Cash Transfers Using Western Union

Cash transfers are available for U.S. online poker deposits at every online poker room that still accepts Americans.  Most of these same online poker rooms offer cash transfers as a withdrawal option as well.  When a site mentions cash transfers or money transfer they always mean Western Union.  While these companies do not advertise their involvement in the online poker industry, there is no disputing that they receive a brink business from online gamblers.

Cash Transfer Brands

The most widely accepted use of Western Union in the U.S. is for people to send money overseas to family or vacationers that ran out of money.  Las Vegas is also a common place for people to send money using WU. Some people that use only cash also use this service to pay bills and some people that fall behind on their payments also use these types of services to catch up.

Western Union Deposits

A player that wishes to cash transfers as a deposit option must contact the gaming site first.  The online poker room or casino will give them a receiver’s name and country.  While this may seem suspicious, nobody has ever complained about getting ripped off depositing by Western Union into an online poker room.  The receiver is often in Costa Rica, Panama or the Philippines.  This just happens to be where the agent office for the online gambling site is set up.  A player that wishes to send cash can go to the nearest agent location.  These tend to be in grocery stores, big box retailers, check cashing stores or banks.

The fees for cash transfers can be quite high.  The fees range from 7% for large transfers up to 15% for a $100 transfer.  Some online gaming companies have set up quick pay businesses that help reduce the fees to a flat fee of less than $20.  The key is to find online poker rooms and online casinos that will cover the fee.  Many online gambling companies will cover the fee on deposits of $300 or more.  Some will cover the fee on lower deposits upon request, especially if the player is new or has a history of successful deposits.

While these types of transfers are called cash transfers they can also be made by credit card.  This type of deposit will often require a phone call to the processing company.  It is important that a player not tell the cash transfer company’s agent that the transfer is related to online poker.  The agent will warn the sender that there are scams that revolve around these types of transfers and the sender must acknowledge that their transfer does not fit these criteria.

Once the cash transfer is approved the player will receive a control number.  The player will then need to contact the online poker room or casino and tell them the control number.  Once the receiver has this number the deposit should appear in the player’s account within an hour.

Western Union Withdrawals

Cash transfers are also available for withdrawal at many rooms.  In most cases, the player must eat the entire fee of these withdrawals.  These fees tend to be about 10% of the withdrawal amount.  The reason players are willing to take a loss on the fee is because these types of withdrawals are typically processed in just a day or two.  Some online poker rooms will even allow players one free cashout per month through Western Unio.  Poker rooms that do not do this will at least subsidize the fee so as to limit player’s expense for cashing out through this method.

A player that requests a cash transfer for withdrawal will receive a money control number.  The player can then go to an agent location, including most grocery stores, big box retailers, check cashing stores, banks or casinos and receive their payment.  Payments will be made in cash unless otherwise specified.  Some large transfers will require a payment by money order.  To avoid this it is suggested that a player receive money at a bank, check cashing store or casino.

Cash transfers might seem like a pain but for most online poker players there is no other option.  It may require a phone call or a visit for the grocery store to make a transfer but it is well worth it to players that enjoy playing online poker.  Do not let the whole process discourage you from making a deposit but maybe it should go through your mind when you are thinking about calling your entire bankroll when another player goes all in.