US Poker Deposit Options

To get started with online poker, you will first need to choose a US poker deposit option. There are a few to choose from and each one offers its own advantages. I prefer eChecks but they aren’t always available at all poker sites. Credit cards are easy to deposit with but e-wallets are the best for moving your money from one poker site to the next.

Players in the United States don’t have as many poker deposit options as players from other countries thanks to heavy handed banking legislation that was passed in 2006. The law attempted to force banks to identify transactions to poker sites and block them but it was a complete failure.

Today, millions of Americans play online poker and are still able to deposit and withdraw to dozens of online poker sites. There might not be as many deposit options in the US but the ones that do exist work very nicely. Here’s a quick overview of the major US poker deposit options:

(Note – these deposit options can change at any time. Visit you poker site’s cashier for the most up to date list of deposit options.)

1. Visa and MasterCard

Most US poker sites accept Visa credit cards, Visa debit cards and MasterCard credit cards to make deposits. You can even use prepaid gift cards if they are issued by Visa. Not all gift cards are accepted, though, so you should probably e-mail your poker site’s support team before purchasing a prepaid gift card.

Some banks automatically block Visa and MasterCard deposits to poker sites. If that happens to you, you can either try a different card or use one of the US poker deposit options listed below. Read more about Visa poker deposits.

Visa / MasterCard Poker Sites:

• PokerStars
• Full Tilt Poker
• Aced Poker
• Carbon Poker
• Doyles Room
• Bodog Poker

2. eChecks

eChecks have come and gone since the UIGEA was passed in 2006 but they are still an option at sites like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. With an eCheck, you simply input your account information and choose a deposit amount. After you make one successful eCheck deposit, you can then withdraw your funds via eCheck as well.

The eCheck is my favorite deposit method because it’s simple and extremely fast. There’s no need to bust out the credit card or sign up at a third party e-wallet. All you have to do is fill out your information and you are on your way. Cashing out with eChecks has always been super fast for me. Read more about poker eCheck deposits.

eCheck Poker Sites:

• PokerStars
• Full Tilt Poker
• Aced Poker

3. eWalletXpress

eWalletXpress is an electronic wallet that functions similarly to PayPal. After you sign up for an account with eWalletXpress, you can fund that account with money from your bank. When you’re ready to deposit at a US poker site, you can then use eWalletXpress to make the transfer.

E-wallets are great for extra paranoid players because they can be used to deposit at multiple poker sites without requiring you to give out your banking information each time. All you do is send your funds straight from your e-wallet to the poker site of your choice.

eWalletXpress Poker Sites:

• Aced Poker
• Carbon Poker
• Doyles Room
• Bodog Poker

4. Cash Transfer

Cash transfer deposits use services like MoneyGram and Western Union to send money to your poker site of choice. When you visit the cashier, you’ll be given instructions on sending the money. Then you will visit your local cash transfer station, fill out the form and send your cash. The cool thing about cash transfer deposits is that you can actually fund your poker account with cash. There’s no need to go through a bank or use your credit card.

Cash Transfer Poker Sites:

• Full Tilt Poker

5. PIC-Club

PIC-Club is a US friendly deposit method that is kind of like an e-wallet but not exactly. PIC-Club was set up to be compliant with the UIGEA. Every time you fund your PIC-Club account, $1.00 of that deposit goes towards a common shares fund. You cannot use that $1.00 to play poker but the rest of the money may be used to play online.

It’s sort of a strange loophole but it works. Once you have a PIC-Club account, the depositing and withdrawal process is basically the same as any other e-wallet. The fees are among the cheapest in the industry.

PIC-Club Poker Sites:

• Aced Poker
• Doyles Room

6. Bank Draft

You can also deposit via a Money Order or Bank Draft at some poker sites (but only at 1 US poker site). This deposit method is slower than the others but if you’re determined to play poker online for real money, this is a surefire way to get your funds loaded and ready to go. When you choose the bank draft deposit option inside the cashier, you’ll be presented with instructions for initiating this type of deposit.

• PokerStars

7. Diners Club International

Diners Club international credit cards aren’t very common in the US but PokerStars still accepts deposits made through Diners Club. To make a deposit with your Diners Club card, visit the cashier and click on the Diners Club option. Fill out the required information and you’ll be on your way in no time.

Diners Club Poker Sites:

• PokerStars