Payment by Credit in Online Casinos (The Pros & Cons)
The notion of using credit cards or bank credits to make immediate purchases with money that do not directly belong to us is no stranger to anyone in this modern era of mass consumption. The recent digitalization of the financial industry and the multiplication of intermediary online banking solutions introduced payments by a credit to online casinos. It is nowadays possible for online casino players in certain European countries to make deposits and play with credit money, only to repay the bank or credit service provider at the end of the month.
Payment by credit in online casinos, How, where, and when?
Today, one of the major companies offering such services is Zimpler. Unlike Trustly which offers direct payments from the bank accounts, Zimpler allows Swedish players to make fast and secure transactions to online casinos instantly while giving them the option to pay for the transactions in monthly bills.
Founded in 2012 in Sweden where many of its customers are located, the company uses state of the art technologies to identify and handle users’ metadata processed by their numerous partners. Beyond online casinos, Zimpler offers mobile-based payment solutions to the gaming industry, e-commerce websites, and many other sectors.
But, despite its tremendous popularity among users, the credit payment model has always been highly controversial regarding its usage as a payment method in online casinos. As many countries are constantly fighting a battle against the different dependencies and gambling disorders, allowing players to deposit with money they do not own is a very problematic concept. In 2019, the Swedish gambling authorities went as far as prohibiting credit payments to online casinos.
Alternative payment methods in the Swedish market
However, Zimpler is not the only payment service providing digital baking solutions. Another company offering deferred payments in online casinos via mobile phones is Boku. Although with a similar concept, players use Boku to play in casinos with a virtual credit. At the end of the month, the money wagered via Boku is then included in the player’s telephone bill. There are many other companies in with a similar business model such as Swish for mobile payments, and Pay N Play by Trustly for no account casinos.
Survey: The most popular online payment solutions in Sweden and their advantages for 2020
Where do we cross the red line?
As problematic as it sounds, placing a ban on the usage of payment by credit in online casinos only solves one part of the problem. Considering that, many other types of habits can lead to over-indebtedness. In this situation, the real question is rather, why should it be ok for consumers to get into debt by shopping for goods online, and not when playing in casinos. Since both activities lead to the same results. At the end of the day, it all comes down to everyone's judgment and ability to make responsible decisions when dealing with personal finances.