21 Oct

Gift Card Canadian Casinos prove Popular Choice in 2016

Gift Card Canadian CasinosCanadian online casinos – the offshore variety; not the highly restrictive, provincially-runs websites – are finding that their members have more frequently turned to using prepaid gift cards to make deposits. This article will examine the prevalence of gift card Canadian casino in 2016, and a host of reasons supporting their surge in popularity.

Internationally licensed gambling sites are able to offer a lot more incentives – the pecuniary kind, and otherwise – for Canadian gamers. With their legality falling into a grey area of the law, many operators have moved to provide as many secure payment methods as possible to their players.

We Canucks have come to appreciate that fact, especially in a time when eligible payment processing systems are on the decline. Based on personal experience, as well as commentary from a multitude of fellow gaming enthusiasts, gift card Canadian casinos bring a whole new level of appreciation to the table.

Gift Cards Provide Unparalleled Security

In a world where internet security is constantly being questioned, particularly when it comes to monetary transactions, knowing that your financial information is safe provides increasingly rare peace of mind. Gift cards can provide that peace of mind, as their 16-digit codes are not linked to your personal information, or any financial institution.

To make the most of this convenience, players should be advised to purchase gift cards in the exact amount they wish to deposit at an online casino. While this isn’t required, it does ensure that if anyone ever managed to get a hold of the card number after it’s been used, the funds would already be depleted, thereby eliminating the possibility of theft.

Once the card has been used, players can simply throw it away.

But I Can’t Withdrawal With a Gift Card

Yes, I know, it’s nice to be able to use the same payment method for deposits and withdrawals, but those days may be soon behind us anyway. And for some, they are already gone.

There’s a developing trend among Canadian online casinos in which they often don’t provide us with any withdrawal options outside of paper checks via mail, or maybe bank wire transfers. (Remember that grey area of the law I spoke about before?) When choices become so limited, we must look at the most secure option for withdrawal, the same as we would for deposits.

If the goal in choosing a gift card Canadian casino is to divulge as little personal/financial information via the web as possible, a check by mail is clearly the best option for withdrawals.

Gift Cards May Soon Be the Only Option

Some provincial governments in Canada have been looking for ways to maintain their online gambling monopolies, and since the Criminal Code doesn’t seem to give them jurisdiction to do that outright, they’ve sought other means.

In Quebec, for example, lawmakers tried to implement an IP blocking system that would require Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to international online casinos. That measure was met with intense scrutiny (mostly because it’s arguably illegal), but if that avenue fails, they will surely look towards other means, such as banning financial institutions (i.e. credit card companies and banks) from facilitating transfers with Canadian online casinos licensed overseas.

If (more likely, when) that legislative maneuver arises, should one province succeed in blocking internet gambling transactions, others will surely follow. That would put an end to the majority of viable payment options, including eChecks/ACH, credit/debit cards and bank wire transfers, leaving gift cards as the sole remaining deposit option.

With all that being said, I believe the evidence is pretty clear as to why gift card Canadian casinos have become so popular in 2016, and that prominence is only going to grow exponentially as time progresses.

What Gift Cards Are Available?

There are lots of pre-paid cards on the market these days. But first, you’ll want to visit your preferred gambling website and look for eligible gift cards. Canadian casinos don’t all accept the same variety of cards. Visit the Banking/Deposits section t see what options you have.

Some of the more commonly accepted brands of gift card at Canadian casinos include:

  • Visa
  • MasterCard
  • EntroPay
  • AstroPay
  • PaySafeCard

Visa and MasterCard are credit card companies, therefore could – eventually – fall into the circumstance of being blocked from processing payments with Canadian online casinos. But for now, when available, they are a good, reliable resource.

EntroPay and AstroPay are virtual pre-paid cards designed just for making online purchases/payments. As such, these are not physical gift cards, but rather electronic vouchers that cannot be obtained in a retail outlet. After purchasing a virtual pre-paid card (requires credit/debit card), the seller will provide the 16-digit card number and PIN, usually sent via email or SMS text message (your choice).

PaySafeCard is the only widely accepted pre-paid gift card that can be purchased in person, at over 500,000 retail location across the globe, including many throughout Canada.

A word of caution: While it’s convenient to purchase electronic gift cards over the internet – and you’ll remember, I’ve said this once before – if the goal is to maintain utmost security by divulging as little personal/financial information over the internet as possible, purchasing a physical gift card at a retail outlet should be the obvious choice, whenever available.

Depositing With a Gift Card, Easy as 1-2-3

Making a deposit with a gift card is a simple 3-step procedure.

  1. Go to your nearest retail outlet and purchase a gift card.
  2. Login to your favorite Canadian online casino and click the logo for the gift card you’ve bought.
  3. Follow the instructions, entering the information from the card (16-digit number and security PIN), and the amount to be deposited, then click Submit.

Because the monetary value already exists (i.e. it’s pre-paid), all gift card deposits are instant. The balance will immediately appear in your Canadian online casino account for use.

Best Canadian Friendly iPad/Tablets Casino

royalvegas Royal Vegas Canada has been our editor’s #1 pick for three consecutive years ! Great compatibility of course (iphones, mobiles and tablets) but also an exciting range of games and promotions. Excellent support teams and quick cashouts… What else to ask for ?

(Remember to gamble responsibly)

Visit RoyalVegas.com