Credit Card Casino UK: All you need to know about credit card casinos in 2024
Credit card casinos in the UK used to be super popular, but there’s good news and bad news on that front. Let’s begin with the bad news… We regret to inform you that credit card payments cannot be used at online casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That effectively means that there are no credit card casinos that accept credit cards anywhere in the United Kingdom.
However, the good news is that there are multiple alternative payment methods, which we will cover in full below. These payment options will enable you to start playing games, claim bonuses and (hopefully) withdraw your winnings at the end of it all. In this article, we’ll also give you the full legal status of credit card gambling in the UK and what you can do about it. Let’s get started…
Best Credit Card Casino Alternatives UK 2024
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Key Takeaways for Credit Card Casinos UK
What is a Credit Card?
Credit cards are popular payment methods in the United Kingdom. They are often used as short-term forms of credit – as opposed to a bank loan or an overdraft. Credit cards are largely interest-free in the UK, so long as any purchases made on them are paid off in full within 30 days. However, delaying credit card payments for longer periods is subject to added interest.
Many UK banks offer credit cards to their customers. These can be used for relatively small amounts such as £1,000. But those with good credit scores can often get gold or platinum credit cards that enable them to spend more than £10,000. This is part of the reason why the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) decided to ban the use of credit cards for gambling online.
New Credit Card Casino Alternatives UK May 2024
| Rank | Casino | Deposit bonus | Bonus without deposit | Terms and Conditions | Play |
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| 1 |
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What You Need to Know About UK Credit Card Casinos
Before we get into alternative payment methods, we must point out that UK gambling sites do not accept credit cards. We will go into specifics on this just below. However, UK players can use debit card casinos just fine – or a myriad of other payment methods available at UK casinos. Therefore, this restriction on credit card deposits can be circumnavigated by other casino payment method options. We’ll look at debit cards, eWallets and mobile bill payments below.
The only real downside of using debit cards instead of credit cards is that there is less protection in terms of online fraud and chargebacks. After all, entering debit card or credit card information into a website is always going to be fraught with danger – this is the case even when using encrypted connections. Again, we’ll cover more details on this below. For now, let’s dig into more specifics on the reasoning behind the UKGC ban on credit card sites.
Why Are Credit Card Casinos Banned in the UK?
In early 2020, the UKGC announced that credit cards would be banned for all gambling activities in the United Kingdom. That meant that UK online casinos that accept credit cards would need to use alternative forms of payment method. Therefore, from April 2020 onwards, players would no longer be able to find credit card online casinos licensed by the UKGC.
Previously, UK casino sites and UK players found credit cards to be a convenient payment method. However, it was this ease of use that partly led to the decision. In addition, the UKGC wanted to prevent vulnerable players from getting into debt through gambling. This was part of the UKGC’s responsible gambling initiatives to make online gambling safer for all UK players.
Why Did the UKGC Ban Credit Card Gambling?
UKGC CEO Neil McArthur said the reason for banning credit card gambling was simple. Research had shown that credit card casino sites could cause significant financial harm to problem gamblers. And that’s primarily because credit card casino sites were accepting money that players didn’t have in their bank accounts. For gambling addicts, this was a huge problem.
In the same move, the UKGC also banned the use of PayPal Credit and other forms of credit for the purposes of online gambling. By banning credit cards, UK players were less likely to get into debt with banks and other financial institutions. Instead, any online gambling deposit that a player wanted to make had to come from money the player had in their bank account.
How to Deposit with a Credit Card Alternative
In the absence of credit card casino sites and credit card betting sites, you will have to use an alternative payment method. The two most directly translatable ones are debit cards and prepaid cards. After all, credit and debit cards look almost identical in terms of the information they carry on the front and back sides. So, here’s how to make a card deposit:
- Sign up at an online casino and log in (if you haven’t already done so)
- Head to the cashier page via the “Deposit Now” button on the homepage
- Enter the amount you wish to deposit and select the “Debit Card” option
- Put in your 16-digit card number, card expiry date and 3-digit CVV code
- Enter your address (if required) and confirm the debit card transaction
Credit Card Deposit Limits
With credit card deposit casinos out of the question, let’s cover the deposit limits for non-credit card deposits. For example, the minimum deposit for debit cards is usually around £10 – sometimes slightly higher, sometimes slightly lower. And the maximum withdrawal for bank transfers can range from £1,000 to £35,000. So, shop around if this is important to you.
