Analysis of Debit Card Deposits at Canadian Gambling Sites

There’s no denying that we are heading full-steam into the digital age. Almost everything we do in our daily lives can be done in on a computer, smartphone or tablet. That includes a plethora of entertainment options, like casino gambling. Already two decades into the online casino revolution, one of the biggest questions facing today’s iGamers is, ironically, the same question of early adopters: 

“What’s the best way to deposit and withdraw at casinos online?” 

There are a lot of payment options for Canadian players. The very first option you’ll find on 99% of all Canadian casino banking pages is debit cards; you know – Visa Debit, MasterCard Debit, etc. They are the highest on the list, because they are most commonly the first choice among Canadians. 

The rest of this page will teach you everything you need to know about debit card casino deposits in Canada. We’ll talk about why they are the go-to choice, but also why so many players are looking for alternatives to debit card payments. We’ll also cover the exact process of making a deposit and withdrawal with a debit card, and some other useful information. 

Please use the Table of Contents below to find what you’re looking for, or just keep scrolling. Thanks for visiting, and remember to always gamble responsibly. 

Debit Card Casino Deposits – The Go-To Choice 

Interestingly enough, debit cards have always been the first choice among most Canadian iGamers. From the late 1990s to present day, just about every newcomer to the online casino market chooses a debit card. While it may or may not be the best option, depending on your needs and issuing bank, the reason for its popularity should be obvious. 

We use debit cards for pretty much everything else we do, in person, but especially online. Ordering pizza delivery? Debit card. Buying a new tech gadget from Amazon? Debit card. Paying a utility bill? Debit Card. Buying tickets for an upcoming concert, show or sporting event? Debit Card. If this sounds familiar, it only makes sense that you would turn to a debit card for an online casino deposit. However… 

Debit Cards Aren’t Always the Best Option 

Although they are commonly the first choice, they are rarely the best choice for Canadians. Ask 80% of the nation’s veteran online gamblers, and they’ll agree. It’s not that debit cards are too slow, or too pricey, or that gamblers are afraid they’ll get in trouble; (online casinos are perfectly legal in Canada, and they always have been). No, the problem is that most banks will reject a payment if they know it’s going to an offshore gambling website. 

I could spend a few paragraphs on this topic, but I’ll save us both the time. If you want to study the stance of Canadian banks on iGaming, I recommend this page from DebitCardCasino.ca. Suffice it to say, Canadian banks have too many ties to the US market (where online gambling is largely illegal) to risk approving international casino payments. Covering themselves means limiting your purchasing power, whether you want them to or not. 

This only applies to international gambling websites. You can always use a debit card at Canadian online casinos that are subject to provincial regulation; (e.g. Ontario’s PlayOLG, Quebec’s EspaceJeux, B.C.’s PlayNow, etc.) 

Is There a Debit Card Canada Players Can Use Internationally? 

Yes! If you have a debit card issued by any Bank of Montreal (BMO) branch, you should have no trouble depositing at an international online casino. Take that with a grain of salt, though. The acceptance is about 98% with BMO debit cards. It’s not perfect, but it’s as good as it gets. 

For reference, here’s a table detailing the average Canadian debit card acceptance rate at online casinos in 2024. In the first column, you’ll see the Big Five Banks of Canada. The second column features the acceptance rate at Local (provincially regulated) casinos. The last column shows average acceptance at Global (internationally regulated) online casinos. 

Speed of Debit Card Payments – Instant! 

Great news—debit card purchases are always instant! The moment you complete the payment, your money will be available for betting. 

How can your cash get overseas so quickly? Well, it’s a bit more complex than that. You see, Canadian banks have a superlative payment system based on EFT protocol. EFT stands for “electronic funds transfer”. Here’s how it works. 

The moment a user submits a payment via debit card, the sending and receiving banks begin exchanging automated, digital messages. The receiving bank asks for the money. The sending bank (i.e. your bank) responds with two messages. The first details whether that money is available in the payee’s account. The second message either confirms or rejects the payment, depending on the first response. 

If the recipient gets an affirmative response in both messages, the casino knows that the funds are available and on the way. Thus, the casino is happy to credit the user’s account instantly, despite the fact that the money won’t actually arrive for a few days. 

Are There Fees for Debit Card Payments? 

Canadian banks never charge card holders a fee for using their debit card. All fees, if any, carry over to the recipient (the merchant, or casino, that’s getting paid). The online casinos won’t charge a fee for a debit card deposit, either, because they want you to make that payment. If anything, they’ll apply a minimum deposit amount of $10 or $20 to make worth their while. Thus, debit card deposits are always free for players. 

Withdrawals, on the other hand, could incur a fee. It’s not the casinos that might charge you, but your bank. As the recipient of a cashout, you are subject to the transaction fee. You’ll need to check with your bank to see if a charge applies, and if so, how much. It’s generally anywhere from 1% to 3% of the withdrawal amount. 

How to Make a Casino Deposit with a Debit Card 

If you have a BMO-issued debit card, or want to try depositing with another bank’s debit card (sometimes they do work), here’s a basic walk-through of the process. The steps could vary slightly from one casino to the next, but not by much. 

 Can I Cashout Casino Winnings to a Debit Card? 

Some casinos will allow this, and others will not. In cases where it’s allowed, note that there are very strict rules. Firstly, you can only withdrawal to a debit card that you have previously made at least one deposit with. Secondly, you can only withdrawal an amount up to the total amount of deposits made with that card. 

For example, let’s say you deposit $50 with your BMO MasterCard. A week later, you make another deposit of $50 with the same card. After a few lucky gaming sessions, you want to cashout $200 in winnings. You will only be able to withdrawal up to $100 to your debit card; this being the total amount of deposits made from the card. You would need to use an alternate payment method (APM) to withdrawal the remaining $100. 

---

Become an Insider

Subscribe to get a free daily budget planner printable to help get your money on track!

Make passive money the right way. No spam.

First Name:
Email Address:

Leave this field empty if you're human: