IGaming is an incredibly popular pastime here in the States, and for good reason, too. We have countless options when it comes to using online casino platforms, all with different incentives, bonuses, and highly entertaining games to attract all kinds of gamblers.
With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that a recent study revealed that over a quarter of American adults gamble daily.
If you’re one of these folks, or are interested in trying your own hand against fate and rolling the dice on an online casino platform, then you’ve likely become overwhelmed at the sheer number of options available.
Although there are many factors to take into account when choosing an iGaming platform, the main thing to consider is what payment options you’d like to use and whether a desired platform can facilitate that.
We’re not talking about credit or debit card transfers here, which almost all online casinos take, but options that are a bit more niche and can bring some surprising benefits to the player.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into three of the more unique payment options you can use on iGaming platforms in the hope that it will help you settle on a casino website that works for you.
Cryptocurrency
Starting off strong, we have cryptocurrency. Crypto casinos are completely changing the game when it comes to online gambling, and if you’re one of the 28% of American adults who own at least one form of digital asset, then these platforms are definitely a great option for you.
Crypto and gambling go hand in hand for a variety of different reasons. Firstly, the decentralized nature of crypto often means that gamblers won’t face high transaction or withdrawal fees when using it in an online casino.
Additionally, the encryption technology used on digital assets as they pass through the blockchain is unmatched when it comes to cybersecurity, meaning gamblers can keep their heads in the game without having to worry about the safety of their personal information or assets.
If that wasn’t enough, the volatility of crypto itself also makes these coins an ideal payment option to approach gambling with. In the context of cryptocurrency, volatility refers to the tendency these assets have to either rise or fall, often exponentially, in value over time.
When this is examined under the lens of online gambling, the volatility of crypto enables skilled gamblers to make an additional bet on the volatility of the form of crypto that they are using as a payment method.
Meaning that they may see high returns both from their gambling activity and later down the line if their winnings increase in value.
Visa Gift Cards
Visa gift cards, as the name would suggest, are pre-paid cards loaded with an exact amount of money that can be used at any retailer or platform that accepts Visa payments.
Visa gift cards are often given as gifts, but many people find them beneficial to purchase outright and use for themselves, as it allows them to allocate a specific amount of money to certain activities.
This is especially the case for online gambling. For most people, using iGaming platforms is a hobby and not something they do for a living.
As such, it is a good idea to budget for the activity, and using Visa gift cards to do this is a highly effective way to ensure that gamblers don’t get too caught up in the game and wager more than they have budgeted.
Visa gift cards also bring an additional benefit to the online casino scene, and this is increased anonymity. When betting with Visa gift cards, no information other than the details of the card, which is not tied to the individual, is needed by the platform.
Many online casinos that accept Visa gift cards have a multitude of additional benefits, all supported with player reviews, including impressive bonuses, VIP programmes, and 24/7 customer service.
E-Wallets
There is one major drawback with Visa gift cards, and this is the fact that withdrawals cannot be made onto the card; another payment method will need to be selected instead.
Luckily, E-wallets exist, providing gamblers with a secure method of withdrawing (and depositing) their winnings quickly and efficiently.
The most well-known form of e-wallet out there, and the one that is most compatible with the majority of online casino platforms, is PayPal.
Paypal allows casino users to make near instant withdrawals, and, since they only need to share an email address and verify with the PayPal app, no personal bank details need to be shared with the casino platform, increasing cyber security.
On top of this, the gambler has increased autonomy regarding what to do with their winnings when it enters their PayPal account.
They can keep the funds in their account and use them to purchase items online, send money, or pay bills. Alternatively, they can use their winnings to directly purchase cryptocurrency or transfer the funds straight into their bank account.