iDeal Blackjack Casinos

iDeal is an online payment system that gives the Dutch a simple, safe and recognizable way to make payments. It’s like Giropay for German blackjack players, but I think a tad easier to use. The premise is the same though.

How iDeal works is that when you go to make a payment, the checkout screen will redirect to your bank (of choice). You’ll log-in and see the details for your purchase. You’ll then confirm the purchase by entering your account number and signing for it digitally using a 2FA token. The merchant will receive authorization in real time that the payment has been made. You’ll then be directed back to the merchant’s site with a confirmation that your transaction has been completed.

At no point do you need to sign up for an additional service, account or have to worry about funding an e-wallet. This service will be available to you right away if you’re at one of the partner banks (I’ll list these below). Otherwise you’ll need to sign up to one if you want to use iDeal.

Clearly, this is not a payment method for blackjack players outside the Netherlands. That includes the UK, Canada, South Africa, and of course, the USA.

This page will serve as a guide for players that can use iDeal. Below I cover what casinos accept iDeal for payment, how to get started and the pros and cons of using this payment method to fund your blackjack account.

Here are some of the top casinos and software providers that accept iDeal.

Casinos

• Casino.com
• EuroGrand Casino
• Party Casino

Software Providers

• Microgaming
• NetEnt
• Playtech
• 888 Holdings
• IGT
• Party
• Rival

If you’re going to use iDeal than you’re going to find (and be able to play at) more of what I consider to be 2nd tier casinos. They’re ok, but they’re not as good, for one reason or another, as casinos like Bet365, 888 Casino, Roxy Palace, etc.

There’s not a whole lot that you have to do. iDeal will be set-up if you have an account at the right banks. Here are the banks that have partnered with iDeal:

• ABN AMRO
• ASN Bank
• Friesland Bank
• ING
• Knab
• Rabobank
• RegioBank
• SNS Bank
• Triodos Bank
• Van Lanschot Bankiers

To make a deposit you’ll choose the iDeal option from the cashier. The screen will redirect to your bank account. Here you’ll see the details of what you’re buying and whom from. Then you’ll need to input your account number and sign it using your token, and you should be all set.

For withdrawals, I’ve not seen a casino that accepts iDeal. You might consider opening an e-wallet, such as Neteller or Skrill, and withdrawing to one of those accounts. Then you could have your funds transferred to your bank or to you by check. This may or may not be faster/cheaper than alternative options offered by the casino.

iDeal Fees

There are no fees to using iDeal. The only fees you’ll incur (maybe) is when you have to make a withdrawal using a different banking method.

There are both pros and cons to using iDeal. I thought I’d share those here so that you can decide whether or not to use their service.

Advantages

• Fast payments. Since the payments are authorized in real time you should have the funds available in your blackjack account immediately.
• No extra work or accounts. If you already have an account at one of the banks listed above, you’re all set. There’s no need to create a new account or ship funds to pad an e-wallet.

Disadvantages

• Who you make the payment to appears on your statement. This will suck for people that want to keep their blackjack sessions private. If that’s you, then I would recommend using iDeal to fund a Neteller or Skrill account, and then using those to fund and withdraw from your casino account.
• Few casinos accept iDeal. There are only 2-3 dozen casinos that accept iDeal, most of which aren’t worth playing at.
• iDeal can’t be used to make withdrawals. You’ll have to use an e-wallet or request a check or wire transfer. I find that to be inconvenient.
• You have to have a specific bank. This is great for people with accounts already, but it’s extra work for those that don’t.
• This is only available to players in the Netherlands (and maybe surrounding areas).

The bottom line? Just like Giropay, iDeal sounds cool at first, but when you dig in a little deeper it starts to sound more and more like a pain in the ass. The only benefit is faster payments. But you can get that from a credit or debit card, as well as an e-wallet. And since you may have to use one of these services as a withdrawal method anyway, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t use them to deposit, too. In fact, most casinos will require that you do (or did, within the last 6 months) to make a withdrawal. So I think I’d use iDeal as a back-up option only.