As a Canadian online casino player, you have the advantage of choosing from many payment methods to play across casino sites. There are many payment solutions designed to fit any player who would like to enjoy online casino games from their own country and still get safe and secure online banking.
One of those solutions is Interac. When you go through online casino sites to join which are targeting Canadian players, you will see that most, if not all, of them, accept it as a payment method. Why is Interac such a popular payment solution across online casinos?
Top Interac Casinos
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Introduction to Interac
For starters, Interac is a massively popular payment solution in Canada, because it was launched back in 1984 as a debit card system and national payment network to serve every Canadian citizen and provide them with an efficient, safe and secure way to move funds both across and outside the country.
It collaborates…
…with the more than 200 major Canadian banks and it is operated by Acxsys Corporation and Interac Association, two non-profit organizations comprised of credit unions, merchants, financial institutions, trust companies, payment companies and other related banking establishments. And as such, it has managed to reach most, if not all, Canadian citizens to give them access and provide them with seamless transactions, both online and offline.
The solution…
…offers several electronic transaction services that you can use for money transfers, cash withdrawals and, well, shopping. For point-of-sale terminals, instant payments and ABMs, you have the Interac Debit, Flash and Cash services. And the two remaining, which are used widely across online casinos, Interac Online and Interac eTransfer.
Due to their multiple supported platforms…
…versatility, convenience and above all, safety, these services do not fall behind traditional payment methods in terms of popularity across Canada. What they do is provide users with easy everyday payments, especially when done online. Protected with powerful fraud prevention systems and SSL encryptions, these services allow for safe and fast transactions, directly from and to bank accounts.
Interac Cash
Interact Cash is one aspect of the overall Interac service and it will allow you to withdraw cash from any Automated Banking Machine (ABM) which has the Interac logo. The service is available to all users of Interac who own an Interac branded debit card. The process is much like withdrawing funds using a standard debit card issued by your bank.
You will have to insert your card, select the account from which you wish to withdraw, enter your PIN and confirm the transaction. Anyone who has ever used an ABM will already be familiar with how it works. Moreover, this service will allow you to easily transform your funds from virtual to physical, something which not every online payment solution can boast. Additionally, you will not be charged any fees by Interac for withdrawing money.
Interac Debit
Interac Debit gives you the option to make purchases both online and in the real world. This aspect of the Interac service will provide you with an Interac-branded debit card, much like one that you receive from a bank when opening an account. This card can be used on any POS terminal that a merchant would have in their store.
Additionally, you can also use it to make transactions online, for example, to fund your online casino balance. A payment made with a debit card is processed in real time, meaning that the funds will immediately leave your account and reach their designated destination in seconds. Something which you should keep in mind is that debit cards are not the same thing as a credit card. Whereas a credit card allows you to take out a loan to cover the cost of the transaction, a debit card can only be used to spend money that you already have in your balance.
Interac Flash
As proof that Interac is at the forefront of the payment industry, the company presents with Interac Flash. This will give you the opportunity to pay contactless at many merchants with a POS terminal. To do this, you will simply have to hold your card to the terminal device and the transaction will be completed. This is achieved through the use of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, with all modern cards being equipped with an NFC chip. However, it does not end there.
The same technology can be found in modern-day smartphones and this is where Mobile Interac Flash comes in. Basically, you can save your card info on your smartphone and use that make payments where you would normally need a card. Of course, your smartphone must be equipped with an NFC chip and your banking institution has to support Interac Flash. As of the time of this writing, more than several dozen payment institutions are support with the list becoming ever longer. There are simply too many names to list here, but you can view the full list on the Interac website.
Interac e-Transfer
Interac e-Transfer is yet another cutting-edge method of making payments online. This service will allow you to transfer money directly from your bank account with only a few clicks. It is very convenient for payers as they will not be asked to supply any security information, provided that they have already set up the service.
To enable Interac e-Transfer simply log in to your financial institution’s online banking and find the Interac e-Transfer settings. There you will have to provide your email or telephone number. When this is done, you will be able to make payments at the click of a button, with the only requirement being that you enter the payee’s phone number or email address. There are plenty of financial institutions that support this feature and you will be able to make great use of it.
