Surely the nation’s most famous banking institution, if not its largest, is Royal Bank of Canada; better known among locals as RBC Bank, or simply RBC. Serving millions of clients at home and abroad, RBC is no doubt the financial choice of countless Canadian iGamers. If you happen to be one of them, you’ll be glad to know you can deposit at local and international online gambling sites with your RBC bank account. But perhaps not in the way you were expecting.
Of the few Big Five banks that support internet gambling payments in 2025, RBC isn’t exactly high on the list. In fact, the bank has taken extensive measures to thwart payments to/from offshore gaming websites. Payments to locally regulated iGaming operations will work just fine. But if you’re looking to make an RBC Visa debit card deposit, your chances of success aren’t too good. Based on 2025 user reports, RBC Visa debit card deposits to international casinos succeed in approximately 15-25% of attempts, while Interac transactions show 98%+ success rates for licensed Ontario operators.
We will be talking about these topics and more in the following text. You’ll learn a little more about the Royal Bank of Canada, it’s wide network of branches and ATMs, and all of the account and card services they offer. You’ll also find out why online gambling payments through RBC don’t always work, and how to gamble online with RBC through alternative methods. In this article, we will focus on Interac specifically.
How to Make RBC Visa Gambling Payments Online
We’ve put together a data-intensive page that we know our regular readers will find easier to navigate via categorical context. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, please take advantage of the table of contents below to point you in the right direction. If not, just keep scrolling to learn all about the facts, features and functions of your Royal Bank of Canada
Table of Contents
- Brief History of RBC
- RBC Branch Locations
- RBC Offerings
- Success of iGaming Payments
- Other Ways to Pay w/ RBC
- The Bottom Line
Brief History of RBC
RBC is the third oldest bank among Canada’s famous Big Five. Its humble beginnings date back to 1864, where a group of financial industrialists opened a commercial bank Halifax, Nova Scotia. Its sole purpose was to help finance fishing and timber industries, which were constantly shipping goods between Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. Aptly named Merchants Bank, it branched out to additional maritime colonies over the next few decades.
It wasn’t until 1901, when Merchants Bank was spreading its wings westward, that it took on the more relevant name, Royal Bank of Canada. Through numerous mergers and acquisitions, the number of RBC branches grew rapidly; not just here in Canada, but internationally, as well. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, RBC was setting branches across every major port city in the Caribbean. They also set up shop in major trading destination like New York City, Paris, and Venezuela.
Fast forward to 1962 – RBC gained fame as the first Canadian bank to install a computer. You can surely imagine what such technology did for their savings, loans, and investment banking operations, as well as the subsequent launch of insurance products.
Now, 150+ years after its founding, RBC continues to dominate the nation’s finance industry. Their offices span nearly 1,500 branches worldwide, serving over 17 million customers across 29 countries. Retail Banker International named RBC North American Retail Bank of the Year three years straight (2018-20), and Best Loyalty/Rewards Strategy twice (2019-20).
RBC Branch Locations & ATMs Throughout Canada
With over 1,200 in Canada (and several hundred more worldwide), members can rest assured they’ll always have access to an RBC branch nearby. Sprinkling every provincial destination on the map, and the major cities of every territory, the RBC network is truly impressive. And that’s not to mention the approximately 5,000 ATMs the bank shares.
List of RBC Accounts Services and Bank Cards
Account Services
- RBC Day-to-Day Banking: “The Essentials” ($4.00/mo)
- RBC Advantage Banking: “Unlimited Debits & More” ($11.95/mo)
- RBC Signature No Limit Banking: “Unlimited Debits & Even More” ($15.95/mo)
- RBC VIP Banking: “All-Inclusive Banking” ($30.00/mo)
Savings Accounts
- High Interest eSavings: Competitive interest rates (up to 1.55%)
- NOMI Find & Save: Automatic savings (0.05% interest rate)
- Day-to-Day Savings: Everyday savings (0.005–0.01% interest rate)
- U.S. High Interest eSavings: U.S.-dollar accounts (up to 0.05% interest rate)
Credit Cards
RBC offers a vast selection of credit cards. Each is designed to suit different types of people and budgets. They come with a range of rewards, geared towards cash back, international travel, low interest rates and more. Below is an overview of all credit cards on the RBC menu.
