Many Canadian online gamblers have an RBC account, even though the Royal Bank of Canada’s official stance is that gambling-affiliated transactions are not allowed. However, there are various ways that an RBC account owner can deposit their funds from the bank to the online gambling platform of their choice.

About RBC

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is one of the five big banks operating in the Great White North. It’s Canada’s second-biggest bank serving more than 16 million customers in 50 countries. Moreover, the bank has more than 86,000 employees around the globe.

RBC was founded in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1864, meaning it has more than 150 years of history. The company is headquartered in Toronto, even though its head office is located in Montreal. Moreover, the Canadian RBC network has 1,209 branches, with an additional 439 units operating under its US subsidiary RBC Bank.

The big Canadian bank was even the largest company in Canada in 2011 in terms of revenue and market cap.

Can I Gamble Online With an RBC Account?

As stated in the credit card agreement of the Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian residents are not allowed to make any transactions associated with online gambling. In fact, RBC was the first of the five big banks of Canada to come up with a policy regarding transactions to and from offshore online casinos and other gambling platforms.

Moreover, the bank has the right to block your account if it suspects that you’re using it to fund an offshore gambling account. However, this doesn’t apply to gambling sites that are licensed within the borders of Canada and regulated by the gambling commission of the Canadian province where they’re registered.

To be clear, you can try to make a direct bank deposit, but there’s a 50% chance it won’t go through, and every gambler knows the odds on this gamble are not worth it.

So, does this mean you’ll have to change your bank if you want to play real-money games in offshore casinos? In short, it doesn’t, as there are many workarounds.

Every alternative works in the same way:

1. You use your bank account to fund an alternative online payment method.
2. You use the payment method to fund an online casino account.

This has become quite easy and quick, as many of these payment options are designed for Canadian residents.

RBC Payment Methods for Online Gambling Transactions

Since RBC-branded Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards (or direct bank transfers) are not an option, you need to use one of the following to make online gambling transactions possible: Interac, ecoPayz, Instadebit, Neosurf, IDebit, Inpay, PaysafeCard, Bitcoin, and vanilla prepaid Visa or Mastercard.

RBC and Interac

Interac is the most popular online gambling payment method for Canadian players, and most online casinos accept it for deposits. Once you transfer your funds from RBC to Interac, you’ll be able to deposit them to a casino quickly and securely.

RBC and ecoPayz

ecoPayz is an electronic wallet, such as PayPal or Skrill, and it’s possible to transfer your funds from RBC to this payment system. Then, you can send the money to any online casino accepting ecoPayz.

RBC and Neosurf

You can use your RBC debit card to make a deposit to Neosurf and use it in online casinos accepting the popular payment option in Canada.

RBC and Instadebit

Instadebit is similar to Interac, except that it also offers services similar to e-wallets. In most cases, it’s also possible to withdraw money via Instadebit.

RBC and iDebit

iDebit often goes hand in hand with Instadebit, meaning the two payment options are pretty similar, and it’s possible to load both with funds from your RBC account.

RBC and Inpay

Inpay is similar to Neosurf, except it’s less popular, and fewer casinos accept this payment option. Some casinos also allow withdrawals using the Inpay-Outpay service.

RBC and PaysafeCard

Using your RBC debit card, you can purchase a prepaid Paysafe card and use the unique code to deposit to an online gambling site. Please note that withdrawals aren’t possible with this payment option.

RBC to Bitcoin

Finally, you can use your bank account to invest in cryptocurrencies, as many online casinos accept popular coins. Bitcoin is the most widespread, but many less popular options are sometimes accepted, including Ethereum, Litecoin, and more.

Pros and Cons of Gambling With an RBC Account

Pros:

• RBC is a famous bank with a long and successful history.
• RBC can be connected to many other payment methods.
• RBC offers secure and trustworthy transactions.
• RBC is focused on Canadian residents.

Cons:

• Direct transactions to online casinos are frowned upon.
• There’s a 50% chance your transaction might not go through when depositing to offshore casinos.
• RBC reserves the right to close your account (or limit it) if you’re suspected of making direct deposits to online casinos.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, RBC is a popular bank with millions of happy customers in Canada (and beyond). Unfortunately, the bank doesn’t approve of making transactions to offshore online gambling sites. The good news is that there are plenty of intermediaries that you can use as a buffer between your bank account and the online casino or sportsbook of your choice.

FAQ

Is RBC a trustworthy bank?

Yes, RBC is one of the largest banks in Canada and has been operating successfully for more than 150 years.

Does RBC allow online gambling transactions?

Unfortunately, the Royal Bank of Canada frowns upon any transactions to online gambling sites — at least those licensed outside Canada.

Can I make deposits and withdrawals in online casinos with an RBC account?

Even though RBC might allow some transactions to go through if you make a direct bank deposit, you risk having your bank account frozen. Therefore, it’s better to use other payment methods and deposit your funds to them before funding your online gambling account.