Best online casinos that accept PayPal 2024
The number of UK casinos that accept PayPal keeps increasing monthly, with many of the new sites choosing to add this to their banking options. The fact that the online gambling space is so busy is great, as it offers British players a vast choice. But this also increases the risk of choosing badly unless you do your research well.
This is where the PlatinPlay experts come in. Our reviewers are a team of who have done a serious deep dive to source the very best PayPal casino UK. You’ll find our best casino sites in the list below, which was finalised after a rigorous testing process.
About PayPal
The journey towards PayPal casinos started way back in 1998, when the idea was conceived by a team of visionary entrepreneurs, including Max Levchin, Peter Thiel, and Elon Musk. The trio’s aim was to introduce a novel approach to digital payments, allowing for the instant transfer of money between PayPal accounts. The accounts could be funded using a wide variety of payment methods, including credit cards and bank accounts.
The pivotal moment came in 2002 when eBay acquired the company, leading to an exponential surge in its user base. At the time, finding a PayPal casino was not yet as commonplace players, but this was about to change fast. By providing a reliable, secure payment method for eBay transactions, PayPal's popularity soared, and suddenly there were over 100 million active users by 2010.
When gambling started moving from land based to online sites in the noughties, this marked the rise of PayPal online casinos. The company's trajectory was marked by innovation and adaptation to emerging technologies, which also secured it a strong foothold in the online gambling space.
In 2006, it introduced a system for mobile payments, becoming one of the first companies to recognise the potential of the smartphone revolution. Finding a mobile PayPal casino became a fast reality, especially as at the time there weren’t many secure e-wallets that allowed you to making mobile online payments with one click.
In 2015, the company parted ways with eBay, paving the way for a further expansion of services. It started accepting cryptocurrencies, marking it further as a favourite with gamblers who were embracing the blockchain.
In 2019, PayPal announced that it counts over 26 million active users in the UK. This is backed up by other statistics released by Merchant Machine in 2020, which placed the payment provider as the second most popular online banking method in the UK after debit cards. Another survey conducted by Statista in 2020 found that about 65% of Brits said they used PayPal.
Given these figures, it is hardly any wonder that the term ‘PayPal casino UK’ is one of the most searched for by players. Its popularity is not limited to the UK. PayPal is present in over 200 countries, supports multiple currencies and will complete instant transfers even between two opposite corners of the world. You can transfer money between the UK and Canada in literally seconds.
The big question is: can you legally use a PayPal UK casino? Yes, it is perfectly legal to use gambling sites that accept PayPal, as long as these are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
There is one caveat. As of April 2020, the British government banned gamblers from using credit cards to play real money casino games online. This ban also extends to funding your PayPal account with a credit card and then using those funds at an online casinos. Happily, this doesn’t mean you can’t use PayPal casino sites. It simply means that you will need to fund your account using a debit card, rather than a credit card.
In an effort to encourage a safer gambling environment, PayPal casinos in the UK added a GamStop and Gamban feature to the e-wallet, so that British players who feel they are facing gambling problems can automatically exclude all gambling activities from their account.
Of course, you will find plenty of unlicensed casinos that accept PayPal finding via credit cards even for British players. We strongly advise you to give these a wide berth, as your rights won’t be protected at law and you won’t be gambling in a secure environment. Every single PayPal casino recommended by our experts has a UKGC licence.
PayPal Pros and Cons
Like all online casino payment methods, making a PayPal casino deposit comes with the good stuff and a few disadvantages too. Whether this is the right banking option for you depends a lot on your style of play. Below, we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons to help make the decision easier.
PayPal Casino Pros
- One of the most secure casino payment methods available
- Making your first deposit at a PayPal casino is very easy, usually requiring just one click
- Transactions are instant, including withdrawals
- You won’t be asked to pay additional fees when using an online casino PayPal
- No gambling activity will show up on your bank records
PayPal Casino Cons
- You can only use your debit card for gambling transactions
- You may be charged a fee to cash out winnings from the casino to PayPal
How to pick a PayPal Casino
Figuring out which casino with PayPal is worth spending your time and money on is the annoying part of the game. You don’t want to be the one who makes a deposit at the first PayPal online casino you stumble on, only to find out that the service and the experience are not what you expected.
Before choosing a new PayPal casino, we always recommend that you carry out some thorough research. Now, if you are choosing one of the recommended UK casino sites on our PayPal casino list you don’t really need to do much work because our experts have already done it all for you.
But what if there’s this brand new site you’ve stumbled upon, and you want to be able to take your own decision? If you follow the same process that our experts do when carrying out UK online casino review, you will be able to figure out for yourself which is the best PayPal casino for you.
