Gone are the days when gambling was something you had to leave your home to do. The internet is now full of websites dedicated to making bets and winning money, making online gambling one of the most profitable sectors in the UK industry. Picking a site to play on isn’t the only big decision you have to make when it comes to gambling, though. There’s also the matter of how you plan on paying.

As technology improves, people are offered an increasing number of ways to provide the funds for their gambling habits. E-wallets, Apple Pay/Google Pay, debit cards, cryptocurrency, phone payments, and bank transfers are all viable options when it comes to playing online. Which one is the best to use, though? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for.

E-wallets

Depending on your age and level of experience online, you may be more inclined to use one payment method over another. Younger, more internet-savvy gamblers may lean towards something like e-wallets, which currently boast over 2 billion worldwide users. The popularity of e-wallets is likely down to their ease of use, which is definitely advantageous on casino sites. Plus, they have the fastest withdrawal time of any other payment method. The money is usually in your account within 24 hours, with deposit times even speedier because they’re instantaneous. The maximum transaction you can make at any one time is typically around £5,000, so unless you plan on playing for big money, that should be high enough not to cause any problems.

Apple Pay and Google Pay

As mobile phones have developed, the ways in which we use them have continued to increase. Nowadays, many people rely on them as their main form of payment, thanks to services like Apple Pay and Google Pay. This is essentially a wallet on your phone that’s linked to a card. You just scan the screen at the till and (hopefully) your payment goes through. It’s not just physical purchases that you can use this payment method on, though.

Apple Pay and Google Pay are also valid for internet purchases, meaning they can be used on gambling sites. All you have to do is select the option that suits you, depending on if you’re an Apple or Samsung customer, and the money should be transferred. You may have to authorise the payment on your phone, but once that’s done, the deposit is instant. From there, you’re free to test your luck in the online casinos with a maximum transaction of £5,000.

Debit Card

Debit cards have always been the most popular way that people pay for their gambling habits online for two reasons. Not only is it a relatively easy payment method to use, but it also provides a lot of security. Naturally, that’s something that matters when it comes to transferring money online. Of course, there are some who benefit more from using debit cards than others.

Those who consider themselves high rollers are best off paying this way because the withdrawal limit is in the tens of thousands. They can pay out and pay in massive amounts of money during each session, especially if they’re part of a casino’s VIP program. This is just one of the many perks that some sites offer players to keep them coming back for more. If you want to know which casinos provide bonuses like this, see this article. Online Casinos regularly reviews the best casino sites on the web and shares their pros and cons with players, so you always know where you should be investing your time and money.

Phone Payments

You can use your phone to fund your gambling habits in more ways than just Apple Pay and Google Pay. It’s possible to use the device itself to transfer money by making a deposit through your network provider. That cash is then taken out of your monthly bill, saving you the hassle of having to deposit manually on the casino site. Given that your phone bill is automatically taken out of your account every month, this can make things a lot smoother. However, compared to the other options, it doesn’t seem like the smartest way to do things. If you forget how much money you used, you’d could be in for a nasty surprise when your phone bill arrives.

Cryptocurrency

Unlike some of these other methods, cryptocurrency is a relatively new form of online payment. Not all casinos allow it, but most of them have adapted to accept things like bitcoin as legitimate options. This form of payment is preferable for those who like the anonymity it provides, as well as those who want to avoid any taxation issues. It might be a little complex or unnecessary for the majority of recreational gamblers who use online casinos. However, anyone who knows what they’re doing and plans on using these sites regularly might find the different types of cryptocurrency beneficial to use. If nothing else, it’s a method of payment for which inflation isn’t really a concern.

Bank Transfers

Compared to these other methods, bank transfers probably aren’t the best way to go when it comes to gambling online. After all, the time that it takes for payments to go through is a lot longer, with the average withdrawal time potentially taking up to four weeks. It’s definitely best as a last resort; a means for you to keep playing when you can’t pay any other way. It’s nice to have the option there, and while it might be slow at times, it still gets the job done. However, when there are five superior options available, gambling using bank transfers simply doesn’t seem like a smart move.

With online casinos offering people an easier and safer way to gamble, it’s likely that their popularity will continue to increase. As it does, more payment methods may well present themselves as people strive to find the best ways to deposit and transfer their money. Until that happens, though, these are the smartest options around. Some may seem better than others, but if you know what you want out of a payment method, it should be clear which one is best suited to your needs.