As a globally used debit card, Mastercard is accepted at virtually all licensed UK online casinos. Check out our top-rated Mastercard casino sites from the 65+ we’ve reviewed, as well as our expert tips for using Mastercard to make online gambling deposits and withdrawals.
Mastercard is one of the most popular payment methods you can use at UK online casinos, as well as the most commonly accepted alongside its competitor Visa. It is a major provider of debit and credit cards worldwide, working in conjunction with banks to provide secure payments.
However, due to an April 2020 UKGC ruling, Mastercard casinos only support transactions from debit cards and not credit cards. This ban came following research which highlighted that among the estimated 800,000 UK players that were using credit cards for gambling, 22% were classified as problem gamblers.
There are still numerous benefits to making Mastercard your casino payment option of choice, including various bonuses up for grabs at Mastercard casinos.
We’ve been making transactions at real money casino sites with Mastercard for years, and found the process to be consistently quick and smooth. After you’ve made an initial deposit, the casino will save your card details, allowing you to then top up your account in just a few clicks.
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to deposit at a casino site using Mastercard:
It’s just as easy to withdraw money from your casino account using Mastercard. If your chosen casino uses a ‘closed loop’ system, you’ll have to cash out with your Mastercard debit card if it was the last deposit method you used:
Paul Lamford, Published Author and Gambling Expert: “UKGC regulations require online casinos to verify their users for money laundering and account fraud checks. This means in order to cash out with Mastercard, I have to provide proof of identity (such as a passport, driving licence or photo ID) and proof of address (via a recent utility bill or bank statement) before I can withdraw any winnings.
I always do this as soon as I join a new casino, so then my account is fully verified by the time I go to make my first Mastercard withdrawal.”
There are notable advantages to using Mastercard at UK casinos compared to other commonly supported payment methods. We’ve found the key benefits of using your debit card for online gambling to include the following:
Claudia Hartley, Payments Expert: “While I’d love to tell you everything about Mastercard is great, no payment method is perfect. Perhaps the biggest drawback of using Mastercard to gamble online is the slow withdrawal times compared to e-wallets and mobile options.
I often need to wait several days for my winnings to arrive when cashing out with Mastercard, whereas the likes of PayPal and Skrill normally deliver them within 24 hours. This is because as a payment option that directly involves your bank, Mastercard payouts are subject to more stringent checks from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).”
Mastercard is widely recognised for its robust multi-layer security, which includes SSL encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA) to approve payments, and zero fraud liability, which protects you from unauthorised payments.
All transactions also go through the Mastercard Identity Check authentication system, and the company works under Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) rules as part of Payment Services Regulations (PSD2).
In our experience, almost all casino bonuses accept Mastercard debit cards as an eligible deposit option. This is a major benefit, as other popular payment methods like e-wallets and prepaid vouchers are sometimes excluded.
The best Mastercard casinos have a variety of promotions that offer consistent chances to get more from your bankroll:
There’s no doubt that casino bonuses are fun and can be lucrative, but you need to use them wisely. Always choose a promotion that suits your budget and playing style, and read the T&Cs beforehand to assess whether the wagering requirements, expiry dates, and max win limit are worth your time and money.
As Mastercard is universally accepted at UK casino sites, you have the ultimate choice when it comes to games. Our top-rated Mastercard casinos have large and varied games libraries, featuring fun and popular titles for each of the following:
Being able to make seamless payments at mobile casinos is something British players have become accustomed to in recent years. Lots of payment methods do this well, but Mastercard remains one of the best.
This is because you can store your Mastercard debit card on smartphone wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, allowing you make one-tap deposits that are biometrically approved via tools such as Face or Touch ID. Both iPhone and Android are also compatible with Mastercard Identity Check, which adds an additional layer of verification to approve payments.
While all mobile casino platforms are built on HTML5 technology and available via smartphone internet browsers, we’d recommend downloading dedicated casino apps when possible, in order to customise your experience and take advantage of push notifications.
Finding a great Mastercard casino in the UK can be difficult given the sheer number available, which is why our in-depth and hands-on casino reviews carefully assess every operator we review. To earn the seal for approval from our independent expert team with decades of experience, Mastercard casinos need to tick each of these boxes:
Valid Licensing and Security: We only ever recommend Mastercard casinos that are licensed by the Gambling Commission (UKGC) and pass our security checks. These include 128-bit or greater SSL encryption, secure payment processes, and games with RNG software independently verified for fairness.
Bonuses and Promotions: We look through the rewards offered by Mastercard casinos to check if they involve good value for money, reasonable wagering requirements and max win limits, alongside a good selection of eligible games.
Fast and Reliable Payments: The best Mastercard gambling sites offer instant deposits and quick withdrawals, with no fees applied in either case.
Reliable Customer Support: In the event that you run into issues when using your Mastercard or for any other reason at an online casino, we award top marks to operators that offer round-the-clock customer support across several channels operated by professional and efficient teams.
Playing at online casinos with Mastercard works similarly to using other debit cards for your gambling, such as Visa. It offers safe, secure, and convenient transactions, although e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill tend to provide quicker withdrawals.
The majority of casinos that accept Mastercard don’t charge you any fees for Mastercard payments. However, we do suggest that you check the casino’s T&Cs for this information beforehand, as well as that your Mastercard product doesn’t charge fees for gambling transactions.
