August 2015 U.S. Online Poker Offshore Payment Processing Report
John Mehaffey – August 14, 2015
The U.S. online poker payment processing report has a new home. As has always been the case, the report is created independently.
There was little movement this month from the previous one. The fastest cashouts slowed a bit. The slower sites showed little improvement. The previous month’s grade is in parenthesis.
Bovada A (A+)
Bovada is the U.S.-friendly skin for the Bodog Poker Network. It is by far the largest poker site that accepts Americans. Bovada slipped a bit in its check cashout speed over the past month. It is still the fastest U.S.-facing online poker site in terms of withdrawal speeds.
Cash transfer is the fastest way to get cash from Bovada. These are processed in 1-2 days. The amounts and fees are as follows:
Western Union
- $100 – $249 Fee: $50
- $250 – $499 Fee: $75
- $500 – $999 Fee: $100
- $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150
- $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200
MoneyGram
- $100 – $199 Fee: $20
- $200 – $399 Fee: $30
- $400 – $599 Fee: $45
- $600 – $800 Fee: $60
Bank wires arrive in about one week and have a $5,000 limit. Checks arrive in 2-3 weeks and have a $2,500 limit. Visa Fast Funds take 4-7 days, depending on the speed of the receiving bank. Each of these methods has a $50 fee. Bovada gives players one free withdrawal per month via one of these cashout options.
Winning Poker Network A (B+)
The Winning Poker Network processes payments for Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker. The network will spread five different $1 million guaranteed tournaments this fall. It accepts players from most states.
Bitcoin is the fastest way to get a withdrawal from the Winning Poker Network. These are processed in less than one day. Players can receive a debit card from the Winning Poker Network for $40. It arrives in about one month. Once it is in hand, withdrawals to it are processed in 1-2 days. The fees are $4.95 to load it, $3 for every ATM transaction in addition to the ones charged by the owner and a $4.95 per month maintenance fee.
Winning Poker processes checks in about two weeks. The fee is $65. One free check is processed each month. Additional checks that carry the fee tend to arrive faster than the standard free check.
Cash transfers are not as popular at Winning Poker Network compared to other sites. That is because it offers fast debit card and Bitcoin withdrawals. The cash transfer fees are:
- $100 – $299: $60 fee
- $300 – $499: $70 fee
- $500 – $749: $85 fee
- $750 – $999: $95 fee
- $1,000 – $1,500: $110 fee
BetOnline A- (B+)
BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network, the second largest that accepts U.S. players. BetOnline processes checks in one to two weeks. The maximum amount is $2,500. The fee is $50. These are sometimes processed as checks.
Cash transfers are available in amounts up to $750. The fee is about 10 percent. Bitcoin is available in amounts up to $3,500. The fee is two percent. Bitcoin withdrawals are processed in about one day.
BetOnline offers one free withdrawal to players each month. The maximum fee amount that can be waived is $50. Withdrawals with a higher fee receive a $50 discount.
Intertops B+ (B+)
Intertops is the flagship on the Revolution Gaming Network. Many of its games are ringfenced from the rest of the network because of the financial problems related to other skins. These financial issues do not affect Intertops, the world’s oldest online sportsbook, in any way.
The only other site that shares all games with Intertops is Juicy Stakes, which is below Intertops in our report. The only reason Intertops does not rank higher is because it offers no free withdrawal option to players.
Checks are processed in about one week in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $50. Bank wires are available in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is also $50. Players can receive a transfer to a debit card in amounts up to $5,000. These take about one week. The maximum withdrawal amount is $5,000.
Cash transfers are processed in about one week. The amounts available for withdrawal and the associated fees are:
- $100 – $500: $70 fee
- $501 – $1,000: $85 fee
- $1,001 – $2,000: $180 fee
Juicy Stakes B- (B-)
Juicy Stakes is sister site to Intertops. Its cashout options and limits are lower than Intertops, as are the fees. Checks in amounts up to $1,000 arrive in about one week. Juicy Stakes charges $50 for check withdrawals. Cash transfers also arrive in about one week. The fee is $85 for amounts between $100 and $500. Amounts up to $1,000 have a $110 fee.
SWC Poker C- (C-)
SWC Poker is a Bitcoin-only site. It is basically the site previously known as Seals With Clubs. Bitcoin withdrawals are processed in less than 12 hours. While this speed is reasonable, our concerns lie in the legal problems of its owner. The traffic on the site has declined sharply, averaging only about 10 players, according to PokerScout. We wonder how much steam SWC Poker has in it. For those willing to give it a try, it offers some very unique games that cannot be found anywhere else.
Full Flush Poker C- (C-)
Full Flush Poker is the main site on the Equity Poker Network. It seems to be having some financial difficulties. Checks and bank wires are available. Both take about three months to process, according to reports from players. Checks are paid in amounts up to $2,500 and have a $50 fee. Wires are available in amounts up to $4,000 and have a $40 fee.
The fastest way to get a withdrawal from Full Flush Poker is through cash transfer. These take 2-3 weeks to arrive. The fees and amounts are as follows:
- $100-$200: $36 fee
- $201-$500: $39 fee
- $501-$750: $48 fee
- $751 – $1000: $60 fee
While these speeds are bad, even for U.S. player standards, the cashouts to Europe take just as long. Many players in countries outside the U.S. report waits of two months or more to standard ewallets. These payouts take about one day at most other sites.
Merge Gaming C- (D+)
There is little improvement at Merge Gaming, the cashier that services Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly and Sportsbook.ag. Players are still waiting about three months to receive withdrawals in the U.S. Players receive one free withdrawal per year. Others have a three percent fee. The largest check withdrawal is $2,500. Some U.S. players have cash transfer available. These arrive in one or two weeks. Players outside the U.S. receive payouts in about one month.