Canadian Casinos with Instant Banking from Citadel Direct
Instant Payments by Citadel is a direct payment solution that allows individuals to make direct bank transfers from their bank accounts to merchants around the world, providing speed and security to both consumers and vendors. Citadel powers certain eCheck casinos that you will encounter in Canada.
As a user, you don’t need to worry about how it works, even though we will delve into it here. Look for any casino with the eCheck logo basically. These offer instant banking and deposits.
Best Instant Banking Casinos
- Instant eCheck
- EFT Deposits
- Live Dealers
- Good RTPs
- www.grandmondialcasino.com
- Casino Rewards
- Yes, 4 Types
- Yes*
- Instant Banking
- EFT Deposits
- eWallets
- eCheck
- www.captaincooks.com
- Casino Rewards
- Yes, 2 Types
- Yes*
Through their Internet Banking program, millions of bank accounts around the world now have access to Citadel Direct International. As a result, this is one of the biggest programs of its type worldwide.
In particular, Citadel Direct North America (also known as Citadel Direct Canada) makes it easy for Canadian players to make direct electronic check payments to online casinos.
How to Use Citadel Direct
One of the great things about Citadel Direct Internet Banking is that players do not have to open a new account in order to use the program. Instead, Citadel’s interface can be fully integrated into the banking area of your favorite online casino, allowing you to make fast wires directly from the cashier interface.
In order to make a deposit using a Citadel Direct product, simply log into your casino account. Next, enter the cashier or banking section of the casino interface. Here, you should see a list of deposit options, including Citadel Direct (it may also be listed as Internet Banking, Instant Banking, Instant eCheck or similar).
The logo should look like this:
However, another EFT solution to look for is eCheck, like this :
As we will study later, you are in fact better seeing the eCheck logo because no fees are applied . Citadel typically charges fees, depending on the type of service offered.
Choose this option, and you’ll be prompted to give the necessary information in order to write an electronic check (or eCheck) through the Citadel system. In order to do this, you’ll need to have some basic information about your bank account available. It’s usually easiest to have your checkbook with you to help you through this process. Furthermore, you’ll want to double check all details you give.
Once you’ve entered your information and have decided how large you’d like your deposit to be, you can submit your transaction. The request will be sent to Citadel Direct for processing and authentication. In some cases, you may be prompted to download a payment assistant program, through which you will be able to securely log into your bank account in order to complete the transaction.
In either case, you should get a response back almost instantly. Also, assuming your deposit was approved, you’ll have your funds available for play in the casino instantly!
Casinos Utilizing Citadel Direct Internet Banking
A number of different online casinos use the Citadel Direct system to help their customers make quick, easy eCheck deposits into their casino accounts. However, there’s often some confusion on this account, as many sites do not directly refer to Citadel Direct when promoting their deposit options. Here are a few of our top online casinos that accept Citadel Direct deposits:
Best Citadel Casinos Acceptance List
- Grand Mondial (Instant Banking via eCheck)
- Luxury Casino (Internet Banking)
- Yukon Gold (Instant eCheck Banking )
Benefits of Using Citadel Direct’s Instant Banking System
Perhaps the best thing about Citadel Direct is just how simple the entire process is. You don’t need to sign up for anything. In most cases, the entire process can be handled inside of your casino’s banking interface. Yet, at the same time, you have all the advantages of secure bank transfers. Only Citadel Direct will see your banking information; they handle the payment processing, so you don’t have to wonder who will see your data in the casino’s offices.
In addition, the processing is done instantly, meaning there’s no wait to use the funds you’d like to deposit. This combination of speed, security and simplicity makes Citadel Direct one of the better deposit options out there for Canadian players.
An example of a Citadel Casino Brand: Play Ojo.
Play Ojo is a forward thinking iGaming brand. They integrated their payments backend with Citadel. You can find all information here. Their min deposit is 10 euros, and they accept Citadel withdrawals for select countries. Deposits take a few days to clear and withdrawals around 48 hours.
Restrospective on the evolution of Citadel from inception to 2024 (Full Guide)
Citadel Commerce has been providing Canadians with a way to quickly, discreetly, and securely pay for things online for more than two decades. It is not an eWallet. It is not a prepaid payment system. Citadel is a virtual white knight, a guardian middle-man, standing protectively between your bank account and the websites you do business with.
Citadel originally launched under the name Instant Banking by Citadel. Today, you’re more likely to find it under the title Instant Payments by Citadel. Some websites promote it under the short titles of Instant Banking, Instant Payments, or simply Citadel.
Unfortunately, this ambiguation can cause some confusion, especially if you’re looking for casinos that accept Citadel Instant Payments. But by the time you finish reading this page, hopefully you’ll have a clear picture of what Citadel is, how it works, and how you can use it to your advantage.
Please use the table of contents below to jump right to the information you’re looking for, or just keep scrolling to take it all in. Thanks for visiting, and as always, remember to gamble responsibly.
Citadel Canada – Table of Contents
- What is Citadel Commerce?
- How Does it Work?
- What CA Banks Use Citadel?