Interac Online
Interact Online is the online banking feature that we have all needed at some point. It will allow you to make payments online with the money being taken directly from your bank account. While this may not sound too special, it should be noted that while traditional bank transfers take up to several days to clear, Interact Online allows you to make instant payments. To do this you will simply have to access the merchant’s payment gateway which will bring up the Interac Online login screen. From there, you will have to log in to Interac and select the account from which you would like to send the money and simply confirm the transaction.
When you take this approach, you will benefit from absolute anonymity and the payee will not be able to see your personal or banking information. That is because Interact acts as a man-in-the-middle between the two parties. This makes this feature highly favorable and privacy-conscious users will no doubt appreciate it. There are a plethora of financial institutions that support Interac Online. For a full list of names, see the Interac Online subpage on the Interac website.
How Does interact Work?
The minute you open an account…
…with any of the more than 200 major Canadian banks, you automatically get access to the Interac network. Sounds incredible, but it’s a fact that you only need to set up a mobile or online banking account with the bank and you’ll be able to use the Interac services without prior arrangements with the bank.
The best part is…
…considering the non-profit organizations behind it, to use the services, you would need to pay such an insignificant fee that would cover only the basic costs of the transaction. In fact, you would rarely have to pay more than CA$1.50 per transaction when using the services to pay online. That’s why oftentimes, Interac is compared to eWallets and it surpasses them in terms of fees, speed and utility, as well as safety, and is considered even more convenient for Canadian players than regular eWallets.
Since funds…
…are transferred from one bank account to another, either via the mobile or the online banking option, through secure pathways, whenever the transaction reaches its final destination, you are notified by a text message or an email. In fact, even you will receive a text message or an email with instructions whenever you request a deposit or withdrawal with it across online platforms, including online casinos. You will, as well, receive any security questions and passwords you may need to complete the transaction.
Depositing and Withdrawing with Interac
You will see when you start playing across Interac casinos that depositing and withdrawing with it is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is follow the instructions you’ve received via a text message on your phone or via an email on your email address.
To make a deposit…
…after you log in to your online casino account, you would need to find Interac in the payment methods list, usually in the Banking or Cashier page, and click on its icon. You would then have to log in to your online bank account. Briefly check with the casino at this point whether some additional requirements or details are needed. If not, follow the instructions you received on your phone or email.
Enter the amount…
…of money you wish to deposit, the security question you received and the email address of the recipient of the deposit, hence the online casino. The recipient needs to submit the security answer, and once it does, the money is automatically, immediately transferred from your bank account to theirs. As simple as that! You can start playing your favourite slots, blackjack, roulette or any bingo games right away!
You probably noticed…
…that security questions and answers are involved, and that’s one of the reasons why this payment method is so secure. Unless you have the right security question and the recipient the right security answer, the transaction will fail. It would mean that someone is not authorized either to send or receive the money, hence the prevention of frauds.
For withdrawals…
…out of the three services, players mostly use Interac eTransfer, since it is the most convenient one. For one, with it, the money usually arrives immediately, provided your bank is one of the many Interac collaborated with. If not, it would take the money 4 to 6 days to arrive on your bank account. Two, it is super easy to use for withdrawals, as the process is similar to the deposit process. All you need to do is access your mobile or online banking account, and wait for your notification. You’ll get informed about the amount of money you’ll receive, the sender and you’ll probably get a link that will redirect you to your online bank account where you’ll need to complete the transaction.
Fees and Charges
While most transactions with it are instant and with fees that do not go over CA$1.50, if your bank is not a participating institution, you may be charged a fee of up to CA$4.00. However, even if that’s the case, you can see that even this fee is not bad at all, compared with fees by other payment methods. Another thing you should know about the transactions with Interac is that they are not reversible. Once the transfer has been deposited, it cannot be cancelled or reversed, so be careful who you’re sending money to and make sure you’re writing the exact numbers and letters when requesting a transaction.
