eCheck Poker Sites

The best type of banking methods are going to be the ones that take deposit money directly to your poker account from your bank account so that you don’t have to wait for payments to clear, or to update in your bank account. You don’t want to have to wait days to play poker.

eChecks are one of those options.

If you don’t know what echecks are, it’s simple; they’re the virtual variation of paper checks, like what you might write to pay for a service or to pay your bills. They’re different in that they clear much faster, since everything is electronic. (They still take a week to clear, but many poker rooms will float the cash to you so you don’t have to wait to play.) They’re considered to be safer than paper checks, too, because there are fewer steps between making the payment and it clearing, which means fewer opportunities for thieves to get their hands on your information.

So, basically, echecks are like debit and credit cards. So why not use those instead? For one thing, your preferred debit/credit card might not be accepted. They’re also prone to being declined from banks, especially if you’re from Canada or the USA. So you might use an echeck instead of a credit card as a solution to that problem, or to avoid it altogether.

Either way, it’s worth knowing what echecks are and how to use them. You can never have too many banking options if you plan to gamble online.

How to Use eChecks to Make a Deposit / Withdrawal

eChecks are simple enough to use. You’ll visit the cashier, choose (instant) echecks as your option, and fill out the following details:

  • Account number
  • Serial number
  • (3-digit) Bank ID
  • (5-digit) Branch transit number
  • Routing number
  • Amount you want to deposit

Then you hit submit.

The exact details you need to provide will depend on what country you’re depositing from. What you see above is a mixture of US / Canadian check details.

Before you make your deposit you’ll want to make sure to have your checkbook hand, as well as identification in case you’re asked for it.

You’ll also notice that (many) poker sites have lower limits for echecks. They only do this to protect themselves until you’re known for processing checks successfully. Once you make a couple of successful deposits your limits will be increased. If not, ask for one.

In regards to fees, I’ve noticed that many sites will let you deposit and withdraw using echecks for free, although this will depend on the casino you choose to play at.

Benefits to Using eChecks

There are several benefits to using echecks to fund your poker account.

  • eChecks are available to American, Canadian and UK players. If you’re from the US I don’t think I have to tell you how good this is.
  • No (or few) fees. Most poker sites will cover the costs, if any, for using an echeck. Keep in mind that your bank may not.
  • eChecks are fast. They still take a week or so to clear both ways, but many poker sites will float you the cash on your deposit. And a week to withdraw is nothing when compared to 4-8 week processing and transit times for poker site paper checks.
  • Many e-wallets accept echecks, too. If you prefer to do your online shopping and gambling from an e-wallet (for extra security, no paper trail, etc), many of them accept e-checks.
  • eChecks can be used for both deposits and withdrawals.

Can American Poker Players Use eChecks?

Yes. Based on our research Americans can use echecks to fund their account.

That said, keep in mind that since an echeck is like a paper check, only virtual, and that you still have the inherent risks of using your bank to fund your poker account. Although only a possibility, you do run the risks of your bank not clearing the transaction, or worse, finding out that you’re using them to fund online gambling and they close your account as a result of that. I’ve not seen or heard about it happening for echeck users, but I have for Visa/MasterCard users. So you should at least assume that it’s a risk for you, too, should you choose to use an echeck.