Why is PayPal so popular among UK casino players?

Added on November 27, 2024, in Gambling Articles by Gambling Gurus

Internet casino enthusiasts in the UK enjoy a wider range of payment processing alternatives compared to players almost anywhere else. The options are almost boundless, as digital payment providers vie for the opportunity to handle your gambling funds entering and exiting casinos.

Payment system organisations need permission to operate in the market. Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal have long relationships with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Gambling Commission. They help to ensure that only licensed gaming sites can use their payment services.

Paypal UK

Since PayPal operates more as an eWallet than a credit or debit card (both can be linked to your PayPal account, as can your bank) the system was able to come into compliance with UKGC rules quicker than the major card brands. Founded in 1998, PayPal simply refuses to process illegal payments.

We wondered about the overall British view of PayPal so we looked at the result of a survey found on Statista, one of the internet’s leading repositories of statistical information.

The Gambling Commission reported in 2017 and again in early 2018 that almost half of the population had gambled in the last month prior to being surveyed. This seems like a good place to start to figure out just why PayPal is so popular with UK casino players.

The survey found that 71% of people queried had a positive view of PayPal, while only 2% had a negative view. A little over a quarter, (27% of those surveyed), had a neutral opinion.

That’s a very high ratio of positive to negative reactions to any brand or service!

Some of the reasons that online casino players like to use PayPal so much are the same reasons so many people have a positive viewΒ of the payment method. We’ll look at those first, then winnow it down to the three main reasons PayPal is so popular with online players.

  • It’s free to sign up
  • It’s secure – The recipient won’t see your sensitive financial information such as credit card or bank account numbers
  • It’s fast – Payments are processed in real time
  • It’s easy – Wherever you see the PayPal logo, all you have to do click to log in and transfer the amount you wish

No wonder PayPal is one of the most popular payment methods in the UK!

While not every online casino accepts PayPal, lcb.org has compiled a list of over 350 that do in 2021.

After looking at the data and asking others why they prefer to do their casino banking with PayPal, we came up with three very good reasons.

Top three reasons UK players like PayPal

Reason #1

PayPal is safe and secure. The company’s digital data defenses include storing your personal account information on computers that aren’t even connected to the internet. The data points necessary to complete transactions are encrypted and kept behind firewalls in a digital vault that only their systems can access.

Safer payment Paypal

As with any financial or other sensitive transactions, players still need to do their part by making sure their online security software is up to date and be sure not to make purchases over unsecured public WiFi connections.

Reason #2

PayPal casino transfers are fast. It only takes a few seconds to log in and transfer funds that should appear immediately in your account. Most casinos don’t charge you any fees when you choose this method to deposit or withdraw. Of course, it’s always a good idea to check the cashier, payment, or banking section of the casino, but hidden fees are mostly a thing of the past thanks to UKGC rules.

Reason #3

Instant cashouts are possible, depending on the casino’s internal processing times. Once your account is established, you can usually expect to see your winnings as fast or faster than any other eWallet, and much faster than any credit or debit card withdrawal.

As soon as the casino processes your payment it will appear in your PayPal account almost immediately.