Pre-payment methods, and PaySafeCard in particular, have become very popular methods to pay for products and services online using real cash, with no bank account or bank card needed.
You can of course also purchase using bank cards, and many do as this means you cannot see the ultimate transaction on your statement. Many PaySafeCard betting sites exist and most will allow you to fund your account free of charge with similar minimum limits to conventional bank cards.
Pre-payment cards can be loaded with cash or any other funding mechanism and can be used in lieu of cash. PaySafeCard PIN numbers can be purchased at any store displaying the “PayPoint” symbol where you use your card to purchase a 16 digit PIN representing amounts as low as £10.
This and other pre-payment methods can be used with any of the online bookmakers listed here. Some bookies will still allow you to claim your sign up bonus when you deposit by these methods – indicated in the table below.
Bet365 - Best PaySafeCard Betting Site
Bet365 stand clearly above the rest when it comes to funding a betting account using a PaySafeCard and if you are someone that wants to bet using cash without sharing your financial or personal details online this is your best option.
They offer low deposit levels of just £5 and they also one of an handful of operators to allow you to withdraw back to PaySafeCard (if you have a MyPaySafeCard account) with a £5 minimum withdrawal amount. Withdrawals can take as little as 24 hours too. Maximum limits for deposit is £770 and for withdrawals is £2000.
Online Bookmakers That Accept PaySafeCard
| Site | Min Deposit | Min Withdrawal | Fees | Visit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Betfred | £5 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
|
Bet365 | £5.00 | £5.00 | 0% |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
All British Sports | £10 | N/A | 0% |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Parimatch | £5 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
10bet | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Mr.Play | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Fanteam | £10 | £0 | 0 |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Unibet | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Party Casino | £10 | £10 | 0% |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Grosvenor Sports | £5 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Luckster | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Bettarget | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Jeffbet | £10 | £10 | 1% up to £3 |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Ladbrokes | £5 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Coral | £5 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
NetBet | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Bet442 | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
Boylesports | £5 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
 |
32Red Sports | £10 | N/A | - |
T&Cs Apply, 18+
|
Why Should You Use PaySafeCard When Betting?
Many different people want to have the option use cash when paying for goods and services online and just because you decide to bet online doesn’t mean you can’t use cash. PaySafeCard provides a means to fund your betting account with cash in a simple and easy way. It is not the only pre-paid voucher of its type but it is the most widely accepted online, especially with online bookmakers and casinos.
PaySafeCard is owned and run by the PaySafe Group, who also own Skrill and Neteller. Since acquiring Skrill for around $1.1 billion back in 2015 the group phased out the old Ukash pre-payment card, which used to be its major competitor. Ukash was discontinued at the end of 2015 having now been fully replaced by PaySafe.
The service requires no gathering of personal information or bank details and works a little bit like the old top up cards for mobile phones. In this article we will show you how to use PaySafeCard and other prepayment services.
PaySafeCard Gambling
PaySafeCard and other prepayment services are a very safe way to bet. All services are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and have the same right and protections as real cash.
Once you have funded your online betting account using your PIN the money is simply counted as cash and can be used as such or withdrawn to any other registered payment mechanism you have with the bookmaker. Very few operators payout in PaySafe vouchers and so you will need to have another registered payment method, a bank account, card or eWallet available to withdraw funds into.
Generally the easiest way to do this if you don’t want to involve a bank account directly is to use either Skrill or Neteller. As these are part of the same group you the payment process is very easy.
It is also important to note that if you use PaySafeCard to fund a betting site, especially if this is for the first time, then you will almost certainly need to submit other verification documents. When using a bank card some companies can verify your identity and age using a soft credit check, with PaySafeCard there is no such information. Verification is a legal requirement and will usually kick in before your first withdrawal or first withdrawal over a threshold amount.
How To Get A PIN
To buy a PIN simply visit any distribution outlet to obtain an e-voucher. Purchase a PIN at any shop or store displaying the ‘PayPoint’ logo, these include post offices, convenience stores and newsagents. The vouchers can also be purchased with a large list of other retailers listed on the Pay Safe site.
When you purchase a voucher in a store the PIN will come in denominations of £10, £25, £50, £75 or £100 in the form of a printed e-voucher. Any customer can purchase several PINs if you would like more than £100, there is the option to buy up to 10 PINs from any outlet at any one time.
If you purchase from any PayPoint provider £125, £150 and £175 denomination vouchers are also available. Check online for a list of distribution outlets. We strongly recommend you do this as scammers have been known to operate in markets like this.
my pafsafecard
You can store all of your PIN numbers online if you register for a my paysafecard account. This can be useful not just as a means to store your PINs and retrieve them easily when you need them, it also means you cannot lose your PIN as you could do if you just get a printed voucher without an account.
Store up to £5000 in prepaid vouchers in the account, accessed easily with a username and password. You also get loyalty ‘my plus’ rewards if you register for the online account, useful if you use the service regularly.
You could also choose to get a paysafecard MasterCard which allows you to spend funds from your account in places that don’t accept the vouchers. This also lets you fund any amount you like and you can also use it with PayPal.
