Credit Card Betting Sites

Updated

Credit cards are no longer the nearly universal deposit method they once were for online sports betting and gambling.

Most major online betting brands no longer accept credit deposits, and a growing number of states have enacted laws prohibiting operators from accepting credit card payments. Between operators voluntarily refusing credit card deposits and state-level bans, the list of places where bettors can fund their online gambling accounts with credit cards keep shrinking.

Read on for the latest on which online sportsbooks and casinos accept credit cards today, which states ban them outright, what to do when deposits get declined, and the next-best alternative payment methods.

Best Credit Card Betting Sites

BetRivers SportsbookSecond Chance Bet Up To $500BetRivers Bonus Code: BUSA Get Bonus
Hard Rock BetBet $5, Get $150Hard Rock Bet Promo Code: Not Needed Get Bonus

Online Sportsbooks That Accept Credit Cards

Three major sportsbook brands still allow customers to fund their accounts with credit cards in states that haven’t banned credit cards for online gambling:

SportsbookAccepted BrandsMinimum Credit Card Deposit
BetRivers SportsbookVisa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express$10.00
Hard Rock BetVisa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express$10.00

Note: It looks increasingly likely that even these online sportsbooks will eventually stop accepting credit deposits for reasons we’ll explain below.

Online sportsbooks that no longer accept credit cards (or never did):

States That Ban or Limit Credit Cards for Online Gambling

StateBan or Limit Applies ToNotes
ConnecticutOnline Sportsbooks; Online CasinosState law does not ban credit card deposits, but no licensed CT operators accept credit cards
IllinoisOnline SportsbooksIllinois Gaming Board (IGB) adopted rules in 2025 that included a credit card ban
IowaOnline SportsbooksHas always prohibited credit card deposits
MaineOnline Sportsbooks; Online CasinosPassed legislation in 2026 to ban credit cards at online sportsbooks and casinos
MassachusettsOnline SportsbooksHas always prohibited credit card deposits
New HampshireOnline SportsbooksHas always prohibited credit card deposits
New YorkOnline SportsbooksLimits credit card deposits to $2,500 per year
OregonOnline SportsbooksHas always prohibited credit card deposits
Rhode IslandOnline Sportsbooks; Online CasinosHas always prohibited credit card deposits
TennesseeOnline SportsbooksHas always prohibited credit card deposits
VermontOnline SportsbooksHas always prohibited credit card deposits
VirginiaOnline SportsbooksPassed legislation in 2026 to ban operators from accepting credit card deposits

Several additional states have considered (but not yet passed) legislation to ban credit cards for online gambling:

  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • Maryland
  • Colorado

Fans who travel to states that restrict credit card deposits should also note those restrictions still apply even if they deposited while located in a card-friendly state.

For example, a bettor who deposits $100 via credit card while in one state and then travels to Iowa will not be able to use that money to place wagers while they’re in Iowa. In that case, they might see a message like this when accessing the cashier:

credit card deposit notice

Credit Card Brands at US Online Sportsbooks

The major online sportsbooks that still accept credit cards take all brands, but acceptance rates vary broadly outside the most prominent operators.

Visa Betting Sites

Visa has the highest acceptance rate among all credit card brands for depositing funds to online sportsbooks and casinos. Currently, every licensed operator that still takes credit cards accepts Visa, and successful deposit rates are very high.

Some Visa online sportsbooks also support Fast Funds withdrawals (for debit cards only) that can deliver funds to your bank account in under an hour.

Mastercard Betting Sites

Mastercard is just a step down from Visa in terms of availability, with nearly universal acceptance rates. However, few online sportsbooks and casinos support withdrawals back to Mastercard debit cards.

Discover and American Express

Discover and American Express remain relatively uncommon outside the biggest online sportsbook brands that still accept credit cards.

Additionally, online sportsbooks that do still accept Discover or Amex impose state-level restrictions. Even if you do sign up at an online sportsbook that accepts American Express, that doesn’t guarantee it will be an option where you live.

Credit Card Alternatives for Online Sportsbooks

If convenience is your goal, all legal online sportsbooks offer alternative deposit methods that are just as fast and straightforward as credit cards.

However, if your primary motivation is to bet now and pay later, there are zero alternatives. Every state with legal online sports betting prohibits operators from extending credit to customers, and there are no easy workarounds (even PayPal blocks transfers to gambling sites if the funds originate from a credit card).

These are the next-best options for ease of use and speed:

  • Debit card: The simplest swap. Debit cards draw from funds already in a checking account, avoid cash advance fees entirely, and are accepted universally among licensed betting sites.
  • Online banking: Instant or near-instant at most sportsbooks, no fees on either end, and withdrawals back to the same bank account are standard. ACH is the most common sportsbook withdrawal method for good reason.
  • PayPal: Instant deposits and fast withdrawals. PayPal does not share customer banking details with the sportsbook, which is a privacy advantage for bettors who use multiple operators.
  • Venmo: Similar to PayPal and owned by the same company. Deposit and withdrawal limits tend to be lower than PayPal.
  • Play+ card: A virtual prepaid card/account that supports instant deposits and withdrawals. Users load funds from a linked bank account or debit card. P Play+ account also provides a physical card for ATM cash withdrawals.
  • PayNearMe: Lets customers fund accounts with cash at retailers like 7-Eleven, CVS, Walgreens, and Family Dollar. PayNearMe’s primary downside is its low daily limits (usually around $500/day).
  • Apple Pay: All prominent online casinos and sportsbooks accept Apple Pay, but you must use a linked debit card. Licensed operators automatically block Apple Pay deposits funded by credit cards.

