Gambling with Western Union Canada

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Existing options and preferred alternatives for Western Union gambling deposits in Canada.

There was a time when Western Union was ranked among the absolute most secure ways to make an online casino deposit. That was back in the days when internet security was questionable, at best. Technology simply wasn’t advanced enough to shore up all the potential cracks in cyberspace, and it left a lot of people afraid to enter any financial details over the world wide web. Therefore, the easy answer was to instantly wire the money – usually overseas – via Western Union.

As many of you may remember, those international cash transfers weren’t cheap. They came with a hefty convenience fee, but one many of Canada’s online gamblers were willing to pay for the peace of mind it afforded.

Thankfully, with the rise of greater internet security and multitude of online payment methods, Western Union has lowered its fees to remain relevant. But does that make it the right choice for Canadian iGamers? Let’s take a closer look…

Western Union Gambling Deposits in Canada

There’s one very important fact you need to know about Western Union. When the US government decided to crack down on internet gambling between 2006-2011, it sent a lot of major, US-based financial companies scurrying. Western Union was among them.

The US-based but globally operating cash transfer agency chose to play it safe, prohibiting online gambling related transfers to/from in any country where the laws do not explicitly legalize online gambling. The US market was off limits, of course, but so was Canada. You may be wondering, and for good reason, how can this be?

As you probably know, online gambling is not illegal in Canada – far from it. Several provincial governments run their own iGaming websites, providing services like online lottery sales, casino games, poker, bingo, etc. We can also visit thousands of internationally regulated websites with no fear of legal recourse.

The problem is that, while those offshore gambling sites are not illegal, they aren’t expressly legal, either. The fact that they’re not illegal makes them legal – but not in the same way as jurisdictions where they are explicitly permitted. Thus is falls into what legal eagles like to call a “grey area” of the law. As such, Western Union chooses not to facilitate any online gambling related deposits for Canadian users. “Better safe than sorry”, so the saying goes.

Alternatives to Western Union Canada

Fortunately, as I said above, internet security has improved by leaps and bounds. There are now many safe ways to move money online. Here are some of the top recommendations for Canadian iGamers:

Interac

This is my favorite option. Not only is it superbly secure, it’s available to the vast majority of Canadians. Interac works with over 250 banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. All you need is an online banking account. Best of all, if the online casino you play at accepts Interac, you already know it’s a safe, trusted iGaming brand. Learn more about Interac

eCheck

Using eCheck is much like writing a paper checque, except that you don’t have to write it, mail it, or wait for it to clear the bank. The entire process is performed electronically. All you have to provide is your bank account number, and the bank’s routing number – the same info found on a paper cheque. Learn more about eChecks

Debit Card

When all else fails, just use your debit card. I would not have recommended this 15 years ago, but today, there are more than enough safety nets and assurances to protect your personal and financial details. The key is to only do business with highly reputable iGaming operators. Learn more about online casino safety