Apple Pay is an Easy to Use Banking Option at US Online Casinos

Apply Pay is one of the most popular contactless payment options in the US. It’s a convenient way to pay for things just about anywhere.

It’s also accepted at most US online casinos, and based on it growing popularity, look for it to be available at even more online casinos in the future.

That’s due to several factors, but the biggest ones are that Apple Pay is easy to use, it has built a loyal following that’s only expected to grow, and iPhones — which come with Apple Pay built in — are a very popular device with Americans.

There is some additional information about Apple Pay that consumers should know — especially before they try to use Apple Pay for making deposits or withdrawals while playing at online casinos.

Note that not all online casinos that take Apple Pay for deposits also allow them for withdrawals, and Apple Pay is not permitted in all US jurisdictions.

Apple Pay is Easy to Use

Apple Pay is easy to set up. The payment option is built into the iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad devices. There are just a few instructions:

• Open the Wallet app
• Press the “Plus” symbol to add a credit or debit card
• Scan the card
• Follow the instructions in the Wallet app

You will likely need to verify some degree of information from your bank or card issuer, and may be asked to answer some security questions. Once these are all answered satisfactorily, Apple Pay will be ready for use.

Apple Pay at Online Casinos: The Pros and Cons

While Apple Pay is very convenient, there are a few pros and cons that consumers should know up front about contactless payment options like Apple Pay.

There are several benefits to having a so-called digital wallet like Apple Pay:

• You can make payments and withdrawals quickly
• Your personal information cannot be accessed by the merchant or service provider that you paid
• You don’t need to carry your card with you, minimizing the risk of it being physically lost or stolen

Consumers who use Apple Pay also benefit from its built-in privacy and security features, which are built into the iPhone. These features add an extra layer of protection from things like fraud or identity theft.

But, there are also a few cons, or potential drawbacks, from using Apple Pay and other contactless payment options:

The biggest drawback, by far, is that not all online casinos use Apple Pay for withdrawals. This means that while you will be able to take advantage of Apple Pay’s convenience for deposits, withdrawals will be another matter.

Your quickest options to get your money out will depend on your jurisdiction and the withdrawal options available from the operator, but your most likely choices will be to put your winnings on your debit card, getting a bank transfer or eCheck, or getting reimbursed through PayPal.

Other options, although not nearly as convenient, include driving to a corresponding land-based casino and cash out at the cage. You could also ask the operator to send you a paper check — this is what operators will try to do if your account goes dormant and they want to give you your money.

There are a few other potential cons to using Apple Pay:

• You must keep a vigilant eye on your iPhone to prevent unauthorized use

• Some retailers, including some online casinos, still do not accept Apple Pay

• Transaction data could be tracked, which raises privacy concerns with some consumers

• Payments and withdrawals could be temporarily unavailable for a variety of reasons, including server downtime for maintenance or otherwise

• Apple Pay could be increasingly subject to cyberattack with its increasing popularity

Most Online Casinos Accept Apple Pay

While most online casinos in the US accept Apple Pay as a payment method, not all of them do. We expect that some of the casinos that don’t currently take Apple Pay may reverse course in the future, especially if Apple Pay remains a popular payment option.

Four casinos use Apple Pay for both deposits and withdrawals — BetMGM Casino, Wheel of Fortune Casino, PartyCasino, and Borgata Casino. We recommend all of these for online casino gaming because they allow their customers the full functionality of Apple Pay, giving them the convenience of using the same app for deposits and, especially, withdrawals — you won’t need to find another way to get your money out.

Unfortunately, two online casinos — Bet365 Casino and Caesars Palace Online Casino — accept Apple Pay for deposits but don’t use it for withdrawals. It’s an inconvenience for consumers, but you have several other options instead, including putting money on your debit card, accepting an eCheck or bank transfer, or using PayPal.

Recommended US Online Casinos That Accept Apple Pay

These four online casinos do not currently accept Apple Pay:

• BetOcean
• BetRivers Casino
• Golden Nugget Casino
• PokerStars Casino

Popular Option for Online Payments

Apple Pay became popular during the pandemic, but it has since become a mainstream way to pay for things online.

Based on publicly available data compiled by Capital One Shopping Research, about 60.2 million people currently use Apple Pay in the US — and the firm projects there could be as many as 75 million users by 2030. (Worldwide, there are currently an estimated 640 million Apple Pay users, and that could exceed 700 million by 2027).

Growth in the US is expected to be fueled in part with how younger consumers have already embraced Apple Pay as a payment option. Take into consideration that about 21.1% of consumers aged 14 and older will use Apple Pay this year — if that trend continues, 25% of consumers are on pace to be using Apple Pay by 2030.

According to Capital One, Apple Pay is by far the most popular digital wallet in the US, holding a 92% share of the market. Last year, it was the payment method used in 14.2% of all online consumer payments.

iPhones Also Remain Popular

iPhones, which come preloaded with Apple Pay, are a popular device with Americans — 48.7% of Americans owned one in 2022, according to Capital One. Apple Pay first became a payment option in 2014.

While it’s true that not everyone who owns an iPhone will use Apple Pay, data show that more iPhone owners are using Apple Pay every year. Two years after it launched, 9% of global iPhone owners had activated Apple Pay. That figure would climb to 15% in 2018 — and surge to 48% in 2019. The pandemic would add 66 million users in 2020, Capital One said.

The upward trend suggests that it’s very likely an even higher percentage of iPhone users activated Apple Pay in 2024.