| Card Name | Annual Fee | Purchase Rate | Cash Advance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite (“any airline, any flight, anytime”) | $120 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard (“Travel, made better”) | $119 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Rewards+ Visa (“Rewards on all purchases”) | $0 | 20.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard (“Unlimited cash back”) | $99 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Cash Back MasterCard (“No annual fee; Unlimited cash back”) | $0 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option (“Low interest rate; Low annual fee”) | $20 | 12.99% | 12.99% |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege (luxury travel benefits; exclusive privileges) | $399 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| Signature RBC Rewards Visa ($0 fee for Students, No Limit Banking clients) | $39 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Avion Visa Platinum (Any airline; No blackouts) | $120 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Visa Platinum (Prestige and value, no annual fee) | $0 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Rewards Visa Preferred (“Extensive insurance coverage”) | $110 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC RateAdvantage Visa (“Lower interest rate, higher savings”) | US$35 | Prime + 4.99-8.99% | Prime + 4.99-8.99% |
| RBC U.S. Dollar Visa Gold (Transact in USD, avoid currency fluctuations) | US$65 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| WestJet RBC MasterCard (WestJet dollars on everyday purchases) | $110 | 19.99% | 22.99%* |
| RBC British Airways Visa Infinite (“Rediscover travel”) | $165 | 20.50% | 22.99%* |
| RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum (Only Canadian Card that Earns Asia Miles) | $120 | 20.50% | 22.99%* |
| *21.99% for Quebec residents | |||
RBC Debit Cards
Every RBC chequing account comes with an optional Interac Flash-enabled debit card and Virtual Visa, at no cost to you. Interac Flash debit cards are incredibly versatile, capable of being used online, with Mobile Pay, or in person, via swipe or contactless tap-to-pay technology. Virtual Visa debit cards are just that – virtual. Because there is no physical card to tap or swipe, they are designed for digital purchases only (e.g. online, Mobile Pay)
Prepaid Cards
RBC offers its members a variety of Visa-branded prepaid cards, gift cards and eGift cards. What’s the difference? Simply put, a prepaid card can be reloaded; a gift/eGift card cannot. which you you choose should depend on your needs, as it will effect the overall fee schedule. A gift card, for example, has a base fee of $3.95, but no additional usage fees and no expiration date. A prepaid card is more like a debit card, with an expiration date, except that it’s only linked to the funds you give it (as opposed to your bank account).
Please refer to the RBC website for additional details:
RBC Online Gambling Success Rate in 2025
The Royal Bank of Canada isn’t exactly open to the concept of international online gambling by its members. In fact, the financial institution amended all of its member agreements several years back to prevent iGaming payments to international websites; or at least, to give them the right to decline facilitation of such payments.
We may from time to time prevent your Debit Card from being used for certain types of transactions as determined by us, including transactions connected with internet gambling.
We also reserve the right to prevent your Credit Card or your Account from being used for certain types of transactions as determined by us, including transactions connected to Internet gambling.
| RBC Method | Licensed Ontario Casinos | Offshore Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Interac e-Transfer | Instant (0-15 mins) No RBC fees* | 15-30 mins 85% success rate |
| Visa Debit | 1-3 hours $1.50 fee | <25% success 3-5 day holds |
| Withdrawals | 24-48 hours | 3-5 business days |
Alternative Ways to Deposit & Withdraw with RBC
Why Choose Interac Deposits
RBC clients can still move money in and out of online casinos, sportsbooks and other gambling sites, direct from their chequing account. eCheck and bank card purchases are likely to be declined, but RBC utilizes Canada’s exclusive network financing system, Interac. This makes it possible to deposit with an RBC account at any online gambling site that promotes Interac Online and/or Interac E-Transfer deposits.
Interac is the home-grown pride and joy of Canada’s Big Five Banks. Collectively, they developed the Interac network in 1984 to facilitate expedient transfers between one another. Today, Interac is a leading payment system in Canada, processing 7.66 billion transactions annually as of 2023. This includes 6.5 billion Interac Debit transactions (representing the vast majority of Canada’s debit market) and 1.16 billion Interac e-Transfer transactions, and 13%+ Revenue YoY growth.
Why does Interac work like a charm ? When you use Interac Online or Interac eTransfer services to deposit or withdrawal, RBC won’t see where that money is going or coming from. It works because, if the bank doesn’t identify a payment for gambling purposes, it has no reason to reject it.
Most of today’s reputable, Canadian-facing international gambling operators accept Interac Online and/or Inter eTransfer deposits. Some, but not all, will also promote Interac for withdrawals. These come in a number of Interac product declinations:
Each of these Interac offerings has pros and cons and specifics. For example Gigadat doesn’t process payment on weekends, but Payper.ca does. Players are advised to choose the product they resonate most with for their RBC deposits. Each of these Interac sub-brands is compatible with RBC.
The Bottom Line
While RBC isn’t exactly gambling-friendly with their direct Visa transactions, Canadian players don’t need to jump ship to another bank. The Royal Bank gives you two solid options that work within their system without breaking any rules.
Your best bet is Interac. As we’ve pointed out, RBC’s connection to Canada’s Interac network makes deposits possible at any gambling site showing the Interac Online or e-Transfer logo. When you use Interac services, RBC doesn’t see where that money is headed – so there’s no reason for them to block it.
For a backup plan, digital wallets are your friend. Fund these services from your RBC account first, then use the wallet for your gaming. It creates that extra layer between your banking and your betting.
Look, RBC might not be ideal for gambling at first glance, but these workarounds mean there’s zero reason to switch banks. Simply use an RBC bank card (credit, debit, or prepaid) to fund an alternative method, or look for the Interac logo at your favorite iGaming website.
