SENSIBLE GAMBLER'S GUIDE ON HOW TO GET PAID

Getting Paid

Betting at an online casino is easy. What often puts players on edge is the most important part --- getting paid.

There are a variety of ways a player can purchase credits, but there are an equal amount of ways you can get paid.

Cashing out of online casinos can take days, even weeks to get your cold hard cash. That fact has made players very uncomfortable and has caused more than a few angry customers. By far, the largest complaint by customers of Internet casinos is that they do not receive their checks in the time they expect.

International mailings can take weeks to arrive, and in some cases, never arrive at all. Couple that with the fact that some online casinos only process cash outs once per week, and you have a lengthy delay in getting your check. Some companies have informed us that they limit the number of checks processed in a week, so if you're the last in line you may be waiting a few weeks before the check is even sent.

Credit cards, debit cards, FirePay, PayPal, checks, electronic check, bank wire, and debit card are all ways online casinos use to credit your account if you’re lucky enough to translate your wagers into winnings.

Credit Card

The most common way used by casinos and sportsbooks is to deposit a refund back to your credit card. Usually this is fee-free. Caution: Casinos and Sportsbooks may only refund the amount you originally deposited to you credit card. The reason is because credit card policies do not allow higher refunds. This means if you buy casino chips for $100 using your visa card and you leave the casino with $200 most likely the casino will refund $100 to your card and send you the additional $100 using another method. MasterCard International released new rules for credit card refunds by online casinos and sportsbooks recently, which could prohibit any refund back to your card. The bank which holds your MasterCard account will determine if you are allowed to receive a refund from internet casinos. Refunds to visa cards are still possible without problems.

Many online casino operators have noted that a very small percentage of their customers can be impatient while an even smaller percentage can be untruthful, or outright fraudulent. Credit card charges and information provided by the customer must be verified, and that can take additional time.

Casinos using this method of payment: Almost every casino except casinos using Boss Media Software.

FirePay

Players can sign up for the service at FirePay's website, or at the corresponding casino. The process is relatively simple:

• Enter your e-mail address, which must be the same that you use for the casino.
• The Thank You page will have a link to the log in page. You will receive your Username and Password by e-mail (in less than one minute).
• You will receive a Username and Password; you will then log in by clicking on the account.firepay.com link.
• Then enter your Username and Password you receive in the e-mail.
• When you first access your account, you must change your password when you are redirected to the Password Expired page. Simply follow the instructions on the page.
• When you arrive at the Welcome to FirePay page, click on the Create an Account tab.
• Fill in the form and read the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Conditions of Use.
• The FirePay Account Results page will indicate the success your registration. You will also receive an e-mail announcing the creation of your account.
• You can deposit funds into your account, by clicking the Deposit Funds tab.
• Follow the instructions on the Deposit Funds page then click Submit.
• Your current balance will then be displayed on the Deposit Funds Result page following your deposit.
• Using the funds in your FirePay account is just like using a credit card only you enter a FirePay account number instead of a credit card number.

Once you have registered with FirePay, player can use the same ID at every online casino that uses the service.

Debit Card

Debit cards are getting more popular in the United States, since they give you direct access to your checking account. They work like a Visa or MasterCard, so they can be used the same way as credit cards.

Casinos using this method of payment: same as credit card.

Check

Checks are a frequently-used method of payment. Because they are usually used to pay winnings that can’t be refunded to your credit or debit card. Remember that most casinos are physically located on the Caribbean Islands. For this reason checks sent by regular snail mail will take a while to arrive depending on your location. Most casinos also give you the choice of using an express service like UPS or FedEx. This usually results in extra costs, which will reduce your winnings. Express services are usually subject to a $30 to $40 fee, whereas regular mail is usually free of charge. Therefore it only makes sense to use express service for higher winnings. However, you should always check with the casino. For example Vegas USA will send all checks by UPS Express without a fee. If you use this method you should have your money within 1-3 days.

Casinos using this method of payment: almost every casino.

Electronic Check

Electronic check processing is offered by all Cryptologic. This method requires a bank account in the United States. The time it states to set up this method for first time users is a little lengthy, but it has its advantages in the long run. First, you have to fax Cryptologic your checking account information, such as routing number, account number, etc. The process is explained further in the casino software. After you send in your information your account with be set up which may take a couple of days. Once your account is ready you can cash in money by electronic check, which can be used immediately. You can also use electronic check to withdraw from the casino. In this process you can cash out the total amount of your winnings. However, if you cash in by electronic check you are unable to cash out for seven days for security reasons. This process is totally automated so it is very punctual on the period of times set forth. Something you may consider is cashing in by credit card and cashing out by electronic check. This would allow you to skip the seven-day waiting period. For anyone who does not own a credit card, electronic checks is the only other way to gamble online which can be considered safe and fast. Withdrawals in Cryptologic casinos using the electronic check procedure are subject to a $1 fee per request.

Casinos using this method of payment: only casinos running Cryptologic’s software.

Bank Wire

Bank wires are an optional way of payment used by some casinos. To use this method you will be required to provide the casino with information about your checking account such as account number, routing number etc. similar to electronic checks. After that, the casino will be capable of making direct deposits to your bank account. Bank wire usually causes additional fees to be charged by the casino and therefore is only recommended when receiving large winnings. However, even if the casino wires the money to you for free, you will still be charged by your bank (usually around $10 per transaction).

Casinos using this method of payment: only casinos running Cryptologic’s software.

NeTeller

A very new system is NeTeller. This method uses an independent provider which deals in eCash. NeTeller will provide you with a free online account. After you provide them with the required information you will be given an account number and password to access your account. After you cash out from the casino, the money with go directly into your Neteller account and you can begin using it online immediately. If you decide you want the money put in your bank account you can send your money to PayPal or DirectPay (Yahoo) which will provide you with that option plus the option to use the money for online purchases. PayPal and DirectPay are online cash systems that were mainly established for the field of online auctions (for example on eBay and Yahoo Auctions) and other purposes to transfer money over the Internet. Money deposited from a NeTeller Account is available instantly. Deposits to NeTeller accounts can be made by Master Card, Visa, American Express, Discover or Pay Pal.

Sensible Gambler recommends the following:

1. Find a reputable casino. Check Casino Portals, ask friends, or ask newsgroups for recommendations.
2. Read their "Cash-Out" policy, options, and FAQ's. Most Internet casinos readily display their "Cash-Out" policies. In general, companies will credit back the original amount you put on your credit card, and will give you some options to receive the rest of your money. This means that if you deposited $100 into your account by way of your VISA and are cashing out for $300, then you request to put a $100 credit back on your VISA and then get the other $200 either in the form of a check or (in some cases) they will wire the remaining balance directly into your bank account. If you choose the latter, there is usually a fee involved, so be aware of the policies.
3. Limit the amount of your initial deposit. This will allow you to "test" the casino, and limit your liability should the casino not be very reputable.
4. Cash out (at least some of your money) quickly. This will allow you to test the time you can expect to wait for your payouts.