June 2016 U.S. Offshore Online Poker Payment Processing Report
There were a few changes in the cashout speeds over the past month at U.S. offshore poker sites. There is still a room on our list that borders on deposit-only that should be avoided.
There was also a change of policy at Merge Gaming that restricted new U.S. player registrations. Existing Americans are still allowed to deposit and withdraw.
Last month’s grades are in parenthesis. The May U.S. payment processing report may be found here.
Intertops/Juicy Stakes A+ (A+)
Intertops and Juicy Stakes continue to rule the U.S. poker market in terms of withdrawal speeds and fees involved in the transactions. The pair makes up the Horizon Poker Network, which was once known as the Cake Network.
The fastest way to get paid from Intertops and Juicy Stakes is Bitcoin. These are processed in about two days in amounts up to $25,000. There is never a fee charged by Intertops for these transactions.
Checks are available in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $50. These arrive in about one week. Bank wires are paid up to $2,500. The fee there is also $50 in addition to what the banks involved in the transaction charge.
Intertops and Juicy Stakes will also send money to a Visa or Mastercard. The maximum amount is $5,000. The fee is $20. These cashouts arrive in one to two weeks.
BetOnline A (A)
BetOnline maintained its consistent withdrawal speeds during the past month. The site is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network.
Bitcoin is the fastest way to get paid at BetOnline. These are available in amounts up to $5,000. The fee is 2% of the transaction. Bitcoin withdrawals at BetOnline are processed in about two days.
Checks are available in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is $35. These are delivered in about one week.
Players may receive one free withdrawal per month. The cashier must be contacted to claim this promotion. The maximum fee refund is $50. Any withdrawal with a higher fee will receive a $50 discount.
Bovada A (B+)
Bovada is the largest U.S. online poker site. Last month’s Visa Fast Funds problems appear to be resolved. These were processed to the associated debit card or bank account in about one week during our survey. This is much improved over the past couple of months. Visa Fast Funds are available in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $50.
Bovada processes Bitcoin withdrawals in amounts up to $9,500. These arrive in one to three days. There are no fees associated with a Bitcoin withdrawal at Bovada.
Checks are available in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $50. They are delivered in about one to two weeks.
Bank wires are paid in amounts up to $9,500. These transactions are processed in two to three weeks. The fee is $50. The receiving bank and intermediary ones may also charge a fee.
Cash transfers are available in amounts up to $300. The fee is $50. These are processed in one or two days.
Players may receive one free check, bank wire or Visa Fast Funds withdrawal per month. Bitcoin withdrawals are always free.
Winning Poker Network B+ (A-)
The Winning Poker Network cashier services Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker. It is the second largest U.S.-facing poker network. Winning Poker experienced some slower withdrawal times in the past month. The speeds are still well within a reasonable time frame.
Bitcoin withdrawals now take two to five days. The maximum Bitcoin withdrawal is $25,000. The fee is two percent of the withdrawal. Some players report no fee when requesting Bitcoin withdrawals from Winning Poker.
Checks take two to three weeks to arrive. The maximum amount is $2,995. The fee is $65 but players may receive one free per month.
Winning Poker offers a debit card. Players must pay $40 to receive it. There is a fee of $4.95 each time it is loaded with a withdrawal. There is also a $5.95 monthly maintenance fee. Each ATM transaction has a $3 fee. Debit card withdrawals are processed in about two days.
SWCPoker B+ (B)
SWCPoker processes all deposits and withdrawals in Bitcoin. There are no fees involved. Bitcoin withdrawals are processed in a matter of hours. The reason we moved SWCPoker up on our list again this month is because Bitcoin is becoming more common at sites. Players are not more comfortable with using it and transactions have always been processed in a timely manner.
Merge Gaming B- (B+)
The Merge Gaming cashier services Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly, Sportsbook.ag and SuperBook. The network stopped accepting new U.S. players last month. Existing ones may continue to deposit and play.
Merge Gaming seems to be going the wrong direction in its cashout speeds. Bitcoin withdrawals are now taking two or three weeks to arrive. That is up from just a few days last month. The fee is 5% for Bitcoin withdrawals at Merge Gaming. The maximum amount is $5,000.
Checks are available in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is 3% of the transaction. These are delivered in four to six weeks. Players may receive one free check per year.
Full Flush Poker D- (D-)
Full Flush is the flagship of the Equity Poker Network. It appears to be having serious financial problems. Some players report waiting close to a year for a check withdrawal. Cash transfer is the only way to get money off the site at this time. The maximum withdrawal is $330. The fee is $39.
We recommend avoiding Full Flush Poker. It has all the signs of a site that is out of cash. The network’s traffic has declined considerably in the past year as Full Flush Poker has struggled to pay players. Players looking to join the Equity Poker Network should consider doing so through Heritage Sports.