Poker Sites that Accept eChecks Canada 2024
Instant eCheck Deposits in an Ever-Evolving Canadian Online Poker Market
The poker situation in Canada is starting to look more and more like that of their neighbors to the south. But legality is not the issue. Online poker is perfectly legal in all reaches of Canada. But it is not locally authorized in so many areas. Regulatory action is finally getting the attention it deserves, at least in some jurisdictions, but not all.
Now that provincial governments are taking the iGaming industry more seriously, some aspects that surround it are coming into question as well. Playing online poker in Canada requires more than knowledge of the game. For real-money players, it requires a way to transfer funds in and out of an online poker account.
What we’ve found in our extensive research on the topic is that eChecks continue to provide the most convenience with the least restraint. We’ll talk more about the restrictions surrounding some payment options and why electronic checks are preferred by so many poker players. And of course, we’ll list the top Canadian poker sites that accept eCheck deposits.
 | eCheck Eligibility – Walking the Tight RopeHistory has proven that the legal scrutiny of any unregulated commerce can lead to roadblocks for consumers. In iGaming, those roadblocks often relate to the accessibility of payment methods. Some of you will remember when the U.S. passed its UIGEA to criminalize online gambling, laying the responsibility of enforcement (or rather, penalty for lack thereof) on payment processors. It didn’t work too well, but it did strike enough fear into credit/debit card companies to alter their terms of service, prohibiting card use for iGaming. Unfortunately, because so many North American are US-based, those terms tend to trickle northward into Canada. End result – collective policies that abide by American law, while impacting Canadians who do not. So, when you try to deposit with a Canadian debit card that bears the Visa or Mastercard logo, there’s every chance your deposit will be rejected. Not because it’s illegal here, but because it may be illegal in the US. It’s not fair, but it is the reality of the situation, and it has been for years. |
Why Do eChecks Work When Cards May Not?If you read that last bit carefully enough, this question should answer itself. An eCheck online poker deposit does not require the approval of any card-issuing financial company (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, etc). Card companies have no bearing on electronic checks. The only approval you need is that of your bank or credit union, and that’s far easier to come by. This makes eChecks one payment method Canadians can use and rely on to be secure and fast. eChecks work very much like regular checks. The difference is you can use them online. As we all know, sending money online is much faster than through the mail. |
What are eChecks exactly?An eCheck is an electronic check; a digital version of a paper check. It is processed in much the same way, but much faster. eChecks use EFT protocol, short for electronic Funds Transfer. Here’s how it works. The player (you) initiates an eCheck payment. The poker site sends a digital message to your bank with all information for the transfer. The bank digitally responds with a yes or no, meaning the money either is or is not available for transfer. If yes, the bank initiates payment of the funds to the poker site, and the poker site credits the player by placing the funds in their account. If no, the payment is declined and that’s the end of it. Making an eCheck deposit is simple. It’s no different than writing a pepper cheque, except that there’s no paper and pen involved. Instead, you’ll need some of the numbers that appear at the bottom of a cheque. These include:
Compare the image below to one of your own cheques to find the numbers. Or, if you don’t use paper cheques, simply call your bank and ask for the appropriate numbers.
The number of eCheck poker sites is limited, to say the least. On the bright side, they are easy, safe, and reliable. Just look for the eCheck or Instant eCheck logo, follow the instructions, and your account will be funded in no time. |
Canadian Friendly Poker Sites with Instant eCheck Deposits 2024
After rigorous research, we’ve found just one online poker room that accepts Canadian players and Instant eCheck deposits. It is, of course, PokerStars. That should come as no surprise, being the world’s largest poker site for the last two decades. Best Alternative to eCheck Poker Sites
While PokerStars does have a lot of features and advantages, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s the world’s largest poker subject, subject to overcrowding and heavily shark-infested waters. If you were hoping for something a bit less pretentious, I would have to recommend PartyPoker. It’s large, but not too congested, highly reputable, and has gained esteem among the strictest regulatory jurisdictions. Although eCheck deposits are not an option at PartyPoker, you can choose Interac Online and Interac E-Transfer payments. The background process for these is essentially the same as an eCheck, utilizing EFT protocol. However, you won’t need to enter any routing or checking numbers to initiate the transfer. All you need is an Interac-partner bank or credit union.
|
Are there any Special Requirements for Canadians using eChecks?Any Canadian casinos and poker rooms that allow eCheck deposits will require you to provide your social insurance number (SIN) and a clear photocopy of a government-issued ID. The social insurance number is a government program. By filing your government ID and SIN, the poker room is able to verify your identity. Such verification is required to legally make deposits using eChecks to your poker account. This is the first line of security to protect your money, and the online poker site’s holdings as well. |
eCheck FAQs – More Things You Should Know Paying with eCheckHere are some of the most frequently asked questions about the eChecks method of payment transfer for Canadian customers looking to add money to their online poker accounts.
Unfortunately, you can’t use eChecks as a withdrawal method. They are only available for deposits. The good news is that Canadian-facing online casinos make it extremely easy to pull out your cash. Most casinos online that cater to Canadians allow for bank transfers or wire transfers to withdraw your money. And because you’ve already deposited with an eCheck, thereby verifying your bank details, wire transfers are quick and painless.
eChecks are as safe as traditional bank checks. When you make a payment with an eCheck, you’re depending on the exact same security system as your paper checks. These include things like digital signatures, encryption, and authentication measures.
Canadian eCheck systems use EFT protocol, which is much faster than ACH. EFT payments go through an immediate digital confirmation, whereas ACH payments are lumped together and processed all at once, usually at the end of that business day, or the start of the next. In truth, eChecks aren’t really instant. It can take 3-5 business days for the money to leave one bank and reach the other. However, instant digital confirmation means that the recipient – an online poker room in this case – knows the money is on its way. Thus operators are perfectly happy to give a player access to that money in their poker account the moment a payment is made.
Yes, eChecks are free! You should never be charged a fee to pay with eCheck.
No. There are no minimum or maximum amounts for eChecks. The only limitations might be a min/max deposit size imposed by the iGaming website, and the size of your checking account.
No. Unfortunately, the number of Canada eCheck poker sites has dwindled dramatically over the years. As of writing, only PokerStars is accepting eChecks from Canadian players.
The whole process should take you no more than 10 minutes from start to finish, and your balance should be credited within just a few seconds. Note that it can take 3-5 business days for this check to actually clear your bank, but you should have immediate access to those funds in your account. That is the beauty of Instant eCheck deposits. Although the money takes a few days to arrive, digital checks and balances tell the website that money is coming, so they’re happy enough to let you use it right away. |
