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Because of national and international banking regulations, the legal online gambling industry has always had to be one step ahead of the game when it comes to account funding. Now, the newest way for US players to deposit into their casino, poker, or sports betting accounts is to use the Zelle to Bitcoin option.

Developed by major US banks, Zelle is a money transfer platform, and it has some real benefits for those who’ve had an otherwise difficult time sending funds to their favorite offshore betting and gaming sites. By using Zelle to purchase Bitcoin, wait times can be reduced from days to mere minutes, letting you spend more time betting and less time worrying about your bankroll.

Zelle money transfers essentially allow you to make an instant Bitcoin purchase that can in turn be used to fund your online gambling account. Zelle cannot be used directly to fund your account but serves as a great intermediary for purchasing Bitcoin without the waiting period or hassle of establishing a BTC wallet.

Is It Legal To Buy Bitcoin With Zelle?

As long as it’s legal to buy Bitcoin, it’s legal to buy Bitcoin with Zelle. To date, no US states have any laws against purchasing BTC, albeit you should always be sure to abide by the IRS rules and regulations regarding cryptocurrency taxation.

Because Zelle is a product of the banking industry, some analysts believe that BTC and other crypto purchases might eventually be outlawed by individual banks, but that hasn’t happened yet. If and when the US gambling laws or rules regarding Zelle and crypto change, we will update this page accordingly.

Bovada is an online gambling pioneer, so it makes sense that it would be one of the first major betting sites to offer a branded Zelle deposit option. The company operates under the banner of the internationally licensed Bodog brand, and as a Zelle friendly gambling site, deposits are now even faster and easier than ever.

To deposit with Zelle at Bovada, simply sign up for a free account, and when you go to load up your funds, click or tap the Zelle option. This will give you detailed instructions on how to go about quickly converting Zelle to Bitcoin, which you can then deposit immediately. When you deposit using Zelle, you’ll get same-day access to sports betting boards, a Vegas-style casino with table games and slots, a huge poker room, and even an international racebook.

Pros

• US Friendly Deposit Options
• Deposit Easily With Your Credit Card, Bitcoin, or Zelle-To-BTC Transfers
• Fast And Reliable Payouts
• Enjoy Sports Betting, Casino, Poker, Horses Betting, and live dealer gambling With 1 User Account

Cons

• Does Not Accept Players from NJ, NV, DE, or MD.

Top Rated Gambling Sites That Accept Zelle Payments

The Zelle platform is actually owned by several major banks, including Bank of America, BB&T, Capital One, Citibank, and others. If you currently have online banking enabled or manage your financial accounts via an app on your smartphone, you probably have access to Zelle already. Call your bank or credit union for more information.

To use Zelle, you have to be at least 18 years of age. This shouldn’t be a problem, as you also have to be 18+ in order to sign up at any online gambling site. That said, some states explicitly mandate a minimum online betting age of 21, in which case you should stick with the local laws in your area.

If you use a site like Bovada or Ignition Casino and sign up through their specific Zelle portals, you will only be eligible for standard deposit bonuses, not the enhanced Bitcoin bonuses. However, if you use Zelle to acquire BTC at LocalBitcoins.com independently, you can then deposit using that Bitcoin and claim any extra associated bonuses.

LocalBitcoins.com is a legitimate peer-to-peer BTC trading site. Unlike a crypto exchange, at LocalBitcoins, you’re dealing with individual private sellers. To prevent fraud, the site holds BTC purchases in escrow, releasing your Bitcoin as soon as your Zelle transaction goes through.

The concept with Zelle is that it’s like digital cash, where you just send money from your linked bank account to someone else’s. That means you can buy just about anything with Zelle, provided that the seller accepts it. However, as with cash transactions, there are no service or product guarantees, and banks do not monitor or refund Zelle transactions.

How Zelle Works: The Zelle-To-Bitcoin Process

Zelle is a banking product that you likely already have access to. Essentially, it’s a convenient way to send USD from your checking or savings account to another person or company. However, it only works this way if both the sender and the recipient are physically located in the US. Naturally, such a model can’t work to fund your offshore gambling activities.

