VISA Gift Cards

Ganchrow · 02-14-2007, 10:30 PM

Has anyone had any luck with these VISA Gift Cards? Unless I'm overlooking some hidden fees, this website appears to offer cards at a substantially lower rate than that quoted in the article.

Online Gambling: US Customers Best Valentine's Day Gift

Christopher Costigan,
Gambling911.com

Have a Visa or Mastercard? Chances are it won't work when it comes to online gambling from the US. It's hit or miss and mostly miss depending on the issuing banks.

But that won't stop US gamblers from finding alternative methods of betting online using a credit card.

All the rage on poker forums such as Two Plus Two center around GiftCards.com, which allow online gambling aficionados to purchase so-called "virtual credit cards" online.

They seem to work.

So what are gift cards exactly?

They are debit cards that are accepted in millions of locations around the world - including from what we can tell, online casinos and poker rooms. Gamblers are simply purchasing the cards for themselves, then using them like debit cards or ATMs.

If you don't like buying them online and waiting a few days for your giftcards to arrive, these can actually be purchased at your local drug store such as Walgreens.

Maybe it is Valentine's Day approaching, but since word got out about this new method of depositing money into an online poker or casino site, Walgreens and other stores claim to have experienced a "run on the cards".

There are drawbacks, but for the hardcore online poker player, these may seem insignificant. Most gift cards have a $500 cap. There is a 3% vig for a $500 giftcard (or a cost of $15), though some are said to be more costly than others so shop around and compare.

And to answer the question: Can you send a giftcard to yourself? Gamblers have tested and it appears this is possible.

But here is where we throw in the Valentine's Day connection. Ladies, if your man plays poker online, this is the perfect gift....and vice versa.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

---

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com

Originally published February 13, 2007 11:23 pm ET

JoshW · 02-14-2007, 11:57 PM

If a merchant can't process credit card transactions, they can't take these as form of payment right? I would have figured VISA would have to prevent gaming operators from taking these too. Am I missing something?

Ganchrow · 02-15-2007, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakerfan

If a merchant can't process credit card transactions, they can't take these as form of payment right? I would have figured VISA would have to prevent gaming operators from taking these too. Am I missing something?

I don't know if this has actually started occurring yet. Are gaming sites no longer processing credit card payments from US players?

Bluehorseshoe · 02-15-2007, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ganchrow

I don't know if this has actually started occurring yet. Are gaming sites no longer processing credit card payments from US players?

They're taking them, but some sportsbook's processors have an easier time getting them to clear then others.

For sites that can't get 80 percent of the bank credit cards out there to go through, the gift cards will usually work.

tblues2005 · 02-15-2007, 08:19 AM

It worked for me at BetJamaica with getting a netspend card just yesterday. They told me that the ones that are bought at Walgreens will work also. I guess those are under different rules I guess. Some of them are from banks outside of the U.S.A. also, I believe that are selling these gift cards.

sergfro · 02-15-2007, 09:47 AM

www.www-card.com

works like a charm.

robmpink · 02-15-2007, 10:57 AM

Stay away from the Vanilla Visa gift cards. They don't work on gaming sites. I know Rite Aid sells them. I think they could read the gaming merchant code. The funny thing is they worked really well at most books last year at this time. I tried the www.www-card and it works well.

robmpink · 02-15-2007, 10:57 AM

Did anyone ever use the Vanilla Visa gift card last year?

louis · 02-15-2007, 11:03 AM

Amongst the A rated books that take US players, 5 dimes is the only one that does not take VISA.

I love it! If your VISA doesn't work because your bank has blocked gaming transactions, simply use your VISA to load another virtual visa gift card and use the gift card!

Going to be impossible for the US to block gaming transactions using the www-card, because it is issued by an Israeli bank that is not required to block these transactions.

The problem we are going to be facing is not getting money to the books. My guess is 2 or 3 years from now sportsbooks will be sending us virtual visa cards in return, 16 digit numbers, as a form of withdrawal, with the amount of our withdrawal loaded.

louis · 02-15-2007, 11:34 AM

I purchased a visa gift card at giftcards.com using my american express card.

I then used the virtual visa gift card, sent to me 1 hour later in my email, to fund my sportsbook account.

Bill Dozer · 02-15-2007, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louis

Amongst the A rated books that take US players, 5 dimes is the only one that does not take VISA.

I love it! If your VISA doesn't work because your bank has blocked gaming transactions, simply use your VISA to load another virtual visa gift card and use the gift card!

Going to be impossible for the US to block gaming transactions using the www-card, because it is issued by an Israeli bank that is not required to block these transactions.

The problem we are going to be facing is not getting money to the books. My guess is 2 or 3 years from now sportsbooks will be sending us virtual visa cards in return, 16 digit numbers, as a form of withdrawal, with the amount of our withdrawal loaded.

Israel is not gaming friendly so it may be only a matter of time for that one. Credit cards have always been around but the hoop jumping wasn't worth it for the books during the Neteller era. Now it is. Sportsbook.com, one of the biggest, has processed credit cards pretty easily since the start.

RickySteve · 02-15-2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louis

Amongst the A rated books that take US players, 5 dimes is the only one that does not take VISA.

I've made credit card deposits at 5Dimes before. Did they stop offering this?

RickySteve · 02-15-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ganchrow

Has anyone had any luck with these VISA Gift Cards? Unless I'm overlooking some hidden fees, this website appears to offer cards at a substantially lower rate than that quoted in the article.

Looks like a flat $2 fee for email delivery.

louis · 02-17-2007, 08:48 AM

They charge $2 for a $500 card. I purchased this using my Amex, and then made a full $500 VISA deposit at BetCris.

How do they make money paying American Express fees, unless they charge Bet Cris more than that to accept their VISA.

Doesn't make sense.

chrono714 · 02-17-2007, 11:43 AM

louis did you buy the card from www.giftcards.com ? If so which card was it? Betcris says they only accept cards from www.www-card.com or go out and buy one from a local store.

Thanks!

freebie · 02-17-2007, 12:21 PM

it's easy making deposit using Visa gift card and then throw them away once it's deposited to a book.

How do you make a withdrawal? Through FedEx Check I would assume?