Credit Cards Pulling From Online Gambling, Alternative Methods Used

Gambling News - February 28th, 2010 - Written By Glen

The month of February was both good and bad for online gambling. First, we watched HR 2267, or the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act move into the spotlight as it battled through committees, then we saw the Bipartisan Tax Fairness and Simplification Act come to light. This act would carry a clause that would ultimately legalize and regulate online gambling.

Unfortunately, February was not all ups. The bad parts came when MasterCard made a decision to cease processing online gambling payments. Not more than a week after, VISA decided to follow in suit.

"It caught me by surprise," said Jack F., an online gambling from southern Georgia. "I had always used my MasterCard for making gambling deposits, but now I am completely incapable."

What does this mean for the gambler? Other USA Gambling Deposit Methods are becoming a necessary evil. Methods such as eWalletXpress and UseMyWallet are at the forefront, allowing players to continue making deposits with no hassle.

Alternative deposit methods include e-wallets and vouchers, such as prepaid cards. These add an intermediary to the deposit process, which effectively hides the purpose of the transaction from the card issue.

MasterCard's sweeping efforts have already caused many gambling sites to completely drop the card as a listed deposit method. Though the UIGEA has been delayed and legislative efforts to regulate online gambling are regularly cropping up, both on a state and federal level, this credit card giant has still decided to cease offering their service to the gambling community.

Coincidentally, horse race gambling is, in most cases, still possible with the use of a MasterCard.