All the different online banking options for poker players can be confusing, some are appropriate for UK players while others are only suitable for US players. Some European options are only suitable for a specific country; but where the biggest problem lies is definitely with US online poker players. 

These players have to contend with the Unlawful (I call it the Awful) Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, and while this does not necessarily make online gambling unlawful, it does make financial transacting to gambling sites unlawful for major banking institutions. They are pressured into not allowing financial transactions to take place and this places online gambling facilities and US poker players at a disadvantage. 

Signing up for a poker account and funding it can be frustrating if you don’t know what you are doing, so be prepared. Some banks don’t allow credit card transactions to online gambling sites and this is not always only a problem in the US. It all depends where you are from and what type of payment method you use, but the best thing to do is first set up an online eWallet type account. 

Some British players “only” sites have started accepting PayPay, but not all do, and Neteller is generally the widest used option. Starting a Neteller account is simple and many poker sites will have a link available. However be warned, Neteller is an un-cool option for US players, they have made it so difficult to use that it isn’t worth the bother. So much for the “land of the free!”    Ukash is a fabulous British option too; this is a pre-paid internet shopping voucher, much like a pre-paid mobile phone voucher. It can be used to shop at tons of online sites and most gambling and poker sites also now use it as a payment option. Making use of Ukash also provides a useful Bankroll money management tool.

There are many eWallets that US poker players can use, but few which are completely Universal, and many sites have set up the best option for their own members particular needs. This also prevents members from moving about from site to site and becoming bonus whores. You just can’t be bothered with pursuing another payment option and it’s very useful for successful money management; because there is no whimsical uploading of funds taking place every time you feel like topping up your bankroll. 

Instant Echeck is a really good method for US players and this is used to great effect at Full Tilt Poker. Basically you fund the site from your bank account and the money goes back into the same account when you withdraw. It is an instant deposit process and withdrawals take place in 24 to 48 hours. This system works so well that Poker Stars also uses Instant Echeck.  

EWallet Express and Moneygram are also popular deposit methods for US poker players, and all of these go to show that where there is a will there is a way. If you want to play poker online, and you live in the US, there is no way you are going to let Uncle Sam stop you.