Top PayPal Casinos UK 2021

PayPal’s History

PayPal has its roots in a tech company called Confinity, which started trading in 1998 and originally focused on creating security software for handheld devices.

Over time, the business model changed, and, eventually, the company decided to focus on digital wallets, launching an early version of PayPal’s payment system in 1999. 

A year later, the company merged with financial services company X.com, whose founder was Elon Musk.

Eventually, X.com gave up its own online banking operations and focused on digital wallets. In 2001, the company changed its name to PayPal, and Elon Musk was replaced as CEO by Peter Thiel, one of the original founders of Confinity.

PayPal’s initial public offering (IPO) was made in 2002, and soon after, it was acquired by eBay. PayPal became a very popular payment method on the auction site, accounting for the majority of transactions.

By 2010, PayPal reached the milestone of 100 million active user accounts, with users in over 190 countries.

In 2015, PayPal spun off from eBay and became its own publicly traded company once again.

PayPal is now one of the most recognised and trusted brands in the world. Its headquarters can be found in San Jose, California, and the company also has a UK head office in Richmond, London. 

How PayPal Works

PayPal is a simple and secure way to make deposits and withdrawals at online casinos. It’s easy to open an account via laptop, desktop, or mobile device, simply follow these steps to make it happen.

1. Sign up at PayPal.com with your e-mail address – you’ll have to provide your personal details and create a password.
2. Add your credit or debit card, or both – PayPal will securely store these details for when you shop online or use PayPal casinos. You don’t need a balance in your PayPal account, as the system can deduct the payments from your chosen payment source when you get to the checkout page.
3. Your PayPal account is ready to use! At PayPal online casinos, you won’t have to keep entering your sensitive personal or payment details. Instead, you w8ll be redirected to your PayPal account, and all information is handled there so you can have complete peace of mind whenever you make deposits or withdrawals.

Benefits of PayPal at Online Casino Sites

PayPal is a household name across the globe, so you’re probably well aware of the advantages it offers users in January 2022. If you’re new to PayPal, here are a few reasons why it should be your go-to option for online casino payments:

• It’s completely free to open an account and make instant deposits
• You only need to provide your email address when using PayPal for online payments, meaning your bank details have an added privacy layer
• e-Wallets, particularly PayPal, are typically the fastest withdrawal method, with some websites even offering instant withdrawals for PayPal users
• You can play at any PayPal casino with just one account
• PayPal offers 24/7 monitoring to combat fraud, email phishing, and identity theft
• PayPal is licensed and fully regulated
• The service offers high maximum deposit and withdrawal limits
• You can store multiple bank cards and accounts in one e-wallet
• Activate One Touch payments and pay with just a few clicks
• Advanced encryption technology guarantees secure transactions
• PayPal offers a comprehensive customer support service

Disadvantages of Using PayPal

While PayPal has many perks compared to other banking options, it does have a few potential drawbacks which you’ll need to take into account when choosing a payment method.

• No buyer protection for gambling transactions – while PayPal offers a buyer protection scheme for certain goods and services online, meaning refunds can be given if you run into problems, this coverage no longer extends to online gambling transactions.
  This means that if you feel you’ve been misled or scammed by an online casino, PayPal can’t help you get your money back. Luckily, you can find the best PayPal casinos on this page, all of which have been checked to ensure they’re licensed and reputable. 
• Occasional ineligibility for welcome bonuses – some welcome bonus offers aren’t available if you use PayPal to make your first deposit, so make sure you check the terms and conditions. 
• Not universally available – while PayPal online casinos are very widely available, some sites still don’t support this banking method.

PayPal’s Services

PayPal offers a multi-faceted payment service. Here’s a round-up of the ways it can come in handy. 

Digital Wallet

PayPal’s digital wallet is the most popular service of this type in the world. It allows you to send and receive money without giving your financial details to a third party, and gives you a simple way to manage your money online. 

Smartphone App

PayPal’s smartphone app enables you to use PayPal on the go, offering sleeker functionality than the mobile website.

Available for iOS and Android, you can use all your usual PayPal features on the app, and also make transactions in person by scanning the QR codes provided in physical retailers.

Access Card

PayPal used to offer a debit card called PayPal Access. This card allowed players to spend the balance in brick-and-mortar locations.

However, in 2019, the card was replaced with the PayPal Business Debit Mastercard, which is only available to business users.

That said, as mentioned above, non-business users can now use the PayPal app to make in-person payments. 

PayPal.Me

PayPal.Me is a simple way for people to send you money, whether you’re selling an item or splitting a bill.

You simply set up a PayPal.Me link, share it with the relevant party, and they can send money straight to your PayPal account, without needing to know your e-mail address or phone number. 

