MasterCard review

4.4/5 according to 6 votants

How does it work?

Directly linked to your bank account, the MasterCard credit or debit card allows you to make purchases with easy on physical and numerical points of sale. Today, very few websites don’t accept the MasterCard payment solution, which is as popular as its concurrent Visa for example.

Using your MasterCard card will be very easy on online betting websites. Whether you go with a bookmaker or a broker, you just have to register your card once. This step completed, all your payments will probably be automatized. Depending that your purchases are instantaneous or delayed, it’s possible that it will not be instantly register in your transaction historical.

Using MasterCard to gamble

What is practical with MasterCard is that this payment solution is very known. You will necessarily find a bookmaker who will accept deposits and withdrawals from a physical MasterCard card. Furthermore, the payment option is very trustworthy. It’s indeed hard to find more instantaneous et secured. To hack a card of this type is impossible, especially if the bookmaker’s website use a SSL 128bits encrypting system.

Despite all of that, some online betting operators prefer promoting the use of alternative payment methods like Neteller or Skrill. By using these methods, the user can sometimes benefit from an exclusive deposit bonus. In front of the emergence of such electronic wallets, the traditional payment solutions are in danger. Unfortunately, it’s notably the case of MasterCard.

How to deposit with MasterCard, step by step

You already own the card, so you're basically ready. Here's the whole thing.

In the bookmaker cashier, choose MasterCard and enter your card number, expiry date and the three-digit code on the back.
Validate the amount. If the site uses 3D Secure, confirm with the code your bank sends to your phone.
The deposit is instant. Your balance is credited and you can bet straight away.

Withdrawing to MasterCard: the honest truth

Let's not sugar-coat it. This is the weak spot of the card. A deposit is instant, but a withdrawal (technically a refund to your card) can take 2 to 5 working days to show up. Not every bookmaker even offers card payouts. If cashing out fast matters to you, an e-wallet like Neteller or Skrill will serve you far better. The card is perfect to get started, the wallet is better to get paid.

Fees and security

Depositing by MasterCard is usually free. Two things to keep in mind: your bank may treat a gambling deposit as a cash advance on a credit card (with interest), so a debit card is often the smarter choice, and a currency conversion fee applies if the bookmaker doesn't hold £. On the security side you're well covered, with SSL encryption on the bookmaker's side and 3D Secure validation on yours. Hacking a card protected that way is, frankly, close to impossible.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to use my MasterCard on an offshore bookmaker?

Using your own card to fund a bet is not illegal for you as a player. Just make sure the site is serious, encrypted and has a solid reputation, which is exactly what our rankings are here for.

Debit or credit card, which is better?

Debit, most of the time. It draws on money you already have, avoids the "cash advance" interest some credit cards apply to gambling, and keeps your spending in check.

My deposit was refused, why?

Some UK banks block or flag gambling transactions. If that happens, an e-wallet solves the problem instantly, since your bank only sees a transfer to the wallet, not a bet.