Ireland's Best Visa Casinos

Benefits of Using Visa at Irish Online Casinos

As one of the most established payment methods around, there are many benefits to making deposits at an online casino with a Visa debit or credit card. Here’s what you get with Visa payments. 

Almost Universally Accepted

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a casino site that doesn’t accept Visa payments. There are now a range of different banking options available for online gamblers, but many will stick with the tried and tested method of a Visa card, knowing that they’re not likely to run into any problems. 

Rarely Excluded from Bonus Eligibility

In the terms and conditions of a casino bonus offer, you might come across payment exclusions. This means that some bonuses are only eligible when the punter has deposited money in the specified way. Missing out on a bonus in this way can be frustrating, but it’s not something you typically need to worry about when using Visa as your payment method.

With high acceptance rates also comes high bonus eligibility, and it tends to be the newer payment methods that are excluded from bonuses. 

Most Users Already Have a Visa Debit Card

Part of the hassle of setting up a new payment option at a casino site is the process of signing up to the service. Since most people already have a Visa debit or credit card, there’s none of that friction – it’s a familiar payment method to most, and no departure from what people are used to. Simply enter your card details as you would elsewhere online, and you’re free to deposit as you please.

Drawbacks of Using Visa at Irish Online Casinos

If there were no drawbacks to using Visa at online casinos, then there wouldn’t be so many banking alternatives. Here are some other things to consider before depositing with a Visa card.

Ineligible for Fast Withdrawals

Fast withdrawal casinos are a growing trend in the industry. These casinos capitalise on new payment methods that are able to process withdrawals incredibly quickly, bypassing the necessary checks that are carried out by banks and operators on every Visa transaction.

This is not to say that fast payout methods aren’t as secure as Visa transactions, but that these services act as intermediaries between banks and online casinos, and can make quick payments on the user’s behalf. 

At a Visa gambling site, it usually takes between 2-5 working days for withdrawals to appear in the user’s bank account. At a fast payout casino, withdrawal times are reduced to within 24 hours, and they can even be paid instantly in some cases. 

e-Wallets Offer Enhanced Security Over Visa Cards

With a Visa payment, you’ll be required to enter your card details every time you make a transaction at an online casino. As a result, you can be more susceptible to hackers, who have more opportunities to access sensitive bank information. While licensed sites provide encryption and other security measures to keep your details secure, there is always the risk that a hacker could find a way through.

By way of contrast, if you’re using an e-wallet service at your casino site – such as Skrill, PayPal or Neteller – you won’t need to remember or input any card details to make transactions. Instead, your e-wallet is already linked to your bank account, and payments can be authorised by simply keying in an email address, a password, and/or a PIN number. 

That being said, Visa’s own verification service does add an additional barrier between your money and any potential fraudulent activity.

Alternative Banking Methods

We’ve touched briefly on alternative banking methods, but let’s take a closer look at them.

PayPal

PayPal is the most popular alternative to card payments for online gamblers. As an e-wallet, PayPal allows users to make fast withdrawals when the option’s available, as well as having among the highest limits on deposits and withdrawals of any online casino payment method. PayPal users can link several bank accounts to one wallet, meaning you can transfer money easily between accounts quickly and easily. 

Neteller

Another e-wallet service, Neteller offers the same benefits as PayPal but comes with the added bonus of Net+ –– a prepaid Mastercard that can be used online or in-store at any outlet that accepts Mastercard. Net+ let’s you spend your casino winnings wherever you like, and the cards come in both a virtual and material form. While there are no fees for using Net+, depositing money into your Neteller account will incur a 2.5% transaction fee.

Paysafecard

As the name suggests, Paysafecard is an e-wallet service that prides itself on security. If you decide to purchase a Paysafecard from one of the hundreds of outlets offering them worldwide, you’ll initially receive a unique PIN, followed by a 16-digit code. Your first transaction will be made with this code, and from then on payments can be made safely via a username and password.

Paysafecard also offers a prepaid Mastercard service, which can be used at any Mastercard payment system, or to upload funds into your online casino account.  

Pay by Mobile

A number of pay by mobile options – such as Boku and Siru – have gained prominence in recent years, offering users an extra degree of convenience at gambling sites. With a pay by mobile service, your network mobile provider picks up your tab, paying for your bet on your behalf before charging it to your monthly network bill.

All you need at the checkout is a phone number that’s linked to an active mobile contract. If this sounds like the payment option for you, bear in mind that there are strict limits on deposits, and that mobile phone operators don’t have the capacity to process withdrawals.

Tips for Staying Safe at Top Irish Casinos

As a gambling affiliate, we understand the inherent dangers of the industry, and are committed to ensuring all of our users engage in safe gambling activities. That’s why you’ll never find an online casino in our list of recommendations that doesn’t hold a gambling licence, and you should never place a bet at an unlicensed casino.

Beyond playing at a legitimate site, there are several things you can do to help keep you safe online, while simultaneously increasing your chances of taking home some winnings. The three most important factors for safe gambling are making sure you only place a bet when sober and clear-headed, avoiding the urge to chase your losses, and to always keep your card and bank details secure. 

To maximise your chances of a decent payout, you should also make sure that you read the terms and conditions of the site – particularly the terms surrounding its bonuses. The best Visa casinos will offer a variety of bonuses to new and existing customers; while these bonuses are always welcome, they live and die by the T&Cs attached to them.

To get the most out of online gambling, it’s essential that you’ve read and understood these. 

Finally, give yourself the best chance at success by sticking to casino games and betting markets you’re familiar with. Before venturing into new territories, have a read of the rules of the game you’re looking to play and ease yourself in with the free-to-play versions – once you’ve gained confidence, you’ll be better placed to play with real money.