the most secure live dealer blackjack deposit options.

As an added benefit, in mid-2017, WebMoney enhanced its services to allow for withdrawals via bank transfer in the local currency of numerous major countries, including Canada. This immediately boosted WebMoney’s position among the top live dealer blackjack deposit options.