As an online casino player based in Canada, you have plenty of payment methods to choose from, and UnionPay, although coming from China, is a great option for you to consider. Offered in Canada, and across over 180 other countries in the world, this is a payment processing service, similar to leaders like VISA and MasterCard, which allows you to use all kinds of cards for smooth deposits and withdrawals across online casinos. Why choose to use UnionPay as your online casino payment method?
About UnionPay
Launched in 2002 by some of the greatest banks in China, UnionPay is a processing service that is available all across the world. Similarly to other giants like VISA and MasterCard, it is a product of a successful collaboration between the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the China Construction Bank, the Bank of China and the Agricultural Bank of China. While at first, it was an option for Chinese users only, the solution soon extended its reach and today, it has a truly massive coverage, being offered across over 180 countries globally, Canada included.
The country behind it, though, being a global force, and its qualities, made this solution one of the most popular across the nation, but internationally, too. As years went by, over 67 leading global financial institutions and banks started offering it, and its cards started getting issued in 63 countries and regions, across 2,400 institutions across the globe. Other than in mainland China, the solution is today popular in South and Central America, Europe, North America, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North Africa, Eastern and Central Europe and South Pacific.
What is the solution really, though? As mentioned, this is a direct competitor to leaders like VISA and MasterCard, so as you’d assume, it offers debit, credit and prepaid cards. Initially, only debit cards were issued, at local banks, which could be used both online and offline. A while after, the solution started offering credit cards, too, and soon after that, prepaid cards also. Not to mention, just like its rivals, it also issues branded cards, to offer users a truly unique, tailored banking experience. Add to that the fact that its clients also received a virtual card, issued in collaboration with UPayCard in 2019, and there you have it, the card issuer you needed.
Considering mobile devices and gadgets are a thing in recent years, the solution also launched three new products, an app that you can download to get faster access to your funds, wrist devices with special functionalities that offer payment processing straight from the bank account that is linked to your debit/credit card, and a QR code scan to offer faster payment processing and funds transfers.
The secret behind its success and global coverage, other than the quality services and products it offers, lies in the fact that hundreds of thousands of global e-commerce platforms started offering it. Among them, of course, were online casino sites. The solution became a payment method option across many casino sites. Players were eager to get their UnionPay cards issued, for many reasons, to be explained, and that’s why you’ll find it today across the very best Canadian casinos. As a Canadian player, you’ll get many perks for choosing to use it, so stay with us to learn how to get started with it and use it across the finest Canadian casinos.
Getting Started with the Solution
As you would assume, getting started with the solution would be incredibly easy, as this is a service offering debit, credit and prepaid cards, among other services and products. The range of services and products it offers, keeping up with the latest advancements and tech developments across the globe, are truly remarkable, crafted to each user’s unique preferences, but still, the cards it offers are its primary product. So, we’ll make sure to guide you on how to get started with them.
First, of course, the country’s eligibility needs to be checked. As said, the solution is available in Canada, so you can rest assured that you’ll be able to use it. If not from Canada, make sure you check whether you can get issued a card, since although it is accepted in over 180 countries, it can only be issued in 63.
The next step would be finding a bank that is authorized to issue UnionPay cards. As soon as you do, go to the bank or visit its official website, and fill out the application form with the required financial and personal details. Provide copies of needed identification and verification documents and specify which card you’d like to apply for. Wait for the bank to approve your request and the card will be issued in no time. In fact, you can receive your card on the same day, before you leave the bank! If you want to, though, you can have the bank send you the card to your doorstep, via mail. It won’t take longer than a few days for the card to arrive at your home address. Nevertheless, as soon as you have it, you can start using it right away. Stay with us as we’ll guide you on how to use it across online casinos.
Depositing and Withdrawing
You are probably familiar with the way cards are used across online casinos, since you’ve probably already deposited at least once using a debit/credit/prepaid card. Even if you haven’t, you’ll see that the process is incredibly simple and easy. All you’d need to do is to find yourself a nice online casino to join, of course, which accepts UnionPay cards. As soon as you do, you can register your account with it, and you’ll be ready to make your first deposit with your card.
