Interac eTransfer Canada Casinos: How to Pay & Play on Mobile
The mobile age is most definitely upon us. If you think back twenty years, it’s astonishing just how much we do on our smartphones these days. Almost everything you can do in the real world, you can do on a mobile device.
Go shopping, pay your bills, watch television, play games, get the latest news, check the weather, listen to your favorite music – it’s all here, in the palm of our hands!
Thanks to Canada’s exclusive financial network system, Interac, we can do all of these thing, and pay for most of them, with just a few taps. That includes the option to deposit and play at online casinos, all on your smartphone. You could do the same on a laptop, but as a society, we’re steadily moving away from cumbersome carry-ons, in favor of pocket-size mobility.
The beauty of Interac E-Transfers is that allyou need to use it is a supporting bank account and a mobile phone. With 99% of adult Canadians having a bank account (the highest rate in the world), and more than 90% of Canada’s banks, credit unions and other financial institution participating in the Interac network, the odds that you already have access to this handy payment option are extremely high.
We’ll talk a lot more about Interac eTransfers, how to use them, and which casinos accept them in the following sections of this page. Please use the table of contents to skip ahead to the information you’re looking for. Thanks for visiting, and remember to always gamble responsibly.
Note: Do not confuse Interac E-Transfers with Interac Online. They run on the same network, but in practice, they are two very different ways to make a payment.
Interac eTransfer Canada – Table of Contents
What Is an Interac E Transfer?
Interac’s electronic funds transfer system (colloquially known as an Interac eTransfer) is a unique online payment method that takes place entirely on your mobile device. That is, your experience with the payment – initializing the payment, inputting an amount, entering the recipient’s mobile phone number, etc. – takes place on mobile. The actual transfer is secured over Interac’s sophisticated processing system. Thus, you get the convenience of an all-in-one mobile pay-n-play casino experience, with all the trusted safety and security of Canada’s exclusive Interac payment network.
A little background info: The Big Five Banks of Canada first introduced Interac back in 1984. It’s been an integral part of the nation’s banking system ever since. In more recent years, Interac has become the bedrock for digital payments between local financial institutions, as well as international ones. Don’t worry, Interac hasn’t spread beyond its exclusivity with Canada, but rather it’s agreed to facilitate payments between Canadian account holders and offshore “acquirers” (approved online casinos, merchants, service providers, etc.)
Today, Interac’s network services the vast majority of Canada’s banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, facilitating everything from debit card transactions to direct deposits. It’s supported by more than 5,300+ of the nation’s 5,780+ banking branches. Suffice it to say, if your bank doesn’t support Interac, well… maybe it’s time to consider switching banks?
How Do I Know if I Can Use Interac?
If you have an account with any bank, credit union or other participating financial institution, you can use Interac. If you’re not sure whether your bank supports Interac, there are a few ways to quickly find out; mostly by looking for an Interac logo (see variety of logos below).
- The fastest option is to look at your debit card and see if it has the Interac logo.
- Another option is to log into your online banking website and look for an Interac logo there. It should be plainly visible on your main account page.
- If you happen to be logged into your online casino account and wondering if Interac eTransfer deposits are available to you, click on it and skim through the drop-down menu for your bank’s name.
If you’re still not sure, see the current list of Interac Network Partners here (link opens in new window; scroll down to alphabetical list of network participants). And if all else fails, simply call your bank and ask.
How Secure are Interac eTransfer Payments?
Security is what draws most Canadian iGamers to Interac payments. It’s a trusted method we’ve been using for years, whether we know it or not. The fact that it is perpetually maintained by Canada’s Big Five, government-regulated banks, should tell you just how tight the security is. We’re talking about state-of-the art technology; the highest-standards known to technology.
I’ve heard and seen (online) a lot of people questioning whether mobile payments like Interac eTranfers can really be as secure as the online banking system that powers it. I touched on this subject above, and I’ll reiterate now; Interac eTranfers do not take place over a mobile device. They are facilitated by Interac, on the system’s sophisticated and highly secure network.
They only information that’s passing through your mobile device, via SMS messaging, is basic info, like the sender and recipient phone numbers and the amount of money to be sent. Nothing remotely sensitive is sent over mobile SMS.