PayPal Service Charges

Setting up a PayPal account is free, and there aren’t any monthly charges or fees for sending money through PayPal. However, there are a few costs to bear in mind. 

Inactivity Fees

PayPal has recently added an inactivity fee. Accounts that have money in them and haven’t been used for more than 12 months will be charged a £9 annual fee – or whatever the balance in the account is if it’s less than £9.

The money is only taken from your PayPal balance, not a linked card. If you’re not planning on using PayPal for a while, you might want to consider withdrawing your balance to avoid the charge.

Sellers’ Fees

While it’s free to receive money from family and friends through PayPal, there are fees attached if someone sends you money as part of a sales transaction. In the UK, this is set at 2.9%. 

Other Fees

As businesses receiving money pay the charges, occasionally they will pass this cost onto the consumer by charging a PayPal fee. Some casinos will charge commission for using PayPal, such as a percentage or flat fee, as it helps them recoup their costs.

While the top PayPal casinos on our list don’t charge these fees, it’s something to look out for if you regularly use different gaming sites.

PayPal Payout Times 

One of the main reasons that PayPal is so popular with online casino players is because it offers some of the fastest payout times on the market.

A fair few sites process PayPal payouts in just 24 hours, and there are even fast payout casinos that offer instant PayPal withdrawals. This means that withdrawing at a PayPal payout casino lets you access your funds quicker than with most other banking methods.

On top of that, withdrawals from your e-wallet to your bank account are usually complete within a couple of hours, so you’ll have your winnings in no time.

PayPal doesn’t just offer fast withdrawals, though. Deposits are also processed instantly, so you can start playing real money games like slots right away.

On top of that, there’s no need to fiddle around with long card numbers, making funding your online casino account quick and easy.

Simply log into your PayPal account when prompted to verify the payment and you’re good to go.

For comparison, while PayPal and other e-wallets are often capable of delivering instant or fast withdrawals, Visa and Mastercard debit cards typically take 3-5 days to receive withdrawals following the casino’s pending time, and bank transfers can take up to seven working days to clear.

Unfortunately there’s only so much your payment provider can do, however, and transaction times vary considerably between sites so be sure to check the terms and conditions for the details.

How to Withdraw Money from your PayPal Account

Follow the steps below to withdraw money from your PayPal balance to your bank account. 

1. Make sure the bank account you want to withdraw to is linked to your PayPal account
2. Go to ‘Wallet’ in the main menu
3. Click on ‘Transfer Money’
4. Follow the instructions on screen – you’ll need to select the bank account you want to transfer the money into, and then enter the amount
5. Review your request, making sure all the details are correct before confirming

PayPal Casino Fees

At most UK online casinos, you can deposit and withdraw with PayPal free of charge. PayPal itself doesn’t charge for most transactions, and you’ll only be charged a fee if currency conversion takes place.

You’ll also be able to withdraw money from your PayPal e-wallet to your bank account free of charge.

That being said, it’s worth keeping in mind that some casinos out there may charge a fee for using PayPal. While none of our recommended casinos do this, some may use the fee to offset the charge issued by PayPal to the casino, for using its services.

You’ll be able to read up on this in the terms and conditions, so always check the small print just to be safe.

PayPal Security

PayPal is one of the most secure casino payment methods for a number of reasons. For starters, you don’t need to enter any sensitive information like bank details when you make a casino deposit via PayPal.

This virtually eliminates the risk of your details falling into the wrong hands, so you can rest easy when you fund your UK PayPal casino account.

On top of that, PayPal itself has powerful security features like industry standard data encryption and 24/7 fraud monitoring.

We’d also recommend activating two factor authentication for an added layer of protection. This means that as well as entering your password each time you sign in, you’ll also need to enter a unique code which you receive by SMS.

In the unlikely event that your account is compromised, PayPal’s account protection means that you won’t be liable for any unauthorised purchases.

Mobile PayPal Casinos

Want to pay and play with PayPal on the go? You’re in luck.

There are plenty of top mobile casinos that accept PayPal, so you can easily make deposits and withdrawals, even when you’re on the move.

Some of the best online casinos also have native mobile apps, which can make mobile gaming faster and smoother, meaning you’ll never have to endure lengthy loading times on mobile web browsers.

In fact, PayPal is a particularly convenient payment method for mobile casino players. If you activate the One Touch feature, you can deposit at UK online casinos without even having to enter your password.

Don’t worry, though- your login information is encrypted on your device, so you’re still protected by PayPal’s world class security.

