Prepaid cards available to use at online casinos

Prepaid cards offer anonymity, an extra layer of security, and are a great first payment option for new players as they allow you to control how much you spend. There are quite a few prepaid options that are widely accepted at reputable online casinos, so if you are considering to load, pay, and play, then keep reading to learn everything you need to know about prepaid cards.

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How do prepaid deposits work?

Players can fund their casino accounts with prepaid methods quickly and easily. First they need to load the prepaid card or voucher with the amount they plan on depositing and then they must follow the prompts to make a deposit, with different brands requiring different processes.

Accepted prepaid brands at online casinos

The following prepaid brands are the most widely accepted at reputable online casinos, and all offer an extra layer of security due to the fact they are not linked to your personal bank account or feature any information regarding your identity.

Ukash

Ukash comes in voucher form and sees a 19 digit code entered when making a deposit with the amount you have preloaded when you purchased it at a retail outlet or online. Every code is unique and you do not need to enter any personal or financial details into the casino when making a deposit, just the number on the code.

However, since the Skrill Group, the organisation for one of the best online gaming e-Wallets, took over Ukash in early 2015 it has slowly merged with their prepaid option, Paysafecard, which we detail below.

This has meant that Ukash is no longer available to purchase in Australia, though any remaining credit you may have on previously purchased Ukash vouchers can be used up until October 31, 2015.

Paysafecard

Owned by the Skrill Group, Paysafecard is similar to Ukash in that you load a certain amount of money onto a voucher and use a 16 digit PIN or code to make the deposit.

You can buy Paysafecard at over 500,000 outlets worldwide or online via bank transfer. To fund your account, you simply choose the Paysafecard payment option at participating online casinos and enter the 16 digit PIN.

You can login to your account using your 16 digit PIN and view your transaction history, which many prepaid brands do not offer, and there are no fees for the first year (you will be charged for any remaining credit on the voucher after a year).

You can also opt in for a YUNA card, which you can buy with a Paysafecard voucher, and you will either be sent a physical prepaid MasterCard card so you can use it at land-based venues or an online-only card that you will receive instantly if you plan to only use it on the Internet.

Visa/Maestro/MasterCard prepaid cards

The two biggest credit and debit card brands have their own prepaid cards too, with Maestro, a branch of MasterCard, also offering a prepaid card.

Two of the most popular prepaid cards from these brands include Visa’s Load & Go and MasterCard’s Cash Passport, both available from Australia Post outlets.

With such a stellar reputation these are generally the most popular, however since these are physical cards you either have to wait for them to be delivered or nominate a pick-up outlet if you buy them online, even if they are for electronic use only. These may require an identity check or incur an initial card fee so Paysafecard may be a better option if you want to remain anonymous and void fees.

These cards look exactly like credit and debit cards, with the 16 digit number across the front, an expiry date, and a CVV (three digit security number on the back of the card), but instead of your name there is ‘Cardholder’ or ‘Account Holder’ written across the front.

When making a deposit you can opt for the debit or credit card option if a Visa, MasterCard, or Maestro prepaid option isn’t available and simply fill out the fields the same way you would a debit or credit card but entering ‘Valued Cardholder’ or ‘Account Holder’ in the name on card field.

Benefits of prepaid cards

Prepaid cards are great for new players, those who don’t or cannot have credit or debit cards, or those hesitant to enter their personal and financial information online.

• New players: If you are new to the online world of gaming you may want to try a prepaid payment option to get the hang of depositing. Many new players can make mistakes and if you opt for a prepaid method you can’t make a huge error such as deposit more than you can afford.
• Unable to get credit or debit cards: Prepaid methods are great for those who can’t get access to debit or credit cards due to bad credit history or other reasons, as you can simply load the card or voucher with cash without a background check and use that to pay and play online.
• Hesitant to enter personal or financial details: If you don’t want to provide the online casino with personal or financial details, a prepaid method is the best option to avoid doing so. You do not have to enter your name or any details linked to your personal bank account meaning you are anonymous, yet safe.

Remember to play at reputable online casinos such as the best ones we recommend as they are safe and keep all transactions secure, regardless the method you choose to deposit with.