About Wirecard
Formerly known as Click2Pay, Wirecard was part of Munich-based Wirecard AG, which was listed on the German Stock Exchange. The service offered a virtual prepaid card with a 16-digit account number, expiry date and CVV, similar in format to a debit card. Customers could also request a physical card bearing the MasterCard logo.
Funding Casino Deposits
Through its MasterCard connection, Wirecard was listed as a payment option at some online casinos, particularly in the UK. Users were advised to check the casino cashier for its listed deposit methods at the time. Some older sites might have shown the service as Click2Pay rather than Wirecard.
A Wirecard account could reportedly be opened for free through the company’s homepage by providing basic information such as name, address, email and telephone number. Users then had to add funds by linking a bank account or credit card.
Users were also advised to check whether a casino supported Wirecard withdrawals. If not, they were told to arrange another withdrawal method before placing wagers.
Once the account was set up, casino deposits were described as arriving almost immediately, while withdrawals could take up to 24 hours. Physical cardholders could spend their funds right away. Otherwise, the funds had to be transferred to the bank account or credit card originally used to load the card.
Wirecard Benefits for Online Gaming
Potential benefits of using Wirecard for online gambling included:
- The service was accepted at some established online casinos in different parts of the world.
- A physical card was not needed to place a wager.
- Spending was limited to the amount loaded onto the card, which could help users keep within their gambling limits.
- Gaming funds could be held separately rather than mixed with other money.
- Customer support was available in several languages.
Drawbacks of Gambling with Wirecard
Fees were a common concern, and some charges were described as hard to spot. ATM withdrawals could incur a Wirecard fee in addition to the bank’s charge, while inactive accounts could also be charged a fee.
Although Wirecard operated in many countries, players in the US often had difficulty using it to deposit at online casinos.
Virtual card users had to keep track of the account number unless they requested a plastic card. Some found the number difficult to remember and worried that writing it down could increase their exposure to fraud.
Conclusion
Wirecard was presented as a payment option for a mobile casino, with a recommendation to check fees and card restrictions first. Users were also advised to consider whether paying with a virtual account number suited them. For withdrawals, a plastic card was said to be likely necessary and could take a few days to arrive by mail. These details describe the service as it was covered at the time, not current payment instructions.
