American Express has always been in the shadow of other major cards like Visa and in the past Mastercard. Most US poker rooms have had to stop accepting Mastercard deposits and processing for Visa deposits is very expensive, so some rooms have started accepting American Express. American Express is not widely accepted, but is a good alternative to the other US friendly deposit methods.
There are two main ways you can use an American Express card to deposit at a poker room. The first and easiest way is buying a prepaid American Express card. American Express has always focused on high income users, but nowadays anyone can buy a prepaid card and use it to deposit at a poker room.
The other way is using a regular American Express charge or credit card. These cards are much easier to acquire now than they were a decade ago. Middle income online poker players can now take advantage of all of the perks associated with American Express.
The Best Poker Site That Accepts American Express
American Express is currently accepted at the largest US poker rooms: Bovada and Americas Cardroom. When you use your American Express to fund your Bovada account you will receive their huge deposit bonus and the AmEx Rewards Points if you are a regular card holder. Bovada will instantly credit any deposit you make using American Express. They do not offer withdrawals back to your AmEX card, but they do offer some easy alternatives like Western Union and check.
What If My American Express Deposit Is Declined?
American Express has a high success rate at Americas Cardroom, but there are instances where it will be declined. The cause of this will depend on if you are using a regular AmEx card or a prepaid card. Some financial institutions will block any transfers to offshore gambling companies. If you cannot deposit using your American Express card you can still use it to deposit at a poker room indirectly:
- Western Union / Moneygram – You can use your American Express card to pay for a money transfer to the poker room.
- Prepaid Visa – You can also use your American Express to buy a prepaid Visa card at just about any major retailer in the US.
Tips For Depositing At A Poker Room With American Express
If you are a regular American Express card holder and you use your card to deposit at an online poker room you should never tell them what you are using it for. Financial companies in the USA are under a lot of pressure from the government to block all online gambling transactions. You should never mention the words “poker” or “gambling” when you talk to American Express representatives or in emails to the company. I’m not suggesting that you lie, I’m simply suggesting that you be discreet about it.