For our purposes, then, Zelle is not a direct banking method. When you use an offshore gambling site that says it accepts Zelle, you’re not actually sending your cash to that site. Instead, you’re using Zelle to purchase Bitcoin from LocalBitcoins.com, which you can then easily send overseas. The Zelle-to-Bitcoin process makes buying BTC quicker than ever, as other fiat-to-BTC sites can take 7-10 days to process. With Zelle, you can buy BTC in just a few minutes and start playing Bitcoin gambling sites right away!

Other popular crypto betting options include Stellar casinos, QB Direct gambling sites, and Bovada's new MatchPay deposit option. QB Direct (by QuickBit) and MatchPay are similar services to Zelle but as of now, only a few gambling sites embrace them.

The Best Gambling Sites That Work With Zelle

While every A-rated gambling site can be funded with Zelle-to-BTC, some make it easier than others. The Bodog family of US-friendly gambling sites is the first to jump on the Zelle bandwagon, with the entire Bovada family of casinos, poker sites and sportsbooks accepting Zelle deposits via Bitcoin transfers - see the table above. However, even if a site doesn’t offer specific support for Zelle, you can still use this service to purchase BTC and fund your account.

How To Deposit Into Your Online Gaming Account Using Zelle

At Zelle-friendly betting sites like Bovada, Slots.lv, and Ignition, you can simply follow their explicit instructions for how to deposit with Zelle. For all other sites – or if you just prefer to have more flexibility in general – you can follow the following Zelle funding instructions:

1. Set up a legal online gambling account.
2. Confirm that your bank offers a Zelle payment option - you can do this when you register as a user with the Zelle app.
3. Set up a LocalBitcoins.com account.
4. At LocalBitcoins, initiate a purchase of BTC using Zelle.
5. At your preferred gambling site, select the Bitcoin deposit option.
6. Send BTC from your LocalBitcoins account to your gambling account at the address provided by the gambling site’s cashier.
7. Start gambling.
8. Win big!

What Kind Of Gambling Sites Support Zelle?

• Casinos that accept Zelle – Because Zelle lets you make quick, same-day BTC purchases, you can effectively use the platform to fund all your online casino gaming. Whether you prefer table games, video poker, or digital slots, you can spend less time banking – and more time BANKING! – when you use Zelle-to-BTC to load up your casino gambling account.
• Poker Sites that accept Zelle – Poker sites have action 24-7, whether you’re playing a few hands at a sit-and-go or entering giant tournaments with hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line. Of course, you can’t win anything if you don’t buy-in, and for first-time Bitcoin players, Zelle is the best way to top off your bankroll with crypto.
• Sportsbooks that accept Zelle – Sports betting, more than any other kind of online gambling, requires speed. The games on the schedule wait for no man, and if you see a valuable line or attractive odds, you have to pull the trigger ASAP. Because sports bettors don’t have time to wait while BTC transfers take days or weeks, Zelle is the perfect solution.

Zelle Benefits

Using Zelle to fund your Internet gambling account is beneficial in several key ways. Zelle offers the following perks:

Zelle Buy Bitcoin

• Same-Day Bitcoin Buy-In – No more 10-day waits!
• Widespread Adoption – Over 27 million users and counting.
• No Added Fees – Banks do not currently charge their members any fees for using Zelle.
• No Purchase Restrictions – Banks do not monitor and approve/disapprove any Zelle transactions. Caveat emptor!

Zelle Drawbacks

Zelle isn’t perfect, and it’s not for everyone. These are the main Zelle negatives to be aware of:

• Requires LocalBitcoins Account – To use Zelle for gambling at offshore sites, you need a LocalBitcoins.com account, which is free. (We're not sure this is actually a drawback as this step is so easy.)
• Can’t Send Money Out Of The US – Direct Zelle transfers are limited to the US only.
• Zelle Payouts Not Supported – You cannot receive winnings from offshore gambling sites via the Zelle platform. Instead, you can be paid out in Bitcoin.
• No Bank Protections – Banks do not guarantee Zelle transactions or offer refunds for accidental/fraudulent purchases. Caveat emptor! This is true for any purchase made with Zelle, not just Bitcoin.

