Interac vs. uPayCard

Even though Interac and UPayCard are two completely different payment solutions, they are both popular and often used across online casino sites, as they both deliver seamless online banking to specific groups of players. They are available in different countries, therefore, suited to be offered across international online casinos. And as such, they are both offered across many sites which you can join. Whichever of the two you decide to use, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to make safe, fast and convenient deposits and withdrawals. Why use Interac or UPayCard across online casinos?

About Interac and UPayCard

Interac and UPayCard are some of those solutions you'd absolutely love using across online casino sites, especially if you’re one of those players who are not comfortable using credit cards for deposits and withdrawals. Or, if you’re a player from a country where using credit cards for gambling is forbidden, such as the UK. The two are alternative solutions that are popularly used across online casinos due to the convenience, effectiveness and ease of use, and the fact that they deliver safe and fast transactions.

Interac is a national payment network in Canada, led by a non-profit organization, delivering Canadian users all-inclusive online banking solutions. It is one of the leading payment methods in the country, having the trust of millions of users. Its stability and integrity have been strengthened throughout the years, thanks to its dedication and efforts into making online banking as effortless for users as possible.

To deliver them exceptional service, the solution, launched in 1984, has partnered with over 200 leading Canadian banks throughout the years. With continued improvements and innovations, it has managed to get a great track record and with time, it has become the payment method Canadians trust most in.

Considering it offers several different products, users have the benefit of choosing the one they’d like to use for their everyday purchases and payments. Among the most popular products, we can mention Interac Debit, Interac Online and Interac eTransfer, each processing payments in collaboration with banks. Across Canadian-facing casinos, though, you’ll probably find the Online and eTransfer products most, as these are the best-suited for processing online gambling transactions. But once enrolled with the network, you can rest assured that you can use all three products and more.

Since the products are multi-platform and can be used on any device you have, they are pretty convenient for all kinds of transactions, especially online casino transactions. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise to learn that Interac has not only found its way into the online gambling industry but is also available across hundreds of online casinos accepting players from Canada.

UPayCard, on the other hand, is a solution launched much later than Interac but has still achieved huge success in the online gambling industry, as well. It was launched in 2013, and it offers two products, the virtual prepaid card and the eWallet, accepting both currencies and cryptocurrencies.

When it was first launched, UPayCard arrived with some huge fees, but as soon as users started complaining, it reduced them. In fact, now, it only charges the basic fees which cover the issuance of the first physical and the second virtual prepaid card, foreign exchange and cashing out and adding cash. To get issued with your first MasterCard UPayCard or get started with the eWallet, you won’t need to pay fees. With that, the solution only further proved to users that by using it, they could get the most cost-effective and convenient online banking.

When it comes to the currencies and cryptocurrencies available, you should know that you’ll be able to choose from around 30 of them, 20 fiat and several digital. Some of these include Ethereum, Canadian dollars, Ripple, Australian dollars, Litecoin, UK pounds, Bitcoin, Swedish krona, and Bitcoin Cash, among others. UPayCard continues extending cryptocurrency offering and supports new digital currencies.

And as far as its country restrictions go, you should know that UPayCard is not limited to just one single country, but is accepted all around the world. In fact, there are only several countries that do not accept it, Bahrain, American Samoa, the US, North Korea, Angola, Afghanistan, Aruba and Moldova. Other than these, the solution is accepted all across the world, in any country or territory you might come from. And since you’ll probably be able to use it, as it is probably accepted in your country, you should know that you’ll be able to find it across most leading online casinos, across hundreds of sites.

Getting Started with the Two Solutions

These two solutions are well-established and used by millions of users, and that’s partly because getting started with them is not a process that involves too many steps.

The first step towards getting started with Interac is enrolling with the network. That means registering an account with it, which would then be linked to your Canadian bank account. Since over 200 banks are part of the network, you probably already have an account with at least one of them. Therefore, all you’re left to do is create your Interac account to start using its products. But as mentioned, Interac Online and Interac eTransfer are the two products that are mostly offered across online casinos.

After your account is ready and connected to your online banking account, you will receive an email or an SMS with the necessary passwords and security questions, as part of the security measures implemented by the service. You’ll also get detailed instructions on how to use the service. Just follow those steps, enter the required information and go through the authentication and verification procedures.

Your bank is informed of all transactions you make with Interac. There’s a background process going on when you request a transaction, initiated by Interac. Via secure pathways, Interac will provide the intermediary service and transfer the money from your bank account to the desired destination, for a small, basic $1.5 fee. That’s actually the only charge you’ll get for transacting with it, since, considering it is operated by a non-profit organization, Interac only charges the symbolic fee that covers the basic transfer cost.