Credit Card Deposit Fees
Credit card transactions normally incur fees of 2.5%. However, as they cannot be used at even the best credit card casinos in the UK, we have some good news. Debit cards are normally not subject to fees when making online casino deposits. But like all of these things, it’s up to the individual casinos. Most of the top online casinos in the UK do not charge debit card fees.
Credit Card Deposit Bonuses
Although you won’t be able to make credit card deposits at UK casinos, you can claim fabulous bonuses using other payment methods. Just be sure to check ahead of time about payment method restrictions and to make the minimum deposit each time. Here are the main casino bonuses at former credit card casinos and non-credit card online casino sites in the UK:
Deposit Match Bonuses
Almost all online casinos offer welcome bonuses. To claim your casino welcome bonus, you’ll need to deposit funds into your account – that’s why it’s important to check the minimum deposit amount. You’ll often get more deposit bonus offers, too, as well as many free spins for top online slots. And, in rare cases, you might be able to find a no-deposit bonus when signing up at non-credit card casinos. Instead, you can simply sign up and register your debit card.
Free Spins and Bonus Spins
As mentioned above, you will receive tens or even hundreds of free spins or bonus spins as part of your welcome bonus at non-credit card casinos. After that, you might get the chance to get more casino free spins each week or when new games are launched. Be sure to sign up for notifications of those casino offers to stay in the loop. And don’t be afraid to ask the casino’s customer support team if you can get more free spins whenever you want to gamble online.
VIP Cashback Bonuses
For those who want to make significant deposits of more than £1,000 a week, you probably won’t be interested in claiming extra free spins. Instead, the better deal for high rollers is the casino cashback offer. Only the best online casinos tend to offer these deals, so you’ll need to shop around. However, if you can find them, they give you additional bonus funds when you make a net loss in any given week. So, if you win, you win, but if you lose, you get extra cash!
How to Withdraw with a Credit Card Alternative
With both debit and credit cards out for making online casino withdrawals, your next best option is to use a bank transfer. These payments are super secure and have massive upper limits but they are subject to additional checks and balances. That means it can take a few days for your winnings to come through. Still, here’s how you make a casino withdrawal:
- Head to the cashier area of your chosen casino site
- Choose the “Bank Transfer” withdrawal method
- Enter the amount you wish to withdraw this time
- Fill in the required details for your bank account
- Confirm the transaction and wait five to seven days
Credit Card Withdrawal Limits
As it’s not possible to make online casino credit card transactions, you’ll need to choose an alternative method. For example, you could use a bank transfer to your debit card-linked bank account. In that case, the withdrawal limits are near limitless. However, some casino credit card sites will have an arbitrary limit of around £35,000 per transaction. On the other side of the equation, most payment options have a minimum withdrawal amount in the region of £10.
Credit Card Withdrawal Fees
Again, UKGC-licensed casinos do not accept credit card deposits or withdrawals. So, whichever payment option you use to replace your credit cards will determine if any fees will be charged. For example, you shouldn’t be charged any fees when opting for a bank wire transfer. However, some eWallets like PayPal, Skrill or Neteller do have a small percentage fee applied when making transfers. Therefore, we recommend going with the bank account option.
Credit Card Payout Times
Payout times are dependent on your chosen withdrawal method – as well as the speed of the casino’s payments processing team. For the latter, some of the best online casinos process payments within one or two hours. Others can take up to 72 hours. After that, it’s down to the payment option. For example, most eWallet transfers are instant. Whereas, a bank transfer can take five to seven working days. Check out fast withdrawal casinos UK for more.
