Introduction
As a Canadian online casino player, whenever you join a casino site that does not offer any particular Canadian-based payment methods, you can always opt for one solution, the check/cheque. This is one of the most secure and oldest payment solutions that have existed since the dawn of modern-time banking, directly connecting Canadian banks and industries, the online gambling industry included. So, it should not come as a shock to learn that the check/cheque is accepted across most, if not all, online casinos and offered to players from across the globe, to make the safest deposits and withdrawals. Why choose to use a check/cheque at a Canadian online casino?
Top Check/Cheque Casinos
About Check/Cheque
Going back through history, there’s nono exact date one could find in the search of discovering when checks first appeared in the modern-time banking scene. There are claims that checks were used way back in the 1st century BC, but these are weak assumptions, as they were definitely not used as they are today.
In fact, the first mention of these papers that are actually bills of exchange, alternatives to cash, appears in the modern era around the 17th century, in the UK, England. These so-called guarantee cards, papers, were first introduced in several countries only, and by 1969, the first international network started. However, they become the first-of-their-kind items that replaced cash by the mid-1990s. The banks and the clearing houses were the ones that cleared them, so by the end of the 1990s, they were functioning perfectly.
Now that you’ve learned a bit about its history, let’s see how a check/cheque is used today. So, this is a paper issued by a drawer, a person whose transaction account is used to be drawn, to the payee, the person that will eventually receive the transaction, paid and processed by the drawee, the financial institution, or a bank, in the currency and the amount written on the paper.
While checks were at their peak at the end of the 19th and throughout the 20th century, today the check/cheque is an outdated payment solution, replaced by way speedier and more modern and innovative solutions, like credit cards, eWallets and cryptocurrencies. Nevertheless, to this day, checks are still considered some of the most secure solutions to use for both national and international payments, considering they function through financial institutions and banks, whose authentication and security measures are involved in the transfer, making the transaction as safe as it gets.
The main reason why you will find checks offered across online casinos, though, is because of their global availability. As you may know, countries like the UK rolled out a ban on credit cards for online gambling, others forbid the use of cryptocurrencies, like Russia, but the check remains intact. That’s because this is a safe solution that can be controlled, overlooked, and managed by the banking system of individual countries and their governments, and consequently the online gambling regulators.
Now, we cannot sugarcoat the fact that transactions with checks are some of the slowest. You’d need to wait for days, not only for withdrawals with it, but also for deposits, and that’s one of the main disadvantages it comes with. Yet, still, some players prefer choosing to use it as their default payment method, hence its huge availability across Canadian online casinos. Continue reading to figure out how to get started with it, if you’re such a player interested in using checks to fund your online gambling time.
Getting Started with the Solution
The procedure with checks is quite lengthy and complex, we cannot lie. As a drawer, meaning a player who wishes to make a deposit at an online casino, you’d need to have a valid bank account in order for the transaction to be initiated. You’d need to go to your bank and ask the desk clerk to give you a check; it will probably be issued to you with your bank account number and name preprinted.
You would then need to fill out the empty spaces on the paper with the required details, like the amount of money you’d like to send, the date and the currency you’ll use, so that the payee, meaning the casino operator, could be able to cash it out successfully.
If you’re withdrawing money, you’d need to request the transaction, specifying your desired currency and the amount of money you’d like to withdraw, as well as your bank account number. The casino will use the address and name you provided when you created an account with it to complete the check, so make sure you enter the correct ones when you register your account. If the transaction is cross-border, meaning if you’re playing at a casino that’s not based in Canada, fees would be involved, both on the casino’s and your bank’s part.
We should add here that the check/cheque is more popular as a withdrawal method rather than a deposit solution. For one, many casinos won’t accept checks for deposits; for two, due to the long waiting times, players are not that thrilled to wait for their deposit to arrive on their balance to start playing their favourite games. On that note, you should know that it takes up to 2 weeks for the check to get to the recipient and additional 3 working days to be cashed out, and that’s why players are prepared to use it as a withdrawal method, but not as a deposit method. Nevertheless, let’s go over the exact steps you’d need to make for both the depositing and the withdrawing procedure at an actual Canadian casino so that you could make your decision whether or not you’d like to use it at all.