To start using UPayCard, you would first need to decide whether you’d like to use both the eWallet and the virtual prepaid card products, or just one of them. Just like with Interac, though, if you wish to use the eWallet product and be able to make both deposits and withdrawals across online casinos, you’d need to create an eWallet account with UPayCard. To do that, just visit its official website, and do the following:

1. Click or tap on the Sign-Up button.
2. Enter your full name, birth date, email address, home address and phone number.
3. Since UPayCard complies with KYC rules and is approved by the UK’s FCA, you’ll need to provide a copy of an identification
4. After your account has been properly verified, you can fund it with money.
5. You can use Neteller, Payeer, QIWI, Skrill and POLi to fund your eWallet or even your virtual UPayCard.
6. Since everything is set up, you can start using your account.

Now, you would also need to visit its official website if you wish to get issued with the virtual prepaid card. The steps for applying for the card are pretty much the same as with any other prepaid card, explained in detail on the official website. Once you get issued with the card, you can fund it with wire transfer or any of the mentioned methods for funding the eWallet. The card, just like any other card, can be used for a limited time, meaning be careful about the due expiry date.

Bear in mind, though, that the service advises against funding the eWallet with the card or vice versa, to prevent a great loss if one of them gets compromised in any way.

Using Interac and UPayCard Across Online Casinos

Now that you know how to get started with the two solutions, it’s time to learn how to use them for deposits and withdrawals across online casinos. The first step, though, would be choosing a proper casino to join. Aside from the obvious requirement for the casino to accept Interac or UPayCard, make sure you choose a casino that meets other criteria, such as licenses, popular games and software providers, and lots of bonuses and promotions. As soon as you join a site, you are ready to make a deposit.

To fund your online casino account with Interac, you would need to:

1. Head over to the casino’s Banking Methods/Cashier/Deposits page.
2. Find Interac’s logo and click or tap on it.
3. In the new pop-up window, log into your online banking account using your credentials.
4. Enter the amount you'd like to deposit at the online casino and the casino's email address in the required field.
5. Insert the security question you received in your email.
6. As soon as the casino provides the security answer, your deposit will go through.

Deposits with Interac are immediate, even though there’s a background process in motion when you request them. However, you should know that withdrawals are super-fast, too! In fact, Interac is often ranked as the most popular payment method for withdrawals for Canadian players, precisely for that reason. To cash out your winnings with it, you would need to repeat the same procedure as with deposits, and wait for the casino to approve the withdrawal. As soon as it does, Interac will immediately transfer the money back to your bank account, for which you’ll be notified via email or SMS.

To make a deposit with UPayCard, you would need to visit the casino’s Banking Methods/Cashier/Deposits page, and look for its logo. Then, you would need to do the following:

1. Find UPayCard’s logo and click or tap on it.
2. If you wish to make a deposit via your eWallet account, log into it, and request the amount you wish to deposit. If you wish to use the card, enter the card details and specify the amount you want to fund your online casino account with.
3. Confirm the transaction.
4. Watch your money arrive on your online casino account in an instant.

If you wish to make withdrawals with UPayCard, you can do so, but only if using the eWallet. Virtual prepaid cards are never an option, as you would assume. To withdraw any winnings you made, just log into your eWallet account and specify the amount you wish to withdraw. Wait for the casino’s approval and see the money arriving on your eWallet account in an instant.

Advantages and Disadvantages

If you’ve been reading carefully, you have already caught the pros and cons these two solutions arrive with. You have probably gathered that they are both popular, accepted across hundreds of online casino sites, and offering convenient and safe deposits and withdrawals.

The two solutions are perfectly compatible with both mobile and desktop devices and are great options when it comes to alternative banking, something that’s quite useful when it comes to online gambling transactions. Plus, deposits and withdrawals with both are pretty quick and easy.

The major disadvantage with Interac is that it is a solution only available to Canadian players. On the other hand, the country availability is UPayCard’s strongest suit. The fact that the solution is available all over the world, with the exception of a few countries, is what makes it an excellent method to use by global online casino players.

That being said, as a global solution, UPayCard arrives with many more fees than Interac, which only charges the $1.5 fee for the basic transfer cost. With UPayCard, you get to use two products, with both currencies and cryptocurrencies, while with Interac three.

As you can see, they both have their perks and downsides, so it is up to you to decide which one to use. If a Canadian player, you can use both of them, even though Interac would be the more appropriate solution, given its integrity and popularity across all industries, the online gambling industry included. If a player from anywhere else, UPayCard is the solution to use. It is an excellent option for depositing and withdrawing across online casinos, so you won't regret creating an account with it and using it.