There are certain features that we always take note of when looking for the best online casino that accepts PayPal. Let’s take a look at them below:
- Licensing & Security – we’ve already spoken about the importance that you only play at a casino PayPal if it has a UKGC license. This is the only way you can be 100% sure that your funds will be protected. Also look for the presence of SSL encryption to ensure that your personal and financial data is stored securely and not prone to hacking.
- Bonuses – check the size of the casino offer, by all means, but don’t forget to look at terms and conditions. Most important are wagering requirements – 35x is the ideal, but anything up to 50x is reasonable. Expiry terms and how long you have to fulfil playthrough also make a huge difference.
- Payment Methods – we don’t only want to see PayPal, we expect to be offered at least a few alternatives that are popular in the UK. These can include debit cards, other e-wallets like Google Play and prepaid vouchers. Seeing that a site has partnered up with a reputable payment provider is an added indication of trustworthiness.
- Games & Software – you’re here to play, so you need to see a well-stocked games library with your favourite titles. Look for partnerships that include a few of the most popular casino software providers, as well as a well-rounded offering of slots, table games, network jackpots and live casino.
- Customer Support – when issues arise you want to know that they’ll be resolved speedily and efficiently. Our preferred method of communication is via 24/7 chat, and we like to have our questions answered in under 30 minutes. An e-mail address or a telephone number add to our scores.
When you’re looking for new PayPal casinos, follow the above checklist and use your own judgement. Making an informed decision will become easier and faster.
Opening a PayPal Account
Opening an account for a casino that accepts PayPal is as easy as pie and, once you’re sorted you can simply navigate to PlatinPlay’s list of best Paypal casinos and start playing immediately. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to what you’ll need to do to open your own PayPal account.
- Create a PayPal account. (If you already have one, you can just use your existing account.) Simply navigate to the PayPal homepage, click on ‘Sign Up’ at the top right of your screen and choose the personal option, as you’ll be using this to make deposits at PayPal online casinos.
- Fill in all requested details. You will be asked to enter your mobile phone number so that you can receive payment verification codes. You’ll also need to key in your name, billing address and e-mail address.
- Click on the verification link sent to your e-mail address. We always caution players to use utmost caution when clicking on such e-mails, so make sure that this is the genuine thing, with the correct PayPal address.
- The verification link will take you to a page where you’ll be asked to input your banking details. Link your preferred debit card to your PayPal account and you’re good to go.
- Next time you log in to PayPal or try to make a transfer, you’ll be sent a verification code to your phone. This is one of the extra measures that makes PayPal casinos super safe, and it applies both to iOS and Android devices.
How to Deposit using PayPal
Once your PayPal account is all set up, you can go ahead to make your first deposit at a casino that accepts PayPal. The process is very similar as that when using other e-wallets. Below, we’ll walk you through the basic steps.
- Log in to your preferred PayPal UK casino and navigate to the Cashier section.
- Click on ‘Make a Deposit’.
- Choose PayPal as your payment method.
- Key in the amount that you wish to deposit.
- Opt-in to the bonus or type in any promo codes if required.
- Confirm the verification code sent to your mobile phone.
- Your funds are added instantly to your account, so navigate to the games lobby and let the fun begin.
How to Withdraw using PayPal
One of the best parts about playing at a casino with PayPal is that it facilitates cashouts as much as it does deposits, offering one of the speediest and hassle-free withdrawal methods. Here’s how to withdraw your winnings.
- Log in to your chosen casino and click on Withdraw.
- Choose PayPal as your cash out method.
- Key in the amount you’d like to withdraw.
- Confirm the amount and your transaction will be processed according to the process in the casino’s terms and conditions.
- PayPal will send you a notification confirming that the funds have been transferred to your account.
PayPal Fees, Limits and Withdrawal Times
When you deposit money at an online UK PayPal casino PayPal, you won’t be charged any fees. Confirm how much money you want to deposit, and that self-same amount will be deducted from your PayPal account.
However, when it comes to cash outs and bank transfers, this works differently. PayPal charges a fixed fee when you receive money into your account. Basically, if you cash out your casino winnings, you’ll be charged 2.9% of that money plus an extra fee of £0.30.
There are no fees charged to move the funds from your PayPal account to your bank account.
PayPal Safety and Security
This is one of the few times when you don’t need to work hard to figure out whether a payment option is safe and legit. The company’s track record is solid and it’s today considered a titan in the world of online payments. As far as digital payments go, it’s very difficult to find an option that provides more protection than PayPal.
