Gift cards like Netspend and Vanilla Visa have been extremely popular for ages to players who are keen on betting online at offshore sportsbooks. However, lately things have become tougher and many restrictions have been applied. If you are looking to play with sports betting gift cards you should bear in mind that only cards that can be used internationally work. We’ve made the research for you and present the sportsbooks that still accept gift cards and where you can buy them.
Best Betting Sites that Accept Gift Cards (2023)
If you’re not too keen on sharing personal or bank details with bookies, paying with gift cards is always a great solution. On the list below you can find the top sports betting sites accepting gift cards and offering transactions with low fees.
Types of prepaid gift cards
You’ll be able to find gift cards at most convenience stores or at dedicated selling points, so getting them is easy enough. However, let’s take a closer look at what gift cards can be used internationally for sports betting and what’s the catch with them.
Netspend Card
It’s better to start by answering the ‘where to buy Netspend card?’ question. You’ll be relieved to know that you can order it online. Just place an order online and you will get a Netspend card in a maximum of 10 business days via mail. There’s no credit check being performed.
Once you receive it, you’ll need to activate the card, and after that, easily transfer money to Netspend card via Direct Deposit or any of the available options. Uploading funds at reload locations can incur fees of up to $3.95 and if you choose the Pay-As-You-Go plan, you won’t have to worry about monthly fees.
You can use the Netspend card at online sportsbooks that accept Visa or MasterCard. Additionally, you can withdraw money from a Netspend card at an ATM. You can also combine your Netspend card with a Western Union account to maximize its potential.
Vanilla Visa Card
Another highly-efficient gift card with which you can deposit at online sportsbooks, Vanilla Visa, is also very popular among bettors. Unlike Netspend, you can’t get one online; however, you can buy a Vanilla Visa gift card from any of the reselling partners (i.e. Walmart, 7/11, Shell, Best Buy, etc). The only fee you should expect when using this card is the Activation Fee which is deducted at purchase. Whenever you deposit on a Vanilla Visa gift card online gambling site, there’s no extra fee applied. The maximum value for Vanilla gift cards is $250, respectively $500 for OneVanilla.
Now that we’ve covered what a Vanilla Visa gift card is and where you can get it, let’s see how it scores for online betting. Just make sure to attach your Postcode to it to be able to use it online. You can also use one through PayPal; however, you won’t be able to transfer money from Vanilla Visa to PayPal. The main downside of the Vanilla Visa card comes from not being able to withdraw cash at the ATM with it.
DirectPay
Although it’s not technically a gift card, DirectPay online deserves its spot in our list of the decent payment options for online sportsbooks. To address the question ‘what is DirectPay?’, it’s a bank transfer method that allows you to send funds directly from your bank account to the online betting site of your choice.
You can easily use it through your online banking app and enjoy the advantages of a DirectPay transfer. The main advantage of DirectPay is the absence of fees. Most US based sportsbooks accept DirectPay as a payment option and you can also get your money back through it in up to 3 business days.
Using Direct Pay online makes betting more fun and efficient. And since it is already linked with your bank account, you can use the attached debit card at an ATM to get cash.
JCB Card
Some of you may already be wondering what a JCB credit card is. Well, JCB is short for the Japanese Credit Bureau and they offer online credit cards to citizens all around the world.
Unfortunately, though, there aren’t so many JCB card bookmakers. Moreover, you are not able to withdraw funds when betting with a JCB card. The fees involved are applied to the amount you use and you might be charged with up to 12% monthly fees if you don’t cover the used amount in time.
MST Card
To make an MST gift card purchase at an online betting site you first need to get one on the web. These cards come in predetermined increments and, just like with most gift cards, you won’t be able to request a payout on them. So, if you wish to make a deposit, buy an MST gift card online and access the cashier of the sportsbook to insert the details. There is no extra commission when you make the deposit.
Now that we have already taken a look at various prepaid gift cards, it is good to also see some alternative payment methods that come to cover some disadvantages that gift cards have.
Alternatives to betting with gift cards
The main disadvantage that gift cards have, with the exception of Netspend, is that players can not proceed with withdrawals. Below you can find alternative payment methods that come with multiple benefits and the fact that they allow withdrawals is one of them.
PayPal
One of the oldest and widely known wallets, PayPal is considered a top choice for any bettor. Bonus availability, instant payments and high limits are among the leading edges of the payment. However, PayPal bookies come with withdrawal fees. Moreover, a prepaid Mastercard is available only for users in the US.
Skrill
Skrill is another popular wallet among bettors. It belongs to Paysafe Group and has a partnership with AC Milan since 2020. Skrill bookmakers offer speedy and safe transactions. Also, Skrill’s mobile app allows players to deposit on their favourite bookies easily when on the road. On the other hand, most bookmakers will not offer a possibility for a welcome bonus when depositing with Skrill.
Apple Pay
Apple Pay is an online wallet launched by Apple. It can be considered as a new entry in the gambling industry, since only a few bookies have adopted it. However, it comes with significant advantages. Secure and fast deposits and the eligibility to claim a welcome bonus and any other promotion are the main perks of Apple Pay bookies. Withdrawals restrictions and not being available for Android devices are some of the most significant shortcomings.
Bitcoin
We discuss the most popular cryptocurrency and one of the oldest as it was launched back in 2009. Betting with cryptos has become a trend lately and there are many reasons why. Bitcoin bookmakers allow fast transactions that could be completed within minutes and also provide privacy and under the radar gambling activity. Bitcoin is also a great option for depositing on offshore bookies. However, Bitcoin's rising popularity has as a result higher fees on your transactions.
Is it worth betting with gift cards?
Some of you can already answer this question after going through all our examples. Others may still remain loyal to gift cards as a payment method for sportsbooks due to the anonymity they offer and the improved control over what you’re spending. However, except Netspend, none of them will allow you to request a payout and some apply high fees for deposits.
To sum up, prepaid gift cards could be a considerable payment option for low turn players who would like to play under the radar. For high-rollers and professional bettors it has no value to gamble on betting sites that accept gift cards. Other payment methods, such as wallets like PayPal or Apple Pay are more suitable for them.
Complete list of sports betting sites that accept gift cards
Low fees and under the radar activity are the leading edges of betting with gift cards. So, check below the full list of online bookies that offer them and choose the one that suits you best.
The amount of any sports betting gift card depends on the type of card. There are lots of different cards and in most cases, the maximum amount is $500.
Straightforward answer, no. This is the biggest drawback of using gift cards when gambling online. Players need to find an alternative method to withdraw their winnings.
Most bookies accept deposits through virtual prepaid gift cards since most of them are offered by regulated vendors like Visa or Mastercard. Nonetheless, withdrawals are not available when using them.
Basically, only the prepaid gift cards that can be used internationally are accepted by bookies. However, depending on your region or the vendor, some others can also be used by players; who need to contact the provider first to ask about that.
It depends on the type of card that you are using. Some of them allow you to deposit multiple times until you reach the available amount limit.