Problems Depositing with Credit Cards

A declined credit card deposit today is usually due to one of four problems:

  1. Your sportsbook no longer accepts credit cards: An increasing number of online sportsbooks have stopped accepting credit cards. Even if your betting site accepted credit cards previously, there’s a good chance you ran into a recent policy change.
  2. Your state has banned credit card deposits: Check the above list to see if your card bans credit card deposits outright. Some states have always prohibited credit cards for online gambling; others have introduced bans more recently.
  3. Your bank blocks gambling transactions: Some issuers refuse to process any transactions flagged as gambling, whether for legal, fraud risk, or chargeback reasons. Bank of America has historically been more restrictive than most. Call the number on the back of the card and ask whether the issuer permits gambling transactions. If not, the card will not work at any sportsbook.
  4. Identity verification issues: Federal law requires all licensed betting sites to conduct Know Your Customer (KYC) checks to confirm every user’s age, address, and eligibility. If your online sportsbook cannot fully confirm your identity based on your account information, it may refuse deposits until you upload additional documentation (e.g., pictures of a recent utility bill and photo ID).

Pros and Cons of Betting Online with Credit Cards

Credit card deposits are fast and easy the vast majority of the time. In most cases, all bettors need to do is pull out their credit cards, input the information requested by their sportsbooks, and get to betting. It’s as easy as buying something from an online retailer.

A typical sportsbook credit card deposit processes instantly, allowing customers to get busy betting with no wait.

Credit cards pose a greater risk of overspending than other deposit methods. Every state prohibits mobile sportsbooks from extending credit to gamblers for a reason – because it can lead to unhealthy gambling habits. However, credit cards effectively let customers dig themselves into a financial hole that can be very difficult to escape.

Credit card betting sites usually provide flexible funding limits. It is not uncommon for mobile sportsbooks to accept credit card deposits as low as $5 and as large as $50,000.

Many credit card issuers treat all online gambling transactions as cash advances, which subject users to hefty fees, higher interest rates, and not qualifying for the rewards they would typically receive for credit purchases. Anyone considering using a credit card to bet online should consider first calling their bank for details. See the next section for more on the cash advance problem.

The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) requires credit card issuers to provide fraud protection to customers. Under the FCBA, card issuers may not hold customers responsible for charges that occur after they have reported a credit card lost or stolen or if someone has obtained their credit card number.

Additionally, the FCBA limits consumer liability to $50 even for fraudulent charges that occur before customers report a lost or misused credit card. Many card issuers take it even further by providing zero-liability protection.

Credit card deposits provide less privacy than e-wallets such as PayPal because customers must share their card numbers and other details with each sportsbook they fund. The more eyes that see anyone’s credit card number, the greater the risk of fraud.

The Fair Credit Billing Act limits customer liability (see above), but fraud is still an inconvenience.

By comparison, e-wallets such as PayPal and prepaid methods such as PayNearMe do not share customers’ banking details with the recipients. Thus, bettors who use multiple sportsbooks can enhance their privacy by using one of those alternative deposit methods.

The Cash Advance Fee Problem

Most credit card issuers treat online gambling deposits as cash advances rather than standard purchases, which negatively impacts bettors in multiple ways:

  • High Fees: Most credit card issuers charge either a flat $10 cash advance fee or 3% to 5% of the transaction amount. For example, a bettor who deposits $20 could pay a $10 fee. That works out to a 50% markup before they’ve placed a single wager.
  • Higher Interest Rates:Cash advance APRs typically run 25% to 30%, several points above the standard purchase APR on the same card.
  • No Grace Period: Standard credit card purchases have a grace period during which interest does not accrue if the customer pays the balance in full. Cash advances start accruing interest the day of the transaction. Paying off the balance next week does not help.
  • No Rewards or Cashback: Cash advance transactions do not earn points, miles, or cashback, even on cards that offer rewards on regular purchases.

For most bettors, that’s four surprises in a row: (1) they get hit with an unexpected fee, (2) pay a higher than anticipated interest rate, (3) don’t get a grace period, and (4) receive none of their standard credit card purchase rewards.

Here’s how the numbers could look if you were to deposit $100 to an online sportsbook using a credit card with a typical cash advance policy:

  • Your deposit incurs a $10 fee
  • You begin accruing interest at 28% APR that same day
  • If you wait a month to pay the balance in full, interest adds roughly another $2.33

In summary, that $100 deposit costs $112.33 before you’ve placed a single wager. The same $100 deposit funded with a debit card or ACH transfer would have cost exactly $100.