For starters, your own financial and personal information is SSL encrypted and is never shared with third parties, whether we’re talking casinos or banks. PayPal also has a very strict process when deciding who to do business with, and it will only provide its services to sites that its experts have deemed to be highly secure. In truth, it would be very difficult to find a casino that has been accepted by PayPal that is not actually legit. Add our very own PlatinPlay safety processes, and you’ve got yourself a cast-iron assurance of safety.
Apart from this, PayPal employs two-factor authentication and a verification process before your funds are transferred. In this way, it’s very difficult for anyone to get their hands on your money through fraudulent means.
Finally, should something, somehow go wrong, PayPal has a dedicated fraud team to resolve all issues and instant customer support to ensure that any complaints are dealt with in haste.
Why use PayPal at an online casino?
PayPal casinos UK offer so many advantages that the answer to this is ‘why not’, really. PayPal is a banking method that appeals to those who see value in not sharing any data unnecessarily with more than one service provider. It allows you to have a centralised digital payment method and to avoid having to key in sensitive financial data everytime you’re making an online payment.
- No gambling entries on your bank statements
- You personal and banking information is never shared by PayPal
- Deposits appear instantly in your account
- In most cases, even cash outs are processed instantly
- The payment method enjoys an unrivalled level of security
- Setting up a PayPal account is very easy
- There are no fees to deposit or to withdraw to your bank
Mobile PayPal Casinos
You’ll find many mobile casinos UK that accept PayPal, especially as most top gambling sites nowadays offer a dedicated casino app or have their sites optimized for mobile gambling.
If you’d like to deposit money to a mobile casino using PayPal, you can use PayPal One Touch, which is the specialised mobile solution. However, you’ll need to activate the service first. You can do this by visiting the PayPal OneTouch page from your mobile device. Log in to your account and your details will be encrypted on the device you’re using. The next time you want to cash out or deposit with PayPal using your mobile, you’ll be able to do so with one click. The service is compatible both with iOS and Android devices.
You can also download the PayPal mobile app to facilitate your mobile casino transfers.
PayPal Casinos Alternatives
Google Pay: Own an Android device and looking for another digital payment option with super fast transactions? Google Pay casinos are very accessible and your data will also be protected as Google doesn’t give your financial information to casinos. All you need to do is link a debit card to your Google account. The one downside? There’s no cashout option as yet.
Apple Pay: The popular solution for iOS device owners, Apple Pay can be used on your iPhone, Apple Watch or iPad and offers access to instant deposits and withdrawals. Your gambling activity won’t turn up on your bank statement, and your financial details are secure with Apple.
Payforit: If you prefer to keep a tighter control on your bankroll, this is a great solution due to its low limits. Put simply, you tack on your casino deposit to your monthly phone bill. It can also be used by pay as you go numbers, as the funds will be deducted from your phone card. However, you can’t withdraw to your phone bill, so you’ll need an alternate method to cash out your winnings.
PayPal Casinos FAQs
All your questions about PayPal casinos answered
Many UK casinos accept PayPal, but this doesn’t mean that they all offer the same level of gambling experience. On this guide you’ll find our definitive list of best PayPal casinos UK. These have been scored according to our set list of criteria, which guarantees an objective and honest rating.
PayPal itself doesn’t charge fees for casino transactions in the UK, but individual casinos may have their own fee structures so we always advise you to check the casino’s policy. However, you will be charged a percentage fee when receiving money from a casino to your account. You will then be able to transfer that money to your personal bank account at no extra charge.
Yes, many online casinos in the UK allow payments via PayPal, although you will need to verify this on the casino’s payment options page. All the sites recommended on this page accept the payment method and offer speedy transactions. If you’re planning on using your PayPal account for online gambling, be aware that you can only fund it using a debit card, as opposed to a credit card.
This depends entirely on your chosen casino. In some cases it’s possible to deposit with PayPal and cash out using a different method, but some other sites will not allow it due to their AML (anti-money laundering) policies. Always check the terms and conditions of the specific operator.
Yes, using PayPal at an online casino is generally safe due to PayPal’s robust security measures, such as its highly advanced encryption technologies. It is very unlikely that any of your data or funds end up in the wrong hands. Moreover, when playing at UKGC licensed casinos like the ones recommended by this guide you’re adding an extra layer of protection.
PayPal cannot directly prevent you from gambling, but it does allow users to self-exclude or limit transactions to certain types of businesses, which can include online casinos. It does this via the GAMBAN or GamStop feature, which will enrol you into the national self-exclusion programme.
There are many other e-wallets that are accepted at UK online casinos. Popular names include Skrill and Neteller, as well as Google Pay and Apple Pay, as well as more traditional methods like debit and bank transfers.