Depositing and Withdrawing
Even though we basically explained how the procedures would go, we didn’t get into details about the entire process from the moment you join a casino. First things first, let’s reiterate the fact that the solution is offered across most if not all, Canadian casinos. William Hill, for instance, accepts it for both deposits and withdrawals. Most offer it for withdrawals, only, though, like SlotsRoom, SlotsNinja and New Funclub Casino. Make sure you explore other options if you want to, and then create an account with the casino that suits you most.
To make a deposit with a check/cheque, you’d need to make the following steps:
- Head over to the casino’s Cashier/Banking page.
- Look for the Check/Cheque logo and press it.
- Scan your paper and attach it in the designated field, or in the pop-up, replicate all the information from the paper on the designated fields.
- Double-check the currency and amount of money you’d like to send.
- Confirm the transaction; all you’re left to do is wait for the money to reach your casino balance.
Remember that it would take days, weeks until the paper is processed. So, you’d need to actually be patient and plan ahead, making a deposit weeks before you actually intend to play your favourite games.
When it comes to withdrawals with checks, as mentioned, they are more common. Most casinos that offer checks overall usually only offer them for withdrawals. The actual withdrawing procedure is far simpler because the operator already has most of the details needed to send you the check/cheque; all that’s needed from you is to enter the amount you wish to withdraw.
The check/cheque will, eventually, after the withdrawal request is evaluated and approved by the casino, arrive at your doorstep either by courier service or by mail. Be prepared to wait up to 2 weeks to receive it, and then wait three additional business days to cash it out and have the money in your bank account.
Applicable Fees
As mentioned earlier, fees apply when using checks. The expected fees are charged by the casino and the bank if the transaction is cross-border.
On that note, if sending money in a currency different than the recipient’s, a conversion fee would apply. So, if playing at an online casino whose default currency is different than yours, expect a conversion fee.
Accepted Currencies
The check/cheque you get issued with by your Canadian bank would be in Canadian dollars. Therefore, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to freely transact with no conversion fees if you join a Canadian casino whose default currency is the Canadian dollar.
In case you wish to, you can still use a check to make a deposit in an international casino but expect conversion fees to apply if that casino’s default currency is the US dollar, for instance.
Coverage
Checks are not completely set aside or excluded in any country, so you can rest assured that they are still in circulation in Canada.
You will surely be able to use it for your online casino transactions, regardless of the site you choose to join and where it is based.
Customer Support
Considering this is a physical, paper check we’re talking about, functioning through banks, there’s no separate Support centre you could contact in case you’re having doubts or problems regarding it.
You would need to get in touch with your bank’s Support team in order to get any assistance you might need. Or, of course, you would need to contact your chosen casino’s Customer Care service to get any answers you might need regarding deposits and withdrawals with checks.
Conclusion
The check/cheque might not be the first payment method that pops into your mind when choosing a solution to use across online casinos, but it is worth considering in the lack of other options. It is available, it is offered across many Canadian casinos and offered in Canadian dollars. Now, processing times are some of the slowest, that’s true, but keep in mind that checks are among the safest solutions to use, functioning through banks and using their security measures. So, compare the pros and cons and make your own decision on whether you’d like to use one or not.
FAQs
Is there any way to speed up the processing times when it comes to depositing with a check/cheque?
Unfortunately, no. It takes time for the third parties involved in the clearing process to do their thing, so the two-week period is definitive. That’s the main reason why most players use checks for withdrawals only, and opt for other solutions when it comes to deposits.
What are some of the more convenient alternatives to checks to use for deposits across Canadian casinos?
We already mentioned eWallets, cards and cryptos, which although might be banned in some countries, are completely legit in Canada, so you could use them. But you could also consider eChecks, similar to paper checks, but with much-improved waiting times.
How can I cash out a check/cheque sent by a casino based in a different country?
The first thing to do, before you use a check/cheque as your withdrawal method from a casino based in a different country, is to check with your bank whether it cashes out foreign-country checks. If that’s not an option, you’d need to look for other authorized financial institutions that do, and if you fail, you’d ultimately have to look for an alternative withdrawal method.
Is it possible to request a withdrawal with a check/cheque using my smartphone?
Sure. As long as you’ve joined a mobile casino, all you’d need to do is request a withdrawal typing in the needed details for the casino to send the check on your smartphone and that would be it.
How many casinos approximately offer the solution?
While we cannot pinpoint a number, you can rest assured that hundreds of Canadian online casinos accept checks. You’d need to do a quick search and at least a dozen will appear that would meet your criteria to join them.
