Paying with PayPal at an online casino: what you need to know in the Netherlands

Paying with PayPal at an online casino: what you need to know in the Netherlands

PayPal is a trusted way for many people to pay online. You’ll come across it as well at online casinos, but the rules of the game in the Netherlands are just a bit different than you might think. Here’s what you need to know before you make a deposit.

How does paying with PayPal work?

PayPal is a digital wallet. You link your bank account or credit card to it and then make payments without sharing those details with the party you’re paying. You complete the payment with your PayPal login, and the casino therefore never sees your bank or card details.

That makes PayPal fast and privacy-friendly. You pay in a few taps, and the transaction is confirmed right away. For those who would rather not enter their account number or card details again with every payment, this is a pleasant and clear idea.

You do need a PayPal account, which you create once and link to your bank or credit card. After that, every payment goes through the same trusted login. Many people already use PayPal for webshops or secondhand purchases, and at a casino it works basically the exact same way: you choose PayPal as the payment option, log in, and confirm the amount.

PayPal at a casino: only with a Dutch license

The most important point here is this: that a casino offers PayPal says nothing about whether it is legal. Since 1 October 2021, only casinos with a license from the Kansspelautoriteit may operate in the Netherlands. If a site offers PayPal but does not have a Dutch license, then you are still playing illegally and outside any form of protection.

So always check the license first, and only then the payment method. For example, an overview of casinos that accept PayPal and have a license can be found on online-gambling.com. This way, you can be sure you’re paying at a place where your rights are in order.

Are you unsure about a provider? Then look up the name in the public permits register. If the casino isn’t listed there, then it doesn’t matter how familiar PayPal as a payment method feels: you’re simply playing outside the law, and your deposit is not protected the way it would be with a licensed provider.

PayPal is less common than you think

Unlike iDEAL, PayPal in the Netherlands is not available at every casino. For casinos, the costs of PayPal are relatively high, which is why many providers choose iDEAL or Trustly. Only a handful of legal Dutch casinos actually offer PayPal.

If you are specifically looking for this payment method, then your choice is therefore more limited than with most other options. It pays to check in advance whether your favorite casino actually supports PayPal before you create an account.

PayPal or iDEAL: what suits you?

In practice, iDEAL is the most common choice at Dutch casinos. You pay directly from your banking environment, it is accepted almost everywhere, and it works for both deposits and withdrawals. PayPal adds an extra layer: your details remain behind your PayPal account and you don’t need to link your bank account directly to the casino.

If you want that extra privacy and you already have a PayPal account, then PayPal can be convenient, provided your casino offers it. If you’re mainly looking for convenience and broad availability, then iDEAL is usually more practical. The same principle applies to both: the payment method is only secure if the casino has a Dutch license behind it.

Note: payouts often do not go through PayPal

A common misconception: you can usually deposit with PayPal, but you cannot withdraw your winnings via PayPal. Legal Dutch casinos must comply with strict anti-money-laundering rules. As a result, a payout will almost always be made via a bank transfer to the account that is in your own name.

Keep that in mind: at many casinos, PayPal is therefore primarily a convenient deposit method, and not the route through which your money returns. This is not a sign of unreliability, but rather a result of Dutch regulations. Even more, the fact that your winnings can only be sent to your own bank account is an additional safeguard: it makes it harder to siphon money from someone else.

Pay securely, and play with awareness

PayPal is a secure payment method, in part thanks to built-in buyer protection. But that technology doesn’t protect you against foolish choices. Gambling is allowed only from age 18, and however trustworthy a payment method is, it is never risk-free.

In licensed casinos, deposit limits apply: net € 700 per month for players aged 24 and over and € 300 per month for players aged 18 up to and including 23. You may always set your own limit lower, and if you lose track of things, you can have yourself excluded via Cruks for at least six months. Just like many fans, you probably prefer to watch the match rather than your balance. For the latest PSV news, you’re definitely in the right place here.