June 2017 US Offshore Online Poker Payment Processing Report
U.S.-facing offshore poker sites continue to process payments to players in a timely manner. This success can be mostly attributed to Bitcoin, which is accepted by all but one site listed below.
Last month’s grades are in parenthesis. The May U.S. Offshore Payment Processing Report may be found here.
Ignition Casino A+ (A+)
Ignition Casino is the U.S. brand on the PaiWangLuo Network, once known as Bodog. It is the largest U.S.-facing poker site. Payouts from this group have been consistently quick over the past few years.
Bitcoin withdrawals at Ignition are often processed in less than one day. A handful of players report waiting two days to receive a Bitcoin withdrawal. The maximum Bitcoin cashout at Ignition Casino is $9,500. There is no fee for Bitcoin withdrawals.
The only other way for most players to withdraw from Ignition is by check. The maximum check cashout amount is $2,500. Checks arrive in 10 to 14 days. The fee is $50. Players may receive one free check withdrawal every four months.
BetOnline A+ (A)
BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network. Sportsbetting.ag is its sister site.
Bitcoin is the fastest way to get a cashout from BetOnline. These are processed in less than one day. There is no fee for these transactions. The maximum amount is $10,000. Litecoin withdrawals take one or two days. The maximum withdrawal amount is $10,000. There are no fees for these transactions either.
Checks are processed in one to two weeks. The maximum check withdrawal is $2,500. The fee ranges from $25 to $50, depending on the method of delivery.
BetOnline and Sportsbetting.ag offer one free cashout per month. It must be requested on a Friday. The maximum withdrawal fee waived is $50. Any cashout with a higher fee receives a $50 discount.
Intertops A+ (A+)
Intertops is the flagship of the Horizon Poker Network. It is also the world’s oldest online sportsbook.
Bitcoin is the best way to receive withdrawals from Intertops. These transactions are processed in one or two days. The maximum withdrawal is $2,500 and they are always free of fees.
Checks and bank wires are also available from Intertops. Checks arrive in one to two weeks and have a $3,000 maximum amount. Bank wires arrive in two to three weeks and have a $2,500 cap. The fee for each is $50. Bank wires may have additional fees charged by banks handling the transaction.
Winning Poker Network B (B+)
The Winning Poker Network cashier services Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker. The network made a slight improvement in its payouts over the past month.
Bitcoin withdrawals are processed in two or three days. The fee is 2%. The maximum withdrawal is $25,000.
Checks are delivered in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $65. Players should expect checks to arrive in two to three weeks. Players may receive one free check per month.
The Winning Poker Network still offers a debit card. It is delivered to players willing to pay a $40 fee. Each withdrawal has a $4.95 fee. Every ATM or retail transaction has a $3 fee. There is a $5 fee every month to maintain the account.
SWC Poker B (C)
Things are looking up for SWC Poker. The Bitcoin-only site has seen an improvement in traffic, especially at higher limit games. Its cashouts are still as quick as ever. Players receive Bitcoin withdrawals in any amount in less than 12 hours. There are no fees related to withdrawals from SWC Poker.
Merge Gaming C+ (C+)
The Merge Gaming cashier processes payments for Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly and Sportsbook.ag. Merge Gaming was once the largest online poker network to accept U.S. players. It has seen an epic collapse, having lost about 90% of its business since 2011.
Many of the problems experienced by Merge Gaming are related to payouts. They are inconsistent and charge excessive fees. For example, Bitcoin withdrawals have a 5% fee. The maximum withdrawal is $5,000. Checks have a 3% fee and a $2,500 maximum. Bitcoin withdrawals take about one day. Checks are delivered in four to six weeks.
Players can only receive one free cashout per year. This is the worst deal in U.S. online poker. Most sites offer one free withdrawal per month. Many do not charge for Bitcoin withdrawals at all.
Merge Gaming continues to ban winning players. This is a serious problem that shows that payouts are not a priority and the only concern of Merge Gaming is to rake all poker deposits. This, combined with the poor sportsbook rating, help keep Merge Gaming low on our list.
Juicy Stakes C+ (C+)
Juicy Stakes is a member of the Horizon Poker Network. Intertops is the main skin of that platform We recommend Intertops over Juicy Stakes due to higher limits and free Bitcoin withdrawals.
The only way for U.S. players to get a withdrawal at Juicy Stakes is by check. The maximum amount is $1,000. The fee is $50. Active players that rake at least $40 in a month receive one for free.