This poker payment option works in many countries, though is not available in the US. This avoids the rules in that country covering making financial transactions with gambling sites. Canadian players have no legal restrictions stopping them enjoying online poker with real-money. There are banking restrictions, caused by the laws south of the border and the interconnectedness of the banking systems. iDebit makes a convenient and legal way for Canadians to move money around when their banks do decline poker site transactions.
As usual, laws are specific to the country or area you live in.
What Are the Main Benefits of Choosing iDebit?
While for some countries the benefit is that you can get money onto poker sites when your debit or credit card cannot – there are more positives than just that.
iDebit gives you security on both sides of the deposit process. You never need to give your bank account details to either the poker sites – or to iDebit. To upload funds, you will be logging on to your bank separately and sending them, which means iDebit never sees your bank log-in name or password. When you deposit at the poker sites, you log in to your iDebit account and send the money that way – so the sites never see that password either.
As with all eWallets, you will have the opportunity to keep some of your poker bankroll in your account. This not only reduces your liability if the sites should close, it means you have funds to move around quickly to take advantage of new promos and bonuses.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Using IDebit?
Like all similar services, iDebit needs to make a profit. Charges come from the times you upload money from your bank, and when you send it back again. These are relatively small amounts, even when compared to rival electronic wallets.
You will also need to create and manage your account – including a verification step. These are one-off tasks.
Which Poker Sites Welcome iDebit?
The bigger poker site brands all welcome iDebit payments. These include PokerStars, Bet365 and 888 Poker.
I recommend 888 as the best place to use your iDebit account. This is the 2nd biggest site, and features noticeably easier games than many rivals. 888 Poker has mobile poker options (for both phones and tablets), and innovative games including the Blast! Sit N Goes and SNAP Fast-fold games. You might not even need to deposit at all, since this site offer up to $88 (£20 UK) in tokens to try out the real money games just for registering. Make sure you check out 888 Poker’s easy games for yourself soon.
Making a Poker Deposit Using iDebit
This practical section covers making your deposit. I will make the assumption that you have chosen your poker site, and have already registered your iDebit account and linked it to your bank.
The next step is to ‘find’ the cashier at your poker site. Finding this is never a problem – the sites are always keen to send you there!
Choose iDebit, and you will see a very simple screen. You will be asked for your account number, the amount you wish to deposit – and (depending on the poker site) a bonus code to go with your payment. When you click pay or submit, you will be taken to the iDebit website. Depending on the site this can be in a new window or the existing one. Either way you should double check the URL and that your browser session is secure before logging on.
You will now see the payment transaction, with the amount that you entered at the poker site shown. Click the Pay Now button to confirm the transaction. You will now be redirected back to the poker site, where your deposit will be instantly available.
Withdrawals are not quite so fast. There is no technical reason for this, it is a review step put in place by the poker sites. You should allow a minimum of 48 hours from your request until the payment is made – even at the poker sites with the fastest withdrawals. Depending on the site this could be longer. There are no charges or fees associated with iDebit deposits or withdrawals. You might find that your site sets a minimum withdrawal amount based on different deposit methods.
Are There Other Payment Options Like iDebit?
iDebit is part of a popular payment method category known as ‘eWallets’ (electronic wallets). This is one of the oldest brands, going all the way back to 2003. Other brands in this same space include PayPal, Skrill and Neteller. These are all legitimate alternatives – though PayPal is not as widely accepted as the others.
The main difference to look out for when comparing the eWallets is whether they take fees for sending money (Skrill, Neteller) or for receiving funds (PayPal, iDebit). If you are a winning player at the poker tables, and only rarely deposit – a service which charges when you send money is ideal. You can also get debit cards linked directly to your eWallet accounts with some services. These can be used to withdraw money from ATMs, or to make purchases.
