September 2016 U.S. Offshore Online Poker Payment Processing Report
The past month was a mixed bag in terms of cashout speeds. The poker sites with a history of paying players in a timely manner improved or remained steady. The rooms with a poor history continued to struggle.
The August 2016 processing report may be found here. Last month’s grades are in parenthesis.
Intertops A+ (A+)
Intertops takes the top spot again. This is the sixth month in a row that Intertops is number one with an A+. It is the flagship of the Horizon Poker Network, which was once known as Revolution Gaming.
Bitcoin is the best way to withdraw from Intertops. Players may withdraw up to $2,500 per week through that method. Bitcoin transactions are processed in a day or two. The best part is that there is no fee involved.
Intertops delivers checks to players in 5-7 days. The maximum amount is $3,000. The fee is $50.
Bank wires are processed in 1-2 weeks. The fee is $50 plus what the intermediary and receiving banks charge.
BetOnline A (A)
BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network. Sportsbetting.ag is its sister site. Both use the same banking system. The big news out of BetOnline in the past month is the site dropping its 6% Bitcoin deposit fee down to 2%.
BetOnline is our top choice for online poker. This is due to its fast cashouts and soft player pool. The only reason BetOnline does not get an A+ is its free cashout policy. It only applies to one cashout per month that must be made on a Friday. The cap on the waived fee is $50.
The fastest way to get paid at BetOnline is by Bitcoin. These withdrawals are processed in one or two days. The fee is 2% of the transaction.
Checks are processed in one to two weeks. The maximum withdrawal amount for this method is $2,500. The fee is $25 but players may pay an extra $25 to ensure express delivery.
Bank wires are processed in one to two weeks. The fee depends on the amount of the withdrawal. The fee cap is $100. The maximum withdrawal amount is $25,000.
Bovada/Ignition A (A)
Bovada and Ignition Casino are skins on the Bodog Poker Network. It is the largest poker site available to U.S. players. Bovada will close its poker site on September 30. Players are already being directed to Ignition Casino. The same banking system is used by both sites.
The fastest way to get paid by Bovada and Ignition is Bitcoin. These are processed in about one day. There is no fee. The maximum is $9,500.
Checks arrive in 3-7 days. Bank wires are processed in a couple of weeks. The fee for both of these options is $50. Bank wires incur other processing costs involved with transactions handled by intermediary and receiving banks. There may also be currency exchange fees. The $50 fee is waived once per month.
Winning Poker Network B+ (B+)
There was little change in cashout speeds at the Winning Poker Network since our last report. That cashier services players at Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker.
The fastest way to get paid at Winning Poker is Bitcoin. These transactions are processed in amounts up to $25,000. The fee is 2%. Bitcoin withdrawals arrive in about three days.
Winning Poker Network players may request a check. The maximum amount is $2,995. The fee is $65, however, players may receive one free check every 30 days.
The Winning Poker Network offers a debit card. The fees are high. This includes $40 to receive the card and $8 for every withdrawal. These fees have moved most players to other options. Those that prefer this method should expect to get paid in one to three days. The maximum withdrawal amount for the debit card is $2,500.
Juicy Stakes B (B)
Juicy Stakes is sister site to Intertops on the Horizon Poker Network. There is not any reason to choose Juicy Stakes except to double dip on the bonus. That is because the only way to get paid at Juicy Stakes is by check. The maximum withdrawal amount is $1,000. The fee is $50. Active players may receive a free check once per month with a rake amount of $40 or more.
SWCPoker B (B)
SWCPoker is the second generation of SealsWithClubs. It only uses Bitcoin for deposits and withdrawals. All transactions are free. Cashouts are processed in less than a day. SWCPoker receives a lower grade than other sites with fast Bitcoin withdrawals due to its low traffic and lack of additional banking options.
Merge Gaming C (C-)
The Merge Gaming cashier services players at Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly and Sportsbook.ag. These sites no longer accept new U.S. players. Existing ones are permitted to play.
Bitcoin speeds improved drastically over the past month. Players can expect to receive these transactions in three to seven days. That time frame was two to three weeks last month. The bad news is that the fee is 5%. The cap is $5,000.
Checks are available in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is 3%. The reported check delivery speeds run between two and three months.
Full Flush Poker D- (D-)
Full Flush Poker is the flagship on the Equity Poker Network. The site still struggles to pay players. The only form of payment going out is MoneyGram in amounts around $300. Players wait anywhere from two to six months for these cash transfers.
There are players that have been waiting for a check or ewallet withdrawal since October 2015. A handful of ewallet cashouts have gone out over the past few months. There have been no reports of checks.
Players that would like to play on Equity Poker should consider Heritage Sports. That site uses an independent cashier that pays players in a timely manner.