Australia is one of the countries that have decided to give the green light to the development of the gambling market and as a result, Australian players are enabled to take part in online gambling activities. The main question all players are interested in is whether online gambling activities are legal on the territory of Australia. In brief, most forms of online gambling are legalized throughout the country although some restrictions apply.
Back in 2001, the Australian authorities passed the so-called Interactive Gambling Act, which made real money online casino games illegal. Operators were also prohibited from advertising any forms of gambling activities. Any operator that violates the rules risks to face heavy sanctions.
However, the implementation of the Interactive Gambling Act does not mean that Australia-based players are prohibited from taking part in casino games over the Internet. On the contrary – there are prestigious online casinos welcoming international players and Australians in particular.
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According to people familiar with the situation on the Australian gambling market, the sector is yet to be fully developed. Australian gambling authorities are determined to provide local players with the conveniences and security they expect from an online casino. Currently, a lot of efforts are put into enhancing and amending the existing online gambling laws and ensuring players’ protection.
Casino Deposit Options for Australian Players
First of all, it is important to know that the accepted depositing methods can vary from casino to casino and some of them cannot be used for withdrawal. Before you settle for a certain payment method, you have to check with your bank if gambling-related transactions are processed.
Casinos that accept Australia-based players usually have the most widespread payment methods in the list of available options.
Needless to say, credit / debit cards are widely accepted. You can use your VISA, Maestro, MasterCard for making a deposit. However, withdrawing on your MasterCard might cause you certain issues.
More and more players opt for the e-wallets as they are convenient and secure. Customers’ personal information is never shared with third parties. Transactions are processed in strict confidentiality.
Australia-based players are more than welcome to use POLi, Neteller, Paysafecard, Skrill, Ecocard. Remember that Paysafecard is a prepaid card, which makes them unsuitable for withdrawal.
Most casinos recommend using the same payment processor for deposit and withdrawal but when the latter option is unavailable the best solution is to withdraw your winnings via bank transfer. In order to make an informed decision, you’d better become familiar with the specifications of each of the payment methods mentioned above.
VISA
VISA is a well-recognised brand associated with efficiency and security. It offers a great variety of banking products and services and the best of all is that every respected online casino accepts VISA as a depositing and withdrawal method. The only disadvantage is that you have to visit the physical branch of your bank and do some paperwork before you have your account created.
Apart from the standard debit and credit cards, VISA also offers prepaid cards that can be used as a regular debit card. You can make online and offline purchases and deposit funds into your casino account. Most of the prepaid cards are reloadable and you are not supposed to reveal sensitive bank information in order to complete a transaction online.
MasterCard
MasterCard is yet another payment method popular on a global scale. The company is a leader on the market and it is constantly enhancing the quality and quantity of the products it offers. Maestro is owned by MasterCard and it can be either a debit or a prepaid card. MasterCard is issued by the largest bank institutions in Australia such as Bankwest, Bendigo Bank, Commonwealth Bank, ME Bank, CommSec, Westpac.
You have to visit one of these banks and get the account information you will be required to enter in order to fund your casino account. It is important to note that you should ask if the particular bank processes transactions to online casinos. There is a chance to be able to make a deposit but an eventual withdrawal request to be rejected.
POLi
POLi is a widely popular electronic payment method in Australia. In order to use POLi for depositing purposes, you have to connect your account to the one you have in a certain bank. POLi is fast, secure and free. If you want to make a deposit to an online casino, you have to select POLi from the list of available options and log into your online banking. Next, you have to confirm the transaction and the desired sum will be automatically deducted from your balance. Your funds will be instantly available in your casino account.
As for withdrawal, you can transfer your winnings directly to your debit card via bank transfer.
Neteller
Neteller is yet another widespread payment method popular among Australia-based players. The website is translated into a number of languages and you can choose between several currencies. Depending on the country you reside, the transactions you initiate might be charge-free but sometimes they might be a subject to fees. Your Neteller account can be funded via VISA/ MasterCard credit/ debit cards, GiroPay, POLi, etc.
In order to deposit funds to an online casino, you have to select Neteller and follow the instructions. As for withdrawal, Neteller offers special cards that allow you to withdraw your money from any ATM.
Skrill
Skrill has been a leading payment processor for quite some time and it is associated with simplicity and transparency. You can use it for both depositing and withdrawal. Once you go through the verification procedures, you will be able to fund your Skrill account and make fast and secure transactions.
Skrill works like the majority of e-wallets. You are required to link your Skrill account to a credit or debit card. You can make transactions by entering either the Skrill ID of the receiver or the email they have registered with. The fees for withdrawal are reasonable and it may take from 24 hours to a couple of days before the transaction is complete.
ecoCard
Back in 2013, ecoCard was rebranded as ecoPayz but it remained a preferred method for online money transfers. In order to use EcoPayz, you have to go through a verification process that might take up to two weeks. You can choose between Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum and VIP account. Each one of them brings you advantages and makes your depositing and withdrawal experience even easier.
The fees you are required to pay for instant deposit or wire transfer vary between 0-7%. Beware that you cannot use ecoPays for withdrawal if you opt for the Classic account. As for the other four, it is possible to withdraw funds but fees between €3 and €10 apply.
How safe these payment methods are?
Prepaid cards are gaining more and more popularity due to the fact that they keep the risk of overspending to the minimum. You can wager no more than the amount you have loaded into the card. Two of the most widespread prepaid cards among Australian players are Neosurf and Paysafecard. They do not require you to reveal confidential personal and bank details.
As for the other available e-wallets, they allow customers to transfer funds and make online purchases in a matter of minutes. Most of them require you to link a bank account and fill in some bank and personal information. Major payment processors can be accessed from a smartphone as well.
Despite their increasing popularity, the main concern of users is the level of security electronic payment methods ensure.
The aforementioned online payment methods provide the highest level of protection against fraud and identity theft. Customers’ sensitive data is heavily encrypted and nobody, except from the customer, knows the password required for making payments online.
It is not recommended to access your account from unsecured wifi or public network as the danger of having your details revealed is pretty high.