For an alternative try ecoPayz and the associated EcoCards. Alternatively Entropay offer a very good prepaid VISA accepted by many betting companies.
My PaySafeCard App
PaySafeCard set themselves apart with the option to use a bespoke mobile app. Available on Apple and Anroid system the app lets you keep track of your registered account and see exisiting and used PINs including expiry dates.
A nice feature is the ability to find outlets nearby where you can purchase a PIN. Get help and information, see promotions and even use the app on a smart watch.
How To Bet Online Using PaySafeCard
Once you have your PIN simply visit any of the bookmakers listed on this page and fund your account instantly by entering the 16 digit code (see example below). You are allowed to use up to 10 PINs in any one transaction. From this point on the money in your betting account is treated as any cash.
Most bookies do not allow withdrawals to PaySafeCard (although some are registered to issue PINs and will let you withdraw this way). Money can be withdrawn using any other registered payment method you have with the bookie.
If you have a my paysafecard account you do not need to keep your e-voucher or write down your pin. You can fund your betting account using just your username and password, see the screenshot example below.
Following purchase your pin is valid for up to 12 months and is shown as a use by date on the voucher. Even if you do reach this expiry limit the PIN will not expire straight away you will instead by charged a £3 monthly fee for each month you go over this limit. If you have a my paysafecard account the charge is £2 a month if you haven’t used a PIN within the previous year.
You can have your voucher refunded at any time by sending an email to the company with your card serial number and your details. You may however be subject to a £6 redemption fee
Usually you will be required to fund the account to the amount of the voucher purchased. If this does not suit you there is the option to use an intermediate e-Wallet service such as the PaySafeCard owner Skrill. This way you can load cash to a digital wallet and then spend however you wish.
History of PaySafeCard
PaySafeCard is a system originally devised in 2000 by four Austrians who wanted to bring cash to the internet. They created the method based on existing calling cards and mobile top up systems where cards and vouchers can be purchased providing a PIN that can be redeemed for credit elsewhere. One year later in 2001 the mechanism was rolled out in Germany. In 2002 the service launched printable e-vouchers alongside the physical card and by 2004 cards and PINs became available online.
By 2006 the service expanded to Greece, Slovenia, Spain, Great Britain and Slovakia. By 2008 the PaySafeCard had passed 15 million transactions. The company continued to expand moving into many more countries and in 2014 became part of the international Skrill group.
The Skrill Group was then purchased by Optimal Payments Limited, owners of Neteller, a year later in 2015. The whole group of companies then decided to change its name to the Paysafe group. Following the merger PaySafeCard replaced Ukash as both were owned by the PaySafe gorup.
Countries Where PaySafeCard Can Be Used For Gambling
PaySafeCard is available in over 40 countries worldwide and is available from nearly 700,000 retail outlets.
Pre-payment systems are simply another way of using cash and so come under the same restrictions as other payment forms when it comes to using the system for online gambling. For example, if you are betting from a restricted country such as the US you will be unable to use this to fund a UK betting site no matter what payment mechanism you use.
Pre-payment cards and vouchers do however offer a useful way to fund betting accounts from restricted bank accounts. If your bank is based in a country where online gambling is illegal or restricted they may prevent you loading funds into your UK bookmakers account even if you are in the UK.
One option to get around this is to use your restricted account to purchase pre-payment vouchers such as PaySafeCard and fund your betting account directly, or indirectly using a digital wallet.
Security
With PaySafeCard and other pre-payment services there is no need to hand over personal bank details. These services are simply alternative cash methods and are afforded the same legal protection that convention cash is. In many senses these services are more secure than cash, if you lose your voucher or card then you can cancel or redeem the voucher online. If you do however lose the PIN and don’t cancel the voucher anybody else could use this just as they would if they found real cash.
Its worthwhile registering for the online account as this way your vouchers are uploaded giving you added protection if you lose an e-voucher or pin. If you purchase an e-voucher not linked to a my paysafecard account and then lose it there will be no way to trace your voucher, especially if you pay with cash for that voucher.
These systems have several other benefits too beyond the privacy that cash transactions bring. If for some reason either the vendor or the betting site you are using were to be hacked and card details stolen you would be protected from any fraud if you use PaySafeCard and other pre-payment formats.
PaySafeCard Fees & Limtis
There are no fees when registering for PaySafeCard or when buying a PIN in store. Fees are generally not charged by betting sites either that accept PaySafeCard, and if they do there will usually be a charge for other payment methods too. The few online bookmakers that let you withdraw by generating PINs may occasionally charge a fee.
If for some reason you lose your voucher or would like a refund you may be liable for £6 a fee. If you fail to use your PIN within 12 months you will also be liable for a £2/month fee (£3 if you don’t have an account) until you use the voucher or until the voucher amount is used up in fees.
There is a maximum individual payment of £200, or £250 if using my paysafecard. If you verify your account you can increase your transactional limit to £1800. If you want to make a payment larger than this you will need to make several transactions.