The inception of US based online casino and poker gambling has started to ignite changes within the gambling related banking world. As a player I have noticed this myself, and it is frequently covered in gambling related news. The issue of compliance with the UIGEA bill by US based credit card companies and banks has spurred a great deal of solution-oriented discussion.
These discussions are focused on attempts to accommodate the new legally sanctioned online gambling businesses that have emerged in NJ, NV and DE while still complying with federal law. This has turned out to be more complex than many anticipated, and with all eyes on them, the credit card companies and banks have cracked down on gambling related transactions to a new degree.
Regulatory oversight for online gambling transactions in the US have really complicated things for players looking for purely online payment solutions. While temporarily this is inconvenient and even annoying, some pretty good things are coming out of it. Prepaid ewallet payment solutions that had previously exited the US gambling market are resurfacing, such as Skrill and Neteller, and there is talk of PayPal working on a way to provide services to US based online gambling sites as well. This would simplify matters immensely for players and the gambling operations, which would naturally increase player participation. US based online gambling is not the only area feeling the effects of this complication.
I myself have felt the sting of this crackdown when enjoying legal offshore online gambling. I have used my Visa debit card to enjoy online sports betting for more than 5 years and suddenly my transactions were being blocked. I am not alone. Many US players are being affected by the changes that US based online gambling has brought to the banking side of the game.
While this doesn’t completely restrict my online gambling entertainment, it did drive me to consider alternative options. Thankfully the ingenuity and tenacity of the online gambling arena has ensured that viable options are present to replace the credit/debit card option when necessary.
The two options that I have found most viable, and that are dramatically increasing in popularity are MST Gift Cards and Secure Payment Vouchers such as the PasteandPay EZ Voucher. They are prepaid options that effectively allow me to use my debit card to fund my online gambling accounts. I’ve tried both of them at numerous sites, and have yet to experience any issues or problems. Another solution that is slowly making its way to being available to US players is Bitcoin. It is available to international players at many places, and is starting to be accepted for US transactions at some gambling destinations as well.
Where there is a will there’s a way – right? Don’t get locked in to thinking that traditional credit/debit card payments are the only way to go for funding your account. Prepaid gambling options are viable and readily available at premium online gambling destinations. I’ve tried and tested this concept and am pleasantly surprised at how simple and accommodating these options are. While the ebb and flow of the online payment solution market will likely be active over the next few years as the United States embraces online gambling, its good to know that innovative alternatives are always there for US players.