Once you’ve chosen which online casino you want to join it’s now time to pick a deposit method.  You should have picked you casino based on factors such as trust and security, range of online slots available and bonuses for new players and now it’s time to decide how you’d like to deposit some money.

In this article we’re going to discuss pre-payment cards, why you may need to use one and the advantages and disadvantages they bring.

In another article we talked about the pros and cons of credit and debit cards and it’s fair to say they are the most obvious methods; however not everyone has access to a credit card or a bank account with a connected credit card.  This is a particular problem in developing countries with less-developed banking systems; credit cards may not be readily available and having a bank account is not the norm.

This is where the pre-paid card becomes useful and those unfamiliar with using them for online casino may remember using something similar for topping up mobile phones.  The idea is that you grab your money, head down to a local shop which participates in the scheme and exchange your cash for a unique code.  That code can then be used at your favourite casino to deposit some money.

It’s a very simple method and the obvious advantages are that it negates the need for a bank account or credit card; it also limits the cash you deposit to a set amount so it’s a positive for those who feel like they might get carried away with a credit card.  It’s a also possible to top up an eWallet with a pre-payment code.

There are a couple of minor drawbacks to using pre-paid cards; if you have to leave the house to buy some credit it nullifies the convenience of playing slots from the comfort of your own home.  Also not every shop in the world sells the correct pre-payment card for your choice of casino but this becomes less of a problem as time passes; two of the biggest providers are Ukash (420,000 outlets in 55 countries) and Paysafecard (450,000 outlets) so there should be something near you.

What you cannot do with a pre-payment card is withdraw money on to it so when you hit that big progressive jackpot win you’ll need to find another method.  Online casino are well aware of this limitation though and there’s always an option.