InstaDebit belongs to a family of payment methods that operates somewhere between a bank transfer and a virtual wallet, taking the best of both worlds and creating a completely novel payment solution. InstaDebit is only available to customers with a Canadian bank account but if that criterion is met, it can be used to pay at a multitude of authorised merchants, including a large number of online casinos.
InstaDebit was developed in 2003 as a way for Canadian customers to pay online without putting their bank details at risk. The company remains headquartered in Toronto but has also opened a branch on the island of Malta.
This payment method seamlessly and securely allows the customer to make transfers directly from their bank account without compromising it. Unlike e-wallets, InstaDebit does not hold funds in the traditional sense (more on this later) but rather facilitates their movements and protects them by obscuring the originating bank details. And thanks to a rigorous verification process, customers can rest assured that their InstaDebit is connected to the right bank account.
The most time-consuming part of setting up an InstaDebit account is the verification process. While this can be a little annoying, we think it is worth the effort in that at the end, it is the customer who benefits. When setting up an InstaDebit account, you will need to provide personal information (name, date of birth etc), bank account details and the last 4 digits of your SIN. Again, this might seem excessive but one can understand that such a respected brand will want to cover all of its bases.
With an InstaDebit account set up, the customer can then proceed to one of the many online casinos that take InstaDebit and make a deposit.
This process will usually follow these steps:
Earlier, we mentioned how InstaDebit does not operate exactly like an e-wallet. This remains true but it does share some features with those sorts of payment options. This becomes fairly evident when we consider how withdrawals are processed. An online casino that accepts InstaDebit can be considered a merchant so we can use this term in this scenario because casino transactions are, from the perspective of InstaDebit, the same as any other online payment.
When using an InstaDebit account to pay a merchant, the customer does not need to add funds to their InstaDebit account. These are directly drawn from the verified bank account and sent to the merchant in one step.
However, when it comes to withdrawals, things are slightly different. When receiving a payment from a merchant (your cashed out casino winnings, for instance), these funds are not transferred directly back into the connected bank account. Rather, they go to the InstaDebit Balance Account. This account is very similar to a virtual or e-wallet in that InstaDebit itself holds these funds i.e. they are not deposited into any bank account yet.
Users then have the choice to either spend their Balance Account funds directly by visiting a merchant of their choice and making a purchase or they can choose to withdraw those funds to their bank account.
To request a withdrawal via InstaDebit, simply select it from the available options, confirm the amount you wish to withdraw and authorise the transaction.
Not every casino accepts InstaDebit but the ones that do are invariably respectable brands. That accepting this payment method is considered a sign of quality is helpful to players looking to make the right casino choice but there are some pitfalls to keep in mind about InstaDebit. Here are the pros and cons of this popular payment option.
InstaDebit has a fee structure (as many payment methods do) and one fee in particular is of interest to casino players. While creating an InstaDebit account is completely free, there is a CA$1.95 charge for every payment made through InstaDebit. This means that every eBay purchase, utilities bill paid or, you guessed it, casino deposit is charged this fee.
There is a caveat. This fee only applies when making a direct payment from a bank account through InstaDebit. Remember, InstaDebit does not allow users to top up as they would when using an e-wallet. However, when receiving payments from merchants, customers’ funds will not go to their bank account but will instead sit in their InstaDebit Balance Account. And payments out of this account are not charged a fee.
The other fee online gamblers need to keep in mind is the CA$2 fee charged for every withdrawal from the Balance Account to a regular bank account. In truth, this fee is not particularly large and as a flat rate, it means that you pay the same whether you are transferring $10 or $100. It’s worth consolidating withdrawals into larger amounts to make this more worthwhile.
Remember that rigorous verification process we mentioned earlier? Though it can be a slightly drawn out process, the payoff is that InstaDebit is an extremely secure payment method. Because it works directly with banks, it has to adhere to their own high standards of security to ensure a seamless transaction process so when you use InstaDebit, you are essentially using a service that has all the protections offered by banks and then some.
At its core, InstaDebit is basically internet banking with extra security. POLi is a similar service that is available to players in New Zealand and Australia, and functions in much the same way. Players who like InstaDebit’s functionality but prefer a more flexible solution can turn to e-wallet services such as Paypal, Skrill and Neteller.
Not all casinos accept InstaDebit as a payment method but there is a large number of online casinos that do. These are the ones that accept Canadian players and wish to make their brand appealing to this cohort by offering a trusted, regional payment option.
Yes, InstaDebit deposits are instant so you should see your deposited funds in your casino account in just a few minutes. If the deposit does not appear, check your InstaDebit account to see whether the transaction has gone through and get in touch with the casino’s customer support for advice on how to proceed.
Because InstaDebit is closely associated with the banking system, withdrawals to InstaDebit accounts usually take as long as a bank transfer might. In most cases, players are looking at a wait time of between 3 and 5 working days but this does vary.
Yes, there are two fees that are of particular interest to online gamblers when using InstaDebit. Every payment made through InstaDebit, including casino deposit, incurs a flat fee of CA$1.95. Withdrawing funds from your InstaDebit Balance Account to a standard bank account, as you would with casino winnings, incurs a flat fee of CA$2. The good news is that these are flat fees, so they will not fluctuate based on the size of the transaction.
InstaDebit is available to customers with a Canadian bank account and a Canadian Social Insurance Number only. It can be used to pay merchants worldwide.
InstaDebit deposits are fast and secure. At no point in the process are the player’s banking details revealed to the casino (or any prying eyes), meaning that there is less risk of fraud or theft.
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