VISA Debit in Singaporean Casinos

When it comes to payment methods offered across the online gambling industry, there's one brand that appears across most, if not all, online casinos, VISA. This is a card brand that, among other types of cards, offers VISA Debit, an incredibly convenient alternative to credit cards, which allows users to get better money management, as all they can spend is the funds they have in their bank account, nothing more. As such, this card is excellent for online gambling transactions, to maintain count on how much you're spending across online casinos. VISA Debit is a popularly used card in Singapore, so as a Singaporean online casino player, it is the perfect solution to use for your deposits and withdrawals, and if you stay with us, you'll learn why. What is VISA Debit and why decide to use it as your online casino payment method?

Online Gambling Regulation in Singapore

When Singapore gained its independence from Great Britain in 1963, it legalized some forms of land-based gambling, and in 2004, it finally legalized casino gambling. As of 2005, the ban on casino gambling was removed, but various conditions were imposed on operators to respect, controlled by the Casino Regulatory Authority and the National Council for Problem Gambling. The country wanted to make sure gambling did not pose any serious problems to its citizens, and that's why player protection has been its focus since day one.

In 2012, a statement was made by the Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade and Industry, which said that the Singapore Government reviewed regulations and the country’s framework for all forms of gambling, including online gambling. This led to the 2014 Remote Gambling Bill that made online gambling illegal and banned, just as the industry took off. Singapore criminalized all gambling activities online, except a few lottery games offered by government-approved companies, all the while making sure to ban IPS of illegal sites, and to fine players who somehow get access to online casino sites and placed bets, with fines ranging between $5,000 to up to 6 months of prison time. What's more, Singaporean citizens caught running an illegal online gambling site received a fine from $20,000 to $50,000 or/and a prison sentence of up to 7 years.

The country remains evidently anti-online gambling to this day, so players are not advised to get involved in any online gambling activities. Despite that, many are still finding ways to go around the stringent laws and use VPNs and other options that would give them access to global online casinos. You will find many Singaporean players across international casinos, enjoying the many different games there, table games, slots, poker, and Live Casino, among others, delivered by the likes of Games Global, Evolution, and Pragmatic Play.

Singaporean players who wish to risk it all and still somehow manage to get access to an online casino, get all kinds of bonuses at their disposal, too, but also excellent payment method choices to fund their online gambling time. Among them, offered across most casinos that cater to Singaporean players, is the world’s most popular debit card, VISA Debit. There may not be that many casinos that target Singaporean players, but those that do, certainly accept this debit card. With it, you can make deposits and withdrawals in a blink of an eye, in your native currency, the Singaporean dollar. So, if interested in knowing more about it, continue reading, as we’ll take you through the most important pieces of information on it.

Using VISA Debit Across Singaporean Online Casinos

Launched in the US in 1958 as a credit card program, VISA is a card brand with global recognition and acceptance. Running successfully for decades, it has managed to get the most stellar reputation and got its name heard all over the world. You will see its logo displayed literally everywhere, as far as your eyes can see, both online and offline. It is a card offered by most banks, so its accessibility is unrivaled. And having in mind how futuristic and forward Singapore is, it goes without saying that the card is offered in your country, and quite popular for all kinds of transactions by users and businesses alike. Meaning that you are eligible to use a card issued by it if you're not already.

Now, the VISA Debit appeared a bit over a decade after the credit card, in 1975, when VISA saw the users' demand for such a card and delivered. See, what happened was, that many users were not eligible to get issued with a credit card due to their credit history, but were still in need of a card for different types of transactions. Since to apply for a credit card, you have your credit history checked thoroughly, considering you're basically taking loans from the bank to pay off later. If you don't have enough funds to pay off later, you can't sign the overdraft agreement, and by default, you can't get your card. That's where the debit card comes in. With the debit card, your history is not in the equation since you'll only be spending as much as you have in your bank account and not a cent more.

VISA Debit was designed for all those users unable to get issued with a credit card, and that’s why getting started with it is extremely easy. Since basically all Singaporean banks support it, you just need to go to the bank you have an active account with to apply for your card. You need to fill out a form specifying the type of card you wish to apply for and provide some basic personal details, alongside identification documents, as required. The bank will submit your application to VISA and in collaboration with it, will issue your card.

You will receive your card in an envelope containing authentication and verification codes, which you need to keep safe, as you'll need them whenever transacting with the card. You can pick up the envelope at the bank or have the bank send it to you at your home address, your choice. And once you have it, activate it with the needed codes and that would be it: you can start using it! All the funds you have in your bank account would be at your disposal, but you won’t be able to spend more. That’s why this debit card is one of the most preferred methods for deposits across online casinos and why it is so popular across the online gambling industry, since with it, you can never spend more than you can afford.

Now, as we mentioned, there aren't that many online casinos that accept players from Singapore, considering the online gambling ban there and the hefty fees both players and operators are facing, but those that do, certainly offer VISA Debit. So, let's check together some of the sites that do so that we can take you through the exact steps you need to take when using this card for your deposits and withdrawals.

Depositing and Withdrawing with VISA Debit

There are around 80 online casino sites listed here at WoO that cater to players from Singapore and offer VISA Debit. As you can see, you still have a decent number of sites to explore, among them the best-rated are 7Bit, WinPort and Slot Hunter. Check out a few other options, and decide on the site you’d like to join.

Once you do, go through the registration procedure and once your player profile is ready, you can proceed by making your first deposit with VISA Debit. Just follow these steps:

1. Log into your player profile and head over to the Banking/Cashier page.
2. Look for a Deposits tab on the page and find VISA Debit’s logo.
3. After you press it, in the pop-up, enter the card number, expiry date, and your name as the cardholder.
4. Specify how much you wish to deposit and confirm your request.
5. In an instant, the funds will be transferred from your bank account to your casino balance.

When it comes to cashouts, VISA Debit offers the functionality, but not all casinos that offer it for deposits will do so for withdrawals, too. So, when looking for a site to join, remember to check whether the card is an option for withdrawals.

Assuming it is, you’d need to look for the Withdrawals tab on the Banking/Cashier page and press its logo. In the pop-up, you’d need to enter the same card details again, and then specify the amount you wish to cash out. As soon as the operator reviews your request, and eventually approves it, the funds will arrive on your card, hence, your bank account, quickly.

Conclusion

VISA Debit is an exceptional card used by many players from Singapore for all kinds of payments and purchases, including online casino deposits. It allows you to use your native currency and go over conversion fees across casinos that accept Singaporean dollars, therefore, you have no reason why you should not consider giving it a try.