To make a deposit with UnionPay, you’d need to do the following:
- Head over to the casino’s Banking/Deposits page.
- Locate UnionPay’s logo on the list of offered methods and press it.
- Thanks to geolocation, a list of Canadian banks that collaborate with the solution will appear in front of you.
- Choose the bank that issued your card and enter the card details, such as card number, cardholder’s name, expiration date and CCV code.
- Specify how much you’d like to deposit and confirm the transaction.
- The money will arrive on your balance in an instant.
Remember to check whether you have enough line of credit or money on your bank account to complete the transaction before you confirm it, though, because if you don’t have it, the transaction will fail.
When it comes to withdrawals, you should know that the card is an option. Not across all casinos that accept it for deposits will also accept it for withdrawals, though. So, before you decide to use it as your withdrawal method, make sure you double-check whether it is an option for cashouts. Assuming it is, you’d need to go through the same steps as described for depositing, and you’ll be able to successfully cash out your winnings.
Applicable Fees
Just like its competitors, fees apply when using UnionPay. These are card-related fees that would depend on the issuing bank.
Therefore, before you decide on the bank to go with, make sure you consult with several which are offering the solution, to see which one charges the lowest fees.
Also, you might want to check with your online casino regarding any fees related to transactions with these cards. Some casinos may also charge a fee.
Accepted Currencies
You can sit back and relax because no currency conversion fees will apply when transacting with UnionPay using Canadian dollars. Since the card will be issued by a Canadian bank, you can freely transact using your native currency.
The thing is, the solution supports all currencies of the eligible countries, without charging any fees for conversion. Therefore, all those global users from eligible countries can transact using their native currencies.
Coverage
We said at the beginning that you, as a Canadian player, will get special perks for using the solution. Two of those perks were already covered, the fact that you can get issued a card in Canada and the fact that you can transact using Canadian dollars.
But you should also know that Canada is among the 35 countries where the UnionPay app is available. The solution, as said, is available in more than 180 countries, but cards can only be issued in 63, while the app is only available in 35. Among other countries where the app is available and cards can be issued, we can mention Australia, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Customer Support
UnionPay has an international website you can use to explore everything about it. On this website, you will find a Help Center page, where you will find a Contact Us tab. Press it, and you’ll be redirected to a page where you’ll find information about how to contact the Customer Support service. There are several options for different countries across different continents.
As a Canadian player, you’d need to press the America tab, where you’ll find the options for US and Canadian users. You have the hotline 866-567-5516, the fax number 1-201-5775480 and the email address amadmin@unionpayintl.com. Try any of these options and you’ll get the assistance you need.
Naturally, in case you’re having some trouble with deposits/withdrawals, you can always get in touch with the Support team available at your chosen online casino.
Conclusion
Even though a solution based in China, UnionPay is incredibly suited for Canadian users. The cards can be issued in Canada, the country is on the list of eligible countries, users can use their native Canadian dollar currency without paying conversion fees, and they can download the app and get local Customer Support service. Add to that the fact that as a Canadian online casino player, you can make both deposits and withdrawals with it across many online casinos, and there you have the recipe for successful online banking. Therefore, make sure you get issued your card, to use it for seamless deposits and withdrawals.
UnionPay FAQs
It sure is. You will be able to explore it in global English, but also in French, which is another perk for a Canadian player. The languages spoken in Thailand, Japan, Russia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong and Cambodia are also options.
No, not really. Many banks in Canada allow for online applications, even though most would require a physical presence, for the issuance of credit and debit cards. When it comes to prepaid cards, you can definitely go with the online option.
ure thing! Over 90% of Canadian ATMs support these cards, and you can withdraw your money in Canadian dollars without paying conversion fees.
Sure! There are over 150,000 merchants which accept UnionPay cards. Wherever you see its logo, you can use the card for all kinds of transactions. There’s a massive POS acceptance across the country, too, across both high-end brands and local shops.
Across most casinos, you can just visit the Banking/Cashier/Withdrawal page and you can check whether its logo is available there. If you cannot get the information there, you would need to contact Customer Support to be certain.