When you utilize Interac Cash, you will find that every time you seek to withdraw money from an ABM, CA$0.006243 will be removed from your balance. Additionally, the ABM owners may charge you for using their machine. This fee usually amounts to CA$2.00, but it could vary between the different providers, being either higher or maybe non-existent.
As far as Interac Debit is concerned, for every transaction that you make using the debit card, the company will charge you CA$0.005759.
What you should bear in mind, is that the figures mentioned above are only the most recent ones, as of the time of this writing. Interac changed some of its billing structures at the beginning of 2018 and this might happen again in the future. Additionally, you should keep an eye out for any fees imposed by your own banking institution. While Interac may not charge you much directly, your bank might have different ideas.
Advantages of Using Interac Online
There are plenty of reasons why you should use Interac Online as opposed to other payment solutions. If you have been paying attention, you will have noticed that there is plenty of versatility in the services that Interac can offer you. Depending on your needs, you can benefit from a debit card, online banking service, direct e-Transfer and more. It is excellent to have this many options and you will have difficulty in finding another payment method that can match those of Interac. Basically, whichever feature of the service you choose to use, you will be fully satisfied.
Something that you may not immediately take into consideration is the fact that Interac Online allows you to make instant transactions at the click of a button. This level of convenience is not to be overlooked, as it will allow you to instantly jump into your favorite games and start placing bets. Moreover, the transactions will be carried out in complete anonymity due to the security features embedded in the service. While you would have to connect your personal online banking account with Interac, the online casino will never know where the transaction comes from. Since Interac is the one processing all payments, it will simply appear as ‘Interac Payment’ or something of that nature. This means that wherever you choose to play, your personal and banking information will remain safe.
Interac Online comes with some of the best consumer protection policies that you will come across. Their Zero Liability policy means that your cash will always be safe in the unlikely event that someone manages to gain access to your online banking profile. Canadian Law dictates that payment institutions have to be able to guarantee the safety of users’ funds and Interac is a shining example of how a customer can be treated. If for any reason your Interac balance becomes compromised as a result of actions which are not responsible for, your banking institution will see to it that that full sum of your funds is returned to you. However, this should not be taken as a free pass to be careless, as the bank will definitely launch its own investigation to get to the heart of the matter. As a result, you should always protect your PIN and check your bank statements regularly. Moreover, if your card is stolen or you lose it, be sure to let the appropriate institution know.
Overall, it is fast, safe and cost-effective, and fairly intuitive to use. All you need is to have a Canadian bank account with the major banks in the country, and you’re ready to use it. Just log in to your mobile or online banking account and you can start sending and receiving money right away.
That’s another benefit…
…the fact that it can be used for deposits and withdrawals alike. With most payment methods, players experience difficulties when it comes to cashing out the money they won across online casino sites, but not with Interac. Interac is one of the best methods for withdrawals for Canadian players. Sure, if you have a bank account with a non-participating institution, you may need to pay a higher fee than usual, and the transaction would probably take 4 to 6 days, but you’ll be 100% sure that the money will arrive in a safe and secure way.
Disadvantages of Using Interac Online
Having covered the positives of the service, it is only fair to inform you about its downsides, as well. Sadly, no payment solution is perfect and as good as Interac Online is there are some shortcomings that will no doubt be problematic for some users. For starters, the most obvious disadvantage to consider when using Interac Online is that it is not the most widely supported service in the online gambling world. As a result, you may have a hard time finding an online casino that accepts payment via this service. Granted, there are a substantial number of gambling websites that support regional payment solutions, but Interac is still relatively unpopular when compared to the likes of Skrill or Neteller. If you are set on using this payment method in particular, then we recommend that you first try the larger casino brands, which are more likely to support Interac Online.
Another disadvantage is the inability of international players to use the service. Interac Online is only limited to those with a Canadian bank account and while this does not affect Canadians it excludes a large portion of the online gambling community from benefiting from it. This directly correlates with the problem that we outlined above. If Interac Online became more accessible on an international level, more people would use it and therefore, more online casinos would support it. Unfortunately, as it stands currently, the service will remain available on for those on Canadian soil.