You can also download the PayPal app for free on Android and iPhone, making it easy to manage your funds from the palm of your hand. If you enable push notifications, then you’ll be alerted every time a transaction is completed.

You’ll also have an overview of all recent activity – a great way to manage your spending.

New PayPal Casinos

PayPal is one of the world’s best known and most trusted payment methods in January 2022, and it has established partnerships with some of the most reputable, established casino brands.

However, there are still a few new casinos that accept PayPal deposits and withdrawals. Use our list to compare the very best new PayPal casinos, where you can enjoy a whole range of top titles and the hottest new slots. 

Playing at a new casino over an established brand comes with several potential benefits, with the first being more player-friendly bonuses.

While their monetary value may be smaller than what you’d find with the big boys, new PayPal casinos tend to offer less severe wagering requirements, or even no wagering options.

They’re also less tethered to traditional or established ways of doing things, meaning you’re likely to find innovative layouts and interfaces at new sites.

New casinos are also relentlessly pursuing differentiation from the market, so the latest games and tech may hit the new sites with more urgency than at sites with hefty existing games catalogues.

Alternatives to PayPal

There are a number of alternatives to PayPal which can be used at online casino sites.

Skrill

Skrill is another popular e-wallet that’s free to set up and use, as long as your account is used at least once every 12 months.

Some of the best online casinos take Skrill, without charging extra fees, but this banking option is ineligible for some deposit bonuses.

It’s important to keep in mind that Skrill charges fees to top up your account or make a withdrawal, depending on the payment method.

Neteller

Neteller is another popular e-wallet banking option used by gamblers in the UK. It’s free to set up an account, although – as with Skrill – there are deposit and withdrawal fees attached.

Making a first deposit through Neteller may exclude you from deposit bonuses at some online casinos, so if you are attracted to a particular site’s sign up incentive, then do check the small print before making your deposit transfer. 

Paysafecard

Paysafecard vouchers can be purchased from thousands of convenience stores, or online. They come in various denominations, and all you have to do is enter the unique PIN at the casino site to transfer funds into your betting account.

As no bank or card details are shared, Paysafecard is an ultra-secure way to make casino deposits. While withdrawals are technically possible if you have a My Paysafecard account, most casino sites don’t currently support this cash out method. 

Boku

Boku is a payment platform that charges your deposits to your phone bill,all that’s required is your phone number.

Once you verify the deposit, the amount will simply be deducted from your phone credit, or added to your next monthly phone bill.

Tight spending limits mean that it’s only a practical option for occasional bettors, and withdrawals aren’t possible using this method.

Debit Cards

Debit cards are one of the simplest payment options, but it’s important to only use licensed casinos, such as the ones listed on this site, so you can be sure your details are safe and secure.

Deposits with debit cards are simple and free, and all welcome bonuses will be accessible to you. However, withdrawals can take days longer than e-wallets (usually 2-5 working days).

Tips to Help You Stay Safe When Playing Online

The risks of gambling go beyond simply losing a wager, and the industry is continually undergoing shifts in regulations and legislation to better protect players against problem gambling and gambling addiction.

Chasing losses, viewing a change of luck as an inevitability, and becoming unconcerned with money management and long-term financial planning are all common indicators that gambling is becoming an issue in your life, or that of someone you know.

There are various ways to protect yourself against that slippery slope and ensure that PayPal gambling remains a fun diversion rather than a problem.

Bankroll Management and Setting Limits

Be sure to keep track of your spending habits when it comes to gambling. You can set deposit limits at every licensed gambling site, and payment options such as e-wallets, prepaid cards, and online banking services make it easy to keep an eye on what you’re spending.

When you gamble online with PayPal, you’ll be able to easily view your current wallet value and your recent transactions, for example. Set strict budgets—always bearing in mind that you shouldn’t bet what you can’t afford to lose—and resist the urge to forego them in order to chase either losses or a hot streak.

You will also find that licensed PayPal gambling sites enable you to set time limits on your play, which can be very helpful when it comes to managing how much you play.

Always Play with Sound Judgement

If you’re tired, inebriated, upset, stressed, or in any way affected by something that’s inhibiting your best judgement, steer clear of gambling.

It’s important to only play when your risk management skills are sharp so you can clearly identify good and bad wagers, refrain from spending what you cannot afford, or find yourself chasing losses. 

Do Your Research

Whether it’s a bet on your chosen sportsbook or a fresh venture into a table game you’re not familiar with, make sure you do your homework first.

Betting on sports markets that you’re not familiar with, or playing a hand of poker without understanding what makes a strong hand, unnecessarily increases the risk of losing your money to a bad call.

In short, make wagers on what you know, and be sure to research a market or game thoroughly before sticking your money on the line.