There are a few things you can do to avoid surprises:

  1. Call the number on the back of your credit card and ask how the issuer classifies transactions to online gambling operators.
  2. Check the cardholder agreement under “cash advance fees” and “cash advance APR.” Those terms are almost always worse than the purchase terms.
  3. Do not assume past experiences predict future behavior. Even if a card treated prior online sports betting deposits the same as standard purchases, that might not be the case tomorrow. More issuers have trended toward reclassifying online gambling deposits as cash advances than the reverse.

Why Fewer Online Sportsbooks Accept Credit Card Deposits

A combination of regulatory trends, political pressure, and simple economics has pushed numerous sportsbooks to phase out credit card deposits for online betting.

Regulatory Trends: Some states have enacted legislative bans on credit card deposits, either as provisions in the bills that legalized online sports betting or via standalone bills after the fact.

Simultaneously, model legislation from the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States excludes credit card gambling deposits entirely. Lawmakers have shown an increasing appetite for prohibiting sportsbooks and online casinos from accepting credit card deposits over responsible gambling concerns.

Similarly, in states that prohibit using credit cards to fund online gambling transactions, gambling regulators have come down heavily on operators that violate the ban. In 2025, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission fined DraftKings $450,000 for accepting credit card deposits erroneously.

Political Pressure: In February 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent letters to 11 online sportsbook operators asking about their policies on credit card deposits, which often come with cash advance fees when using to fund online gambling accounts.

Warren’s letters put a spotlight on credit card cash advance fees, which she specifically called “junk fees.”  The letters also stated that bettors are often “unaware of the costs and fees associated with this type of credit card use, which can push them into financial trouble when gambling.”

FanDuel announced its ban on credit card deposits less than a week later. Senator Warren later called on other online sportsbook operators to follow suit.

Simple Economics: Credit card deposits tend to produce higher chargeback rates than debit or ACH, and each chargeback costs operators nearly $100 on average.

Flutter Entertainment, FanDuel’s parent company, and DraftKings have both told investors that the revenue impact of removing credit cards is minimal. That likely means operators have found that the costs of accepting credit cards outweigh the benefits.

Credit Card Betting FAQ

Various laws and regulations require licensed mobile sportsbooks to run Know Your Customer (KYC) checks to verify the identity of all customers and ensure they are:

  • Physically located within state lines
  • Of legal gambling age
  • Eligible to bet online (not self-excluded, prohibited, etc.)

When customers sign up for online betting accounts, sportsbooks run their information through public and government databases to confirm their identities and eligibility.

Additionally, some online sportsbooks may ask customers to upload a photo of their credit cards and IDs. All of the above is standard practice in the industry because state and federal laws require sportsbooks to prevent unauthorized individuals from betting online.

Credit card deposit minimums and maximums vary from one sportsbook to the next. Some betting apps accept minimum deposits as low as $5, but most institute a minimum of $10 to $20. Maximum deposits can exceed $50,000 in some cases, but each customer’s credit card issuer likely imposes its own maximum transaction limits as well.

Overall, credit card deposits are flexible enough that they work for the overwhelming majority of bettors. The exception would be high rollers who need to move larger sums of money. Bettors who need to make massive deposits and withdrawals should consider using an eCheck and giving their sportsbook a call for assistance. As an added benefit, doing so may result in high rollers receiving VIP treatment and other perks.

There are two common causes for declined credit card deposits. One potential issue is the customer lacks the funds or authorization to support such a large deposit. In those cases, the customer can contact their bank to transfer funds or increase their spending limits.

In other cases, the problem may be due to their bank’s policies on transactions associated with online gambling and sports betting. Readers can scroll up a bit on this page to read more about such policies and what to do if their bank has declined their deposit.

Yes. It is legal to bet online with a credit card in most states with legal mobile sportsbooks and online gambling. However, there are a handful of states that prohibit credit card deposits. In those cases, bettors must choose a different deposit method.

Sometimes. Some sportsbooks can issue withdrawals as refunds back to the credit card the bettor used to deposit but only up to the amount the bettor initially deposited. Customers can cash out the remaining balance via eCheck, PayPal, or another withdrawal method of their choice.

For example:

Consider a customer who deposits $50 via credit card, wins some money, and wishes to withdraw $200.

Some sportsbooks may automatically issue a $50 refund to the credit card and send the remaining $150 via another withdrawal method. Other sportsbooks may simply ask the customer to pick a withdrawal method other than a credit card for the full $200 request.

Yes. Every state that has legalized online sports betting to date has made it mandatory that licensed online sportsbooks offer customers the ability to set deposit limits, bet size limits, and self-exclusion periods.

Betting sites usually do not charge fees on credit and debit card deposits. However, some banks treat card deposits to online sportsbooks as cash advances and may charge additional fees.

Some online sportsbooks require customers to sign agreements confirming they are the card owner and will not dispute the transaction. Betting sites do this to protect themselves and their customers from fraud.