Additionally, while the service is relatively cheap, there may be some fees imposed by third parties. For example, online casinos may charge a commission since Interac Online is not their top payment solution. The amount will vary from website to website, but it is generally agreed upon that transaction fees at online casinos are between 2.5% and 5% of the total sum. This is not a lot of money for a one time deposit, but over time it may start to pile up. For this reason, we advise that you find an online casino that does not charge you for topping up your balance. It is a gesture of goodwill on the online casino’s part and you may sometimes expect better service because of it.
One of the obvious disadvantages…
…was mentioned just now, the fact that transactions with it are irreversible. This means you would have to be really careful when transacting with it since once the request has been sent, it cannot be cancelled.
When it comes down to it, the negatives sides of Interac Online pale in comparison to its positives. Users of this report that their experience was good for the most part and any downsides are insignificant and can, therefore, be neglected.
Security
Security in the realm of the Internet is becoming an ever-greater concern. When we submit our personal data to a website, we have to be sure that this information will remain away from those who are not authorized to view it. This is why multiple security measures have emerged in the last few years that have successfully been able to secure the safety of our personal and banking information. In the case of Interac Online, you will find that this service is one of the most secure and reliable out there. Part of the reason is that you will never be asked to supply any data that is not immediately necessary to the purposes of your transactions.
Using Interac Online will not require of you to submit any personal information about yourself, instead, you will simply have to set up the service in the settings of your online banking, which the online casinos will not be able to access. Moreover, when making a deposit to an online casino, the website will not see any of your personal or banking information. Rather, all that will appear on the transaction details is that it was processed via Interac. Additionally, online casinos have their own security systems in place to prevent any data theft. Usually, this is high-end encryption technology which encodes all data that goes through the casino’s servers, making it completely unreadable to anyone else but you.
Security of personal data on the Internet is also mandated by government regulation and you will find that all legitimate services and websites, including online casinos, comply with these laws.
Customer Support
Every now and then, users may experience difficulties in using a particular service. In moments like these, we have to rely on the customer support team to resolve these issues and explain to us what went wrong. Interac Online greatly values their customer base and seeks to right any wrongs that may befall users during their experience with the service. In the event that you need assistance, you can always contact the highly competent customer service team that manages all communication between the users and the company.
On the ‘Contact Us’ page on the Interac website, you will be able to find a highly detailed form regarding the Interac e-Transfer feature. There you will be able to fill in all relevant information about your problem and you will be asked to supply details of the transaction that you wished to send, such as your Interac e-Transfer Reference Number, your problem, the transfer amount, your role in the transaction (sender or receiver) and if you have contacted your bank prior to submitting the form. Additionally, you will have to supply some information so that the team can reach back to you, such as your name, email address, phone number, and your preferred language of communication.
If that does not meet the needs of your enquiry, there are other ways in which you can establish contact. One would be to send an email to etransfer_support@interac.ca, in which you provide substantial details about your problem. Typically, you can expect a response within 24 hours, but since the support team works diligently, you will likely receive a follow-up email in the next few hours. Alternatively, you can always dial the toll-free number which the company has supplied, where you will be able to speak with a representative personally and explain your issue to them.
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No. Only Canadian online casino players that are from Canada and have an account with a Canadian bank can use it.
No. the fee is flat, and regardless of the money you wish to transfer, it will stay the same, and the money will be available immediately.
In theory, no. But in practice, some banks may be willing to look into your case and reverse the money you sent, so it would basically depend on your bank.
Yes. In addition to a thorough FAQ section on its website, this payment solution offers Customer Support via email and an on-site contact form.
Sure! As mentioned, due to its popularity, this solution is offered across most, if not all, Canadian-targeting online casinos. Therefore, you’ll have no problem finding one that suits you.
Interac does not impose any transaction amount limits, however, limits may apply on the bank’s part. Some banks have specific policies and rules as to how much money they can process. So before you start transacting with it, check this with your bank.