Next up, the Pros & Cons of using credit cards at UK casinos…
Pros & Cons of Using a Credit Card
When making online purchases, credit card payments make a lot of sense because of their additional protections. However, in the UK online gambling industry, credit cards are not permitted. Below, then, here are some more general pros and cons for online shopping at a business that accepts credit cards – it is not intended for a UK credit card online casino:
Pros
- Much of the UK adult population already has one or more credit cards
- Online transactions are very simple and straightforward to complete
- Credit card providers have various methods for online fraud protection
Cons
- Credit cards are easily stolen, especially when used for online payments
- It's easy to get into debt when spending loaned money on a credit card
- Credit cards cannot be used at UK online casinos or UK sportsbook sites
How to Sign Up for a Credit Card
Credit cards are usually issued by UK banks. Therefore, you’ll need a UK bank account and a good credit score to be able to get one from a credit card provider. The credit card company will give you a personalised credit limit. Initially, this will be around £500 to £1,000. However, it’s also possible to get higher-tier credit cards with limits of £10,000 or more. It’s often worth checking out the credit card options of online banks, too, as you can get some good deals.
Credit Card Safety & Security
Credit card companies protect their customers in various ways. This makes credit cards safer than debit cards for online purchases. Plus, credit cards can be used for secure and quick transactions. One way in which these payments are protected is chargebacks – so if a payment has been made fraudulently, the credit card company will refund the money. However, it’s still worth checking that you use your credit cards over secure, non-public connections with full HTTPS encryption – often shown in your browser with a padlock symbol. Stay safe out there!
3 Alternatives to Credit Card Casinos
Now that we know that online casinos cannot accept credit card payments, let’s look at the alternatives. This is not an exhaustive list of payment options for depositing funds. But these are often the most popular ones. So, when making a minimum deposit, consider the following:
Debit Card Casinos
UK casinos accepting credit cards used to be the norm. However, nowadays you’ll need to use a debit card or prepaid card to get the next best thing. Debit/prepaid cards are easy to use at a former credit card casino. Enter your details at a debit card casino to deposit funds and play.
PayPal Casinos
While it takes a little bit of setting up to link your bank account, PayPal casinos UK are one of the best online casino payment options out there. It’s also one of the most secure. Just note that UK players can’t use PayPal Credit because online casinos that accept credit are not legal.
Pay by Phone Casinos
While technically a loan akin to using a credit card, pay-by-phone casinos are another option for making that minimum deposit to claim a deal. Essentially, you add the amount spent at UK casinos onto your mobile phone bill at the end of each month. It’s worth looking into, for sure.
How We Rate the Top Credit Card Casinos
We apply the same casino review criteria to all online casinos, whether they accept credit cards or not. Below you can find some of the main areas upon which our expert reviewers focus. Here’s the list of the things we go over with a fine-tooth comb when assessing online gambling sites:
Welcome Bonus Offers
We look at how much you get for your deposit funds. As well as how many free spins you can get during your first few weeks at a new online casino in the UK. Following that, we want to see a good range of deposit bonus offers and seasonal promotions including slots tournaments.
Terms and Conditions
Of course, it’s no good finding the perfect welcome bonus if the terms and conditions are draconian. The same thing goes for the general terms and conditions. So, we read all the legalese to ensure there are no nasty surprises in store for UK players at UK casinos.
Wagering Requirements
The most important T&C of them all is the wagering requirements. After all, there are barely any no-wager casino sites out there. Given the lack of no-wager casino websites, we want to ensure that all wagering requirements are fair and manageable when claiming a deposit bonus.
Online Casino Games
In addition to online casino bonuses, we want to see a fantastic selection of top casino games too. Most online casinos are slot sites. However, we want to see more for those that want more than to play online slots. Live casino games, table games and sports betting add more spice.
Mobile Casino Sites
Those looking to play games on their mobile phone or tablet will have plenty of options. That’s why we always test slot games from a variety of devices to ensure a great experience for our readers. Plus, if there’s a dedicated casino app, we always take that out for a test drive too.
Payment Method Options
As stated above, it’s near impossible to find UK online casinos that accept credit cards. But there should be a good range of alternative payment method options. This should include debit and prepaid cards, bank transfers, e-wallets such as PayPal, pay by mobile phone and more.
Customer Support
All of the best casino sites will have a top-notch customer support team available around the clock. And we send test questions over to the team to assess their punctuality, friendliness and casino knowledge. We also want to see not only email but live chat and phone support too.