Can I Gamble Anonymously with Interac?
No. Security and anonymity don’t exactly go hand in hand – at least, not Interac’s level of security. In order to use the service, you must be a registered and verified member of a participating financial institution. To be such a member, your identity is well known to them. Thus, your identity inherently connects to any Interac eTransfers you make.
If you were hoping for a more private payment method, may we suggest prepaid cards or crypto currency.
How Fast are Interac eTransfer Deposits? – 1-10 Minutes
There are two ways Interac eTransfers can work. The more modern, and much faster version, takes about a minute. This only works if the recipient has set up an Interac eTrasnfer Auto-Deposit account. Most online casinos these days have done so. But if they haven’t, the process could take closer to 10 minutes.
Traditionally (without Auto-Deposit), an Interac eTransfer would require two parties – the sender and receiver – to participate in the transfer. A communication between these two must take place prior to the payment, followed by additional communications during the transfer. As simple as the process is, this takes time; on average, 5-10 minutes, so long as the recipient is actively responsive.
The sender has to let the recipient know that funds are coming, create a question and answer, and communicate that Q&A with the recipient. Once the payment is initialized, the recipient receives a message, and must respond with the correct answer to the security question. It’s a simple process, really, but it does take time.
Aside from the time it takes to send and receive these communications, Interac eTranfers are very fast. Realistically, it could take anywhere from 30 minutes (for Canadian bank-to-bank) to 4-6 business days (international bank-to-bank) for that money to actually arrive. But your online casino will credit you with that money the moment the transaction is approved.
Cost of Interac E-Transfer Canada – Rates and Fees
Interac does not charge a fee for sending or receiving money via eTransfer. However, your bank likely will. It all depends on which branch you’re with, and the type of account you hold.
For example, TD Bank charges members $0.50 to send up to $100, and $1.00 for any amount over that. If the member has an ‘Every Day‘, ‘Unlimited‘, or ‘All-Inclusive‘ chequing account, the fee is waived. Business accounts, on the other hand, could pay up to $1.50 per eTransfer, depending on their service agreement.
Long story short – Interac is free, but check with your bank to see if it tacks on any fees.
How to Make a Casino Deposit with Interac eTransfer
As I mentioned above, there are two ways to make an Interac eTransfer. One is super quick. The other can take up to 10 minutes. Which one you’ll need to use depends entirely on the casino you deposit with, and if it has set up Interac eTransfer Auto-Deposits.
I’ll provide two sets of instructions below to help you through either process.
Interac eTransfer Casino Deposits – Auto-Deposit Active
This is the quicker, and easier method. If you initiate an Interac eTransfer deposit, and the casino provides you with a phone number or email address, with simple instructions to visit Interac eTransfer and deposit to that phone#/address, the following step-by-step table is for you.
| 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 Interac eTransfer | From the list of available deposit methods, choose Interac eTransfer. |
| 5. Copy Recipient | The casino uses Interac eTransfer Auto-Deposit, and will provide you with a phone number or email address only. Copy it. |
| 6. Login to your Bank | Open a browser, go to your online banking website and login. |
| 7. Set Up eTransfer | Look for and press on the Interac eTransfer logo. Choose to send money, and enter/paste in the casino’s phone number or email address, as copied in the previous step. |
| 8. Confirm Payment | Enter the amount of money you wish to deposit, double check all your information, then submit the payment. |
| Success! | Assuming you’ve followed the instructions correctly, the funds should appear in your online casino account within a few minutes at most. |
Interac E-Transfer Deposit – Security Q&A Required
If you attempt to deposit, and the online casino provides you with additional information, such as a specific security question and answer; or if you’re directed to contact customer support for more information, the operator does not have an Interac eTransfer Auto-Deposit account set up. If that’s the case, follow these step-by-step instructions.
