The best online casinos that accept iDEAL
Residents of Holland have a wealth of casino options available to them, and iDEAL has quickly emerged as a popular choice for both casinos and players alike. For the gamer, the service offers the security of a direct online banking transaction, and unbeatable speed – an iDEAL transaction will be in your casino account more or less instantly once you confirm the deposit.
For the casino, iDEAL is a preferable way to accept payments than many of the alternative options thanks to its lower transaction fees. What’s more, transactions made using iDEAL are exactly as convenient as a standard Fast bank transfer – there is little admin involved, no paperwork and virtually no delay.
As a result, you should have no issues finding a casino that accepts iDEAL, and if you wish to deposit in an international online casino from a Dutch address, this innovative service could well be the right choice for you.
How do I make a deposit using iDEAL?
The depositing process for iDEAL customers is extremely straightforward; in fact, it’s among the simplest payment methods available at any casino. If you have an account at any one of the qualifying Dutch banks (ASN, Triodos, ABN AMRO, ING, RaboBank, Bunq, Knab, SNS or Landschot), you need only navigate to the Cashier section of your chosen casino site, and select iDEAL as your preferred payment method. You can then choose your bank from the list provided on the screen.
You will then be redirected to an online banking page for your chosen bank, where you can enter your online login details when prompted. With that done, you will be asked to enter a Two-Factor Authentication code that has been sent to you to complete the transaction. With 2FA passed, you can complete the transaction, and you should be able to see the funds in your casino balance immediately.
How do I request a withdrawal using iDEAL?
Although iDEAL is structured around online banking, and deposits are as easy as can be, the system does not permit direct withdrawals at present. This situation may change in future – there is no technological reason it should not be possible – but for the time being, you will need to make alternative arrangements for your casino withdrawals.
Anecdotally, it seems the vast majority of iDEAL users will ask for their withdrawals to be paid by bank transfer. Choosing this method is the simplest way to make your own withdrawals, it can be done internationally, and will see the money in your account in the shortest time possible.
You may, alternatively, choose to have withdrawals paid into a Skrill or Neteller account, or even have a cheque issued. However, in the latter case, you will need to have an existing UK bank account into which to deposit it – cheques are more or less completely obsolete in Holland, so if you live and do all of your banking there, a cheque is essentially worthless.
What is the minimum deposit amount?
For the purposes of depositing in a casino, iDEAL is essentially the same as a bank transfer, and the service does not apply any lower or upper limit to amounts you may deposit in a casino. Therefore, minimum deposits made in online casinos using iDEAL are the same as for bank transfers. In other words, the minimum amount you can deposit in a casino using the iDEAL service depends upon the casino’s stated limits. This may be as low as £5, although in many cases the minimum deposit is £10. Rarely will it be any higher than that.
Many iDEAL casinos that allow you to play from within Holland will also accept deposits in Euros. In cases where you can’t, your Dutch bank will automatically do the conversion from sterling to Euro and adjust your balance accordingly. In those casinos that do accept Euro deposits, the maximum and minimum deposits will usually be exactly the same in Euro as they are in sterling – so it can be as low as 5€, or 10€.
What is the minimum withdrawal amount?
As you will not be using iDEAL to make a withdrawal, you will be subject to the withdrawal requirements of whatever method you do use. As we’ve noted, in most cases this will be via bank transfer. With most casinos, you will find that the withdrawal limits are quite flexible – even if your balance in the casino is just a few pounds or Euros, you should be able to withdraw it without any undue hassle.
Of course, all casinos have their own rules and limits, so it is worth checking the terms and conditions for yourself. If necessary, you should ask the casino customer services to confirm their rules on withdrawals. While you’re doing so, it would be a good idea to check that you don’t need to make a separate deposit by bank transfer in order to be allowed to withdraw that way. Again, this should not be an issue, but it’s best to be aware of any potential complications before they arise.
Why should I use iDEAL to gamble at online casinos?
iDEAL is an innovative and convenient system that has expanded the choice available to casino gamers based in the Netherlands, and because it has the backing of several major Dutch banks, you can be confident of the security of your funds. The service is also fee-free on the bank’s end – and in the vast majority of cases, you should not have to pay any fees at the casino either. This makes it a very encouraging alternative to some of the payment methods out there.
If there is one minor quibble with iDEAL as a payment method, it would be the age-old issue that arises with many of the less casino account funding conventional methods: the inability to withdraw. Until iDEAL adds withdrawal capabilities, players will have to source an alternative method, which is not… well, ideal. However, the alternative of a standard bank transfer is known to be a convenient, unfussy way of withdrawing funds, and one which operates smoothly across borders – so players can at least be sure of a reliable substitute for iDEAL when it comes to withdrawing.
Overall, we can conclude iDEAL is a very useful tool for Dutch-based casino players who wish to play online at international casinos.