PayPal back in the UK; coming to America soon?

05 August, 2009

When the legislation currently defining US online gambling law first went into effect, the biggest blow felt by the industry and the customers wasn’t that software company X or casino Y would no longer accept US-based players. Instead, the serious slap in the hobbyist’s face was the withdrawal of PayPal’s support for payment to casinos and online players.

Think about it: The world’s most-often used medium of electronic currency exchange now being denied to those engaged in one of the most popular online activities out there. Naturally, casinos and consumers scrambled to fill the gap; who gained? Alternate payment method suppliers like Neteller and eWalletXpress have streamlined their services, worked out kinks they might not have otherwise, and have obtained a legion of new customers they might not have without PayPal’s reticence to deal in this sphere.

This month, PayPal may be officially admitting the error of its ways. On August 1, PayPal again opened up the opportunity to transfer to online gamers – well, some. UK casino goers and bingo players may now use PayPal in transactions with approved sites. PayPal appears to be taking a conservative approach naturally, so as not to rankle US authorities; however, you can bet (so to speak) that PayPal will accelerate the rate at which its pay service is re-incorporated into the online gaming world.

Silver Bets Casino is following the PayPal story and once the company again offers service in the United States – a move many industry insiders think is now inevitable – PayPal will certainly be re-welcomed into the Silver Bets fold.