| 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 Interac eTransfer | From the list of available deposit methods, choose Interac eTransfer. |
| 5. Follow Instructions | There are two things that could happen here: 1. You’ll be given a mobile phone number or email address, and a security question and answer to use when making your payment. 2. You’ll be asked to contact customer support for further instruction. |
| 5.a Copy Details | If given a security question and answer, copy this information down exactly as it appears, then proceed to Step 6. |
| 5.b Open Live Chat | Open a live chat window. Tell the support rep you want to make an Interac eTransfer deposit, and how much. You will be given a mobile phone number or email address to send the money to. Next, tell the support rep your security question and answer. It doesn’t matter what it is – just make something up. Be careful though, because the text of the answer must match exactly, word for word, case for case. |
| 6. Login to Your Bank | Open a browser, go to your online banking website and login. |
| 7. Set Up eTransfer | Look for and select the Interac eTransfer logo. Choose to send money. Enter the number/email of the casino. Enter/Paste the security question and answer in the input boxes provided. |
| 8. Confirm Payments | Enter the amount of money you wish to deposit, double check all your information, then submit the payment. |
| Success! | Assuming you’ve followed the instructions correctly, the casino will receive notice of your payment. Once the casino responds with the correct answer to the security question, the transfer is approved, and should appear in your online casino account within a few minutes at most. |
How to Cash Out with Interac eTransfer
Interac eTranfers were once impossible to find in the withdrawal column. Now, thanks to Interac introducing Auto-Deposit registration, many online casinos are able to support eTransfer casino withdrawals for Canadian players. Note that you, too, may need to register for Interac eTransfer Auto-Deposits, if you haven’t already. It’s fast and free. You can learn more about that here.
Requesting a deposit is as easy as entering the amount you wish to cashout, and the email address associated with your Interac eTransfer Auto-Deposit account. Once the casino processes the payment, you’ll follow the instruction provided via email to accept the payment.
Interac Online 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 Interac eTransfer | From the list of available cashout methods, choose Interac eTransfer. |
| 5. Enter Details | Enter the amount of money you want to withdrawal and your Interac email address, then submit the request. |
| 6. Check Your Email | Following a ‘pending processing’ period of about 12-48 hours, you’ll receive an email with instructions to finalize the transfer. Follow these instructions. |
| Success! | Assuming you’ve followed all directions correctly, your withdrawal will appear in your bank soon. If the sending and receiving banks are both in Canada, it should take bout 30 minutes. If not, the international transfer should take 4-6 business days. |
List of Recommended Interac E-Transfer Casinos
Every member of the eCheckCasinos.ca team is a real online gambler. We play the games, we make deposits and withdrawals, we know the dangers of this industry inside and out. That’s why we built this website – to help others avoid the potential pitfalls of gambling with offshore. We investigate every casino in-depth before playing, and we only recommend casinos our team members personally use. That being said…
The list below (albeit a short one) includes all of our recommended online casinos that accept Interac eTransfer payments and Canadian players. Click on any casino on the list to read a complete feature review.
| Interac eTransfer Canada Casinos | For Deposit | Withdrawal |
| Jackpot City | Yes | Yes |
Did you Know ?
That mobile phone in your pocket or purse, or maybe in your hand right now – it’s come a long way in the last three decades. The first 15 years were certainly the most interesting. It started in 1992, when IBM announced development of the first true smartphone. It was the Simon Personal Communicator (SPC); the first phone with a touchscreen interface (stylus required).
Hitting the market in 1994 at US-$1,100, the SPC featured a monochrome LCD screen, address book, calculator, calendar, email, notepad and, to its detriment, a 1-hour battery life. It didn’t exactly go mainstream, but it kicked off a new wave in mobile technology. In 1997, Nokia 6110 brought us the world’s first mobile game, Snake.
In 2000, Sharp’s J-SH04 came equipped with the first camera phone. Then in 2011, 3G-Network connectivity gave cellphones access to the internet. And finally in 2007, we were introduced to what most of us consider to be the first real smartphone, the Apple iPhone. Since then, the world has been enthralled with mobile technology, and everything it’s capable of.
If there’s anything it’s not capable of, developers are constantly working to make it capable. Today, we can do just about anything on a smartphone, from sending loved ones a virtual hug, to buying and selling anything we deem worth buying or selling. So many possibilities in such a short span of time. Just imagine what tomorrow will bring..?