- Citadel Security
- Speed of Payments
- Associated Fees
- How to Deposit
- How to Withdrawal
- Citadel Casinos
- Did You Know?
What is Instant Banking by Citadel?
Citadel’s instant banking service is a Canadian-exclusive payment solution established in 2000 as Citadel Commerce. In those days, there was a clear and present need for higher security in eCommerce. Despite great strides in technology, that need still exists today, perhaps more so than ever. Thus, Citadel offers to play the role of virtual guardian between online merchants and your bank , protecting your information like a digital fortress.
Most companies that offer this type of service want you to sign up an account, link your bank, upload funds, etc. Those are web wallets, or eWallets. Citadel is not a web wallet. You don’t need an account, and you can’t store money in it. Citadel is nothing more than an intermediary, a digital link cable that protects your banking information before and during transmission.
Citadel’s secure online banking solution has become so common place in today’s market, many of the world’s largest eCommerce websites use it; partly because it’s so secure, but primarily because they know the Citadel logo invokes trust in their clientele.
How Does Citadel Work? Do I Need an Account?
Citadel is not a payment processor, web wallet, or financial institution of any sort. It does not see your financial details, either. All Citadel does is create a secure link between buyer and seller, simultaneously acting as an information barrier. Once you choose Citadel payments, you go to another website where you select your bank. From there, you go to your bank’s website to log in and complete the transaction, just like you would to pay a bill.
Citadel works as a direct bank payment, running off Canada’s superfluous EFT (electronic funds transfer) system. The moment you submit your payment, the bank notifies the recipient (casino) whether the funds are available. If available, another notice states that the transfer has been initiated. This tells the casino that it will be getting that money, albeit a few days from now.
You do not need an account to use Citadel. You’ll never be asked to sign up or register. That means you can start using Citadel at any moment, anywhere you see any one of the Citadel logos
Can I Use It? List of Citadel Participating Banks
To use Instant Payments by Citadel, all you need is a bank account that’s compatible with the service. There’s good news and bad news on that front…
The bad news is, Citadel Commerce does not supply a list of participating banks on its website. We find this disappointing, to say the least, if not somewhat irresponsible on their part. The good news, however, is that Instant Banking is supported by 300+ financial institutions across 17 countries, including Canada. That means the odds of your bank being included are exceptionally high.
So, while we cannot provide a complete list, or a link to one, we can offer this – a list of confirmed Citadel participating banks in Canada.
- ATB Financial
- Bank of Montreal (BMO)
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
- Desjardins
- National Bank – Canada
- Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
- ScotiaBank
- Simplii Financial
- TD Canada
- Tangerine
How Secure are Citadel Instant Payments?
Security is the most prominent feature of intermediary banking solutions like Citadel. As I’ve said before, it acts as a shield between your actual bank and the websites you do business with. You’ll never have to share your financial details with online casinos or other merchants. In effect, you’re making a payment from your bank, as you would a standard online bill payment. If you trust that, you can certainly trust Citadel.
Can I Gamble Anonymously with Citadel?
No. Citadel may not collect any information from you, but your bank will. It is not possible to pay from your bank, to an online casino, without creating some kind of trail.
Speed of Citadel Payments – Instant
As the name clearly implies, Instant Payments by Citadel are just that – instant. It’s not that Citadel found a way to move money across the globe in milliseconds. They don’t have some futuristic transporting machine. What they have is instant confirmation, and that leads to instant crediting of deposits into your online casino account.
So, even though the money won’t really arrive for a few days, casinos are happy to credit players so they can start betting right away. As far as the casino player experience goes, it’s an instant payment deposit.
Withdrawals won’t be so quick, mind you. Banks are not so generous as casinos. When you request a payout through Citadel, you’ll have to wait the usual 1-3 business days for your bank to actually receive that money before you can have it. And that’s on top of the typical 12-48 hours it takes the casino to process your payment. So, total wait time for a Citadel withdrawals is going to be approximately 3-5 business days.
Cost of Citadel Canada – Limits and Fees
Generally speaking, Citadel is a free service. Most banks won’t charge you for sending money through Citadel, either. However, some banks will charge a fee if they know the deposit is going to an online casino. In our experience, there’s usually a flat fee of $1.53 on top of the amount you’re depositing. Whether it’s $20, $50, or $100, the same flat fee of $1.53 applies.
Withdrawals are always going to cost you. Every bank from here to Timbuktu charges a fee for incoming wire transfers; especially the international variety. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you how much that fee will be. It’s dependent entirely on your bank, and its fee schedule. You’ll have to contact your bank to find out what the fee is, or request a withdrawal and see how much they take.
As for limits, Citadel’s supporting banks put strict limitations on the amount of money you can send per transaction. The limit starts low on your first use of Citadel, and increases with every successful payment. Again, we cannot tell you the exact limits you’ll be dealing with. It varies from one bank to the next.
How to Deposit with Citadel Instant Banking
Depositing with Instant Banking by Citadel is as easy as paying any bill with your online bank account. Simply choose this method from your casino’s banking page, enter your bank name, and you’ll be redirected to that bank’s website to log into your online banking service and confirm the payment.