Safety and Security
This one is super important, especially if players are entering debit or credit card info. Therefore, we look for SSL or TLS encryption on every page to help prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Also, responsible gaming should be a priority at top online casino sites.
UKGC Licensing
Along with safety and security, we think that a UKGC license is absolutely vital. The UKGC ensures that online gambling sites are run by the book and help protect players in the event of a dispute. As a close second, a license from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) would suffice.
Why Use Credit Cards at Online Casinos?
Online casinos cannot accept customer payments made via credit card in the UK. Therefore, we don’t recommend trying to play at offshore sites that accept credit cards. Stick with UKGC-licensed sites that accept other forms of payment instead. Above, you can check out the pros and cons of credit cards for other online purchases. Credit cards are great for shopping at Amazon, for example.
Games at Credit Card Casino Sites
Credit card casino games don’t exist in the UK. However, you can still play your favourite games by making deposits with alternative payment methods. And when doing that, you’ll want at least one top gaming provider at your casino of choice. Or, preferably, all of the best providers will be present, from Microgaming and Evolution to Yggdrasil and Play’n GO. So, in addition to sports betting, bingo and more, here are the main casino games available in the UK:
Online Video slots
Slot sites are by far the most common credit card casinos. This includes online video slots such as Gonzo’s Quest, classic slots featuring fruit symbols and progressive jackpot slots like Mega Moolah. Again, just ensure that your favourite casino game providers are featured on the site.
Online Roulette
You can play many different kinds of roulette games at online casinos. The most basic form is known as video roulette and looks more like a video game. But be sure to try out Lightning Roulette and Mini Roulette from Evolution Gaming – the kings and queens of live casino.
Online Blackjack
Blackjack is a similar story to roulette. You’ll find many different versions of video blackjack from each of the major game companies. And you can expect live casino versions of the classic table game from the likes of Evolution Gaming, Ezugi and others at non-credit card casinos.
Live Casino games
We mentioned two of the most popular live casino games above. But don’t forget that there are multiple versions of online baccarat, sic bo and craps available as live casino titles, too. Plus, you’ll also find great games like Deal or No Deal, Monopoly Live and Football Studio Pro.
Online Poker
Like the other table games we mentioned above, online poker comes in many different forms. For a more solitary pursuit, check out the various video poker games out there. Then, for the real deal, take on players around the world with P2P poker sites at non-credit card casinos.
Conclusion
Playing online casino games at the best credit card casino UK is a thing of the past. In fact, finding UK casino websites that accept credit cards is an uphill battle. And even if you do manage to find sites that accept credit cards or allow you to make a credit card deposit, it’s not likely to be safe. In fact, we would give up on the idea of making a credit card deposit or finding a UK-based casino that accepts credit cards. It’s just not worth the trouble. Instead, we recommend using an alternative payment method. For example, using a debit card, eWallet or online bank transfer is so much easier than trying to find UK casinos accepting credit cards.
Credit Card Casino FAQ
Are credit cards the best payment method for UK players?
For players based in the UK, credit cards are the worst possible payment option. That's because credit cards cannot be used for gambling in the United Kingdom. Instead, we recommend choosing some other form of payment, like a debit card or prepaid card.
Are credit card casinos legit for UK customers?
No, and that's because the UKGC banned the use of credit cards for gambling in the UK. So, there are no UK-based online casinos that accept credit cards. And we would certainly not recommend trying to get around these rules by playing at offshore or unlicensed casinos.
Is it safe to use credit cards at an online casino?
If you live outside the United Kingdom and practice good online safety such as using secure networks and enabling two-factor authentication, then it can be. But there isn't a credit card casino in the United Kingdom because of UKGC rules. Therefore, it isn't safe for UK players.
Can I use debit cards to gamble online at UK casinos?
Yes. While credit cards are banned for gambling in the UK, using a debit card is not restricted in the same way. Just be sure to follow good internet safety recommendations and you should be good to go. Or check out the other payment options listed above in the main article.
Emily is our Casino Researcher and statistical mastermind. She uncovers all the latest trends through the numbers and creates valuable insights to our readers and internally, so we can cover our articles and journalism from a statistical background and angle.
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