If you love poker and your preferred payment method is PayPal, here is our guide to six of the best poker sites accepting PayPal.
Based in San Jose, California, and established more than two decades ago, US firm PayPal is one of the best-known online payment systems in the world, offering a digital alternative to traditional paper-based methods.
It’s a versatile solution, and highly secure, so it’s hardly surprising that many players like to use it to fund their gaming. And it’s user-friendly, with just a few simple steps needed to make a deposit – in fact, it’s even easier than paying by credit card. It’s widely trusted and anonymous in that you only need the email address of the person you’re sending money to.
To make a deposit, simply:
- Choose PayPal when you go to the cashier
- Enter how much you wish to deposit, plus your bonus code if you have one
- Hit submit
You’ll then go directly to the PayPal site, where you can log on to your account and approve the transaction. Approved payments typically clear immediately.
Most poker websites cover incoming payment fees, although some may charge a small fee.
Gambling and PayPal: the downsides
One potential stumbling block is that while you can use PayPal to gamble only if you are based in these countries:
- UK
- Belgium
- Finland
- Greece
- Italy
- Spain
- Austria
- Denmark
- France
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Sweden
For residents of Egypt, India, Turkey and, most notably, the US, restrictions apply. PayPal does operate in states where online is allowed including:
- New Jersey
- New York
- Delaware
- Oregon
- Nevada
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
- California
In a statement applying to both games of skill and chance, PayPal says:
PayPal prohibits transactions for gambling activities by merchants and account holders in the US, and jurisdiction where gambling activities are illegal, and by merchants whose services are accessible to account holders in the US.
PayPal allows approved gambling merchants to use our service in certain jurisdictions where gambling activities are legal. To be approved by PayPal, merchants must demonstrate to PayPal’s satisfaction that they have the ability to block gambling activities for account holders in the US and any jurisdiction where gambling activities may be illegal.
So, as mentioned above, it’s quite strict.
We should point out that PayPal came under fire in 2019 following a report that accused the platform of allowing problem gamers to spend up to £150k daily, amid concerns that the system could be abused to sidestep bank limits.
That said, for most people, their gambling is not problematic. And, assuming you can use it legally where you live, PayPal remains one of the most convenient e-wallets around. What’s more, many of the better-known operators are perfectly happy to accept it.
Our pick of poker platforms accepting PayPal
If you’re a keen poker player, here are six of the best poker sites accepting PayPal:
Sky Poker
Sky Poker is one of the UK’s top poker rooms. Try your hand at Texas Hold’em or Omaha in varied tournament and cash-game formats. You can open an account for free and receive a tenner in tournament tokens. The Poker Academy offers plenty of advice and tips, while there are also lots of rewards and promos on offer for regular punters.
Betfair Poker
Betfair is one of the biggest and most trusted names in the world of online gaming, offering Omaha and Hold’em cash games, and its poker tables attract scores of recreational players. It came about following the February 2016 merger of Paddy Power Plc and Betfair Plc. There’s an app for playing on the move, and a string of regular ongoing promos.
Meanwhile, the tournament schedule awards millions of Euros monthly.
888 Poker
Claiming to be the industry’s fastest-growing poker website, with thousands of members online worldwide at any time, award-winning 888 Poker has 10 million players registered globally. The site hosts a good range of tournaments and cash games, and you can always find a table to suit your budget and player level.
With some great promos, massive progressive jackpots and a friendly online community, it’s not surprising so many poker fans find 888 a good place to play.
Betway Poker
A core part of the well-known Betway casino brand, Betway Poker enjoys high levels of trust and offers a good variety of games to choose from. There’s a 200% first-deposit match, and you can earn loyalty points on tournaments and cash games.
Ladbrokes Poker
Well-established operator Ladbrokes is one of Europe’s most popular poker websites. Its promotions, casino side games and good variety of rooms are all part of the appeal, alongside strong playability and some excellent graphics. What’s more, you can usually pop out of your poker room any time you need a break.
PokerStars
PokerStars is known the world over, dominating the industry since its launch back in 2006. It attracts huge volumes of player traffic, and there are some incredible promotions and tournament prize pools, with bonuses readily available, particularly for newcomers. The operator has also won praise for the quality of its customer support and its mobile site.
Summing up
It may not be perfect, or universally accepted, but PayPal offers poker players a reliable solution for whenever money needs to change hands. Play any of the above sites and use the solution to accept or transfer money, allowing you to focus on the crucial matter in hand – your hand!