If that wasn’t clear enough, here’s a complete step-by-step walkthrough of the process.
Instant Citadel Casino Deposits – Step-by-Step
| Order of Steps | In Detail |
| 1. Login to Casino | Login to the online casino you want to make a deposit at. |
| 2. Visit the Cashier | Make your way to the Cashier/Banking section of the website. |
| 3. Choose Deposit | Choose to make a deposit. |
| 4. Select Citadel | From the list of available deposit methods, choose Citadel, or Instant Banking / Instant Payments by Citadel. |
| 5. Enter Amount | Choose a deposit amount form the list (e.g. $20, $50, or $100) or tap on ‘Own Amount’ to enter another amount of your choosing. Press Deposit. |
| 6. Choose Bank | After being redirected to Citadel’s payment service (the domain should be instantinternetbanking.com), you’ll type in your bank name, or select from a list of Canada’s most popular banks. |
| 7. Login to Bank | Another redirect sends you to your bank’s website, where you’ll log in with your usual credentials. |
| 8. Confirm Payment | Look carefully over the details of the payment to ensure everything looks right. If so, confirm the payment. |
| Success! | Assuming you’ve followed the instructions correctly, and there’s enough money in your bank account to cover the deposit, the funds should appear in your online casino account within a few minutes at most. |
How to Cash Out with Citadel
Unlike many direct banking methods, Citadel actually supports casino withdrawals. Not all casinos that accept Citadel deposits choose to support cashouts as well, but most of them do.
Citadel cashouts are an exact mimicry of deposits. Login to the casino, go to the cashier, choose Citadel from the withdrawal options, enter the amount, and follow the basic instructions provided. Note that you’ll only be able to use this option if you’ve made at least one successful deposit with Citadel.
Citadel Casino Withdrawals – Step-by-Step
| Order of Steps | In Detail |
| 1. Login to Casino | Login to the online casino you want to cash out winnings from. |
| 2. Visit the Cashier | Make your way to the Cashier/Banking section of the website. |
| 3. Choose Withdrawal | Choose to make a withdrawal. |
| 4. Select Citadel | From the list of available cashout methods, choose Citadel, or Instant Banking / Instant Payments by Citadel. |
| 5. Enter Amount | Enter the amount of money you want to withdrawal to your bank account and press Withdrawal. |
| 6. Choose Bank | Input the name of your bank, or choose from a list of popular Canadian banks. |
| 7. Login to Bank | Once redirected to your bank’s website, log in to your online banking account as usual. |
| 8. Confirm Details | Look over the details to make sure everything is correct. If so, submit the withdrawal request. |
| Success! | Assuming you’ve followed directions correctly, your withdrawal will enter the casino’s “pending processing” period (avg. 12-48 hours). Once the casino processes the payment, it should take 1-3 business days for the funds to appear in your bank account. |
Our Favorite Canadian Citadel Casinos
Every member of the eCheckCasinos.ca team is a real online casino player. We register, deposit and gamble at online casinos, just like you. Likewise, we’re just as concerned about privacy and security. Over the years, we learned what to look for in a trustworthy, reputably licensed operator. We would never recommend a website we do not personally use and trust. That being said…
Please have a look at the list of trusted Canadian online casinos that accept Citadel Instant Payments .
- Grand Mondial (Instant Banking via eCheck)
- Luxury Casino (Internet Banking)
- Yukon Gold (Instant eCheck Banking )
Trevor’s article was updated by Dana Nikolic on August 10th 2024. The article about Citadel Direct ends here. Next is a factoid that was introduced for fun, about a monument with the same name, by the original author. We have decided to keep it in. We do tend to agree that our readers are “brainy”.
Did You Know? (Bonus Citadel Trivia For Our Brainy Readers)
Erbil Citadel is the Oldest Inhabited Fortress in Existence at 6,000+ Years
According to archeologists, human existence dates back around 200,000 years. It wasn’t until about 6,000 years ago that the first documented civilization established Mesopotamia. It became one of the most coveted settlements, at one time occupied by the Sumerians, Akkadians, the Ottoman Empire, even Genghis Khan. This ancient land, nestled within modern-day Iraq, was beloved by Warlords for its suitably defensive landscape.
Sitting high upon a hill in the center of a wide, rolling expanse of terrain, is an ancient structure known as the Erbil Citadel. Its elevation of 32 meters (100 feet) makes it the perfect site for a fortress, overlooking the vast landscape in all directions. It is, for reasons obvious to any warlike strategist, prime real estate. It’s no wonder it is the oldest, continuously populated human settlement on the planet.
Located in the heart of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, Erbil Citadel was inducted to the World Heritage List in 2014. From an ariel perspective, it looks like the center of a wagon wheel – ironic, as historians believe it dates back to the Ubaid period, when the wheel was invented (~3,500 B.C.).
Today, a single family resides within the ancient Citadel, preserving its title of oldest “continuously occupied” settlement.
