Using Credit Cards
to Gamble in the CasinoAny destination that allows gambling, whether online or on land, is surely going to accept credit
cards as a form of payment. U.S.
players may have a harder time getting a card accepted at
an online casino,
for some banks have the technology to identify a
transaction made at an online casino and so will not honor it in fear of
retaliation from legal authorities. Still, many Americans
are able to use their credit cards to gamble over the
internet.
And when it comes time to placing bets at
brick 'n mortar casinos, there is no doubt
whatsoever a credit card will be accepted. But
before you decide to whip out your own credit card, you
should think about the little things that nobody tells you
about, which end up being big things when it comes time to
paying your credit card bill.
Credit cards are simply a
means to process a cash advance, which is not the same as
making a regular credit card purchase (something many
gamblers do not understand). In other words, if you wanted
to use your credit card to obtain some casino chips to use at the
blackjack table, you will have to request a check from the
cashier, which they will issue you after processing a cash
advance on your credit card.
Not only does the
casino cashier
charge you for this transaction - depending on the value of
the cash advance (sometimes in excess of $20), your credit
card company will likely charge you as well (usually 3% of
the forwarded amount). Some credit cards do not
charge for cash advances, however, almost all of them will
impose a higher interest rate than standard credit
purchases when it comes time to paying it back.
Some
gamblers would like to say that doing so is an investment,
and that if you play a smart strategy game like craps,
blackjack or video poker, you will make up for this lost
money, which you have to put up before you even start
playing. However, the Casino Advantage is so close to
breaking each and every gamblers bankroll to begin with,
being down in profit before you even start does not make
for good betting odds.
And if you are one of those
people who likes to pay off the minimum amount due on your
credit card each month, you are in for an even greater
financial loss. In order to rack up as much interest
as they can, credit card companies encourage borrowers to
pay back the least amount. It may not seem like much in a
single bill, but over time, the interest can rack up into
the thousands. The bottom line is to never gamble with
borrowed money and credit in the casino.
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