Disclaimer: Zelle is not a direct way to fund your online betting account, as it is specifically useful in this context only in how easily it lets you purchase Bitcoin via the LocalBitcoins exchange. Zelle is not affiliated with this site or any legal online casino, sportsbook, poker room, or racebook. Further, Zelle does not implicitly or explicitly endorse online gambling in any way.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on March 5, 2018, and has been updated.

It's never been easier to send and transfer money directly from your mobile device. From splitting dinner to sending money to a friend or business, applications like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App have revolutionized how consumers move money, allowing transfers in seconds without needing to ever having to write a check or handle cash.

So what is Zelle and how does it work? Read on to learn how this payment app can make safe, quick money transfers—and what to watch out for to ensure you use it safely.

What Is Zelle?

Zelle is a mobile payment application that allows peer-to-peer (P2P) money transfers, simplifying the process of paying for things and making it easier to move money without handling cash or visiting the bank. Users transferred $187 billion in 2019 using Zelle, an increase of 57% since 2018.

Zelle was developed by more than 30 major U.S. banks, and has a standalone app that users can download to their smartphone. The service is also integrated within the mobile banking apps of major participating banks, including Bank of America, Chase, Citi and Wells Fargo. Consumers who already have their bank's mobile app can start using Zelle right away.

How Does Zelle Work?

Unlike Venmo, money transferred using Zelle moves directly from one bank account to another. Most banking transfers between accounts require account numbers to initiate transactions, and these transactions can take up to several business days. Zelle eliminates this need, allowing users to transfer funds from one checking account to another in a matter of minutes.

To initiate a transfer, all you need is the email address or phone number of the person you're sending money to. Zelle sends the recipient a text or email indicating there's a payment waiting for them, along with a link to accept it. If the recipient's bank is a participating partner, the recipient simply needs to register for the service through their bank's website or mobile app with an email address or phone number.

Once registered, the recipient can accept the payment, though first-time users may have to wait up to three days to receive payment. If the recipient's bank is not a participating member, they can still receive the funds by downloading the Zelle mobile app, registering with an email or phone number, and entering a debit card to receive the funds.

What Banks Use Zelle?

Zelle is compatible with nearly all major banks, and most even have the service integrated into their mobile banking app. Consumers who download Zelle's standalone app must provide a phone number or email and debit card information to be able to receive and send funds.

As long as you have a Visa or Mastercard debit card, you can download Zelle and use the application to send money. If your bank already works with Zelle, you'll be directed to your bank's mobile app, as long as you have it downloaded on your device.

To see the full list of banks that work with Zelle, refer to this list.

Does Zelle Charge a Fee?

Unlike certain other P2P transfer services, Zelle does not charge any fees. Venmo and Cashapp charge fees if users send money using a credit card, and if users want to immediately deposit funds into their bank account. These fees can range from 1.5% to 3% and can make the transfer of large amounts costly.

What Is Zelle's Transfer Limit?

If your bank doesn't offer Zelle, your limit for sending money is $500 per week. If your bank does offer Zelle, you may be able to transfer larger amounts; contact your financial institution to find their spending limits. When it comes to receiving funds through Zelle, however, there are no limitations to how much you can accept.

Here are some of the major banks that offer Zelle and the daily and weekly limits they allow users to transfer using the service.

Is Zelle Safe?

Compared with handling cash and sending bills or checks in the mail, Zelle could be considered a safer option for moving money quickly. Because the funds never sit in a third-party location, your money is always insured. And the company touts its security, because the idea is that your bank is already protecting your personal financial data.

One caveat to using Zelle is that you need to be sure you're sending funds to the correct recipient—and it's a person you trust. Because the money moves so quickly, if the person you send money to has a Zelle account, the transfer will be completed in minutes and thus cannot be canceled once it's sent. That means you'll want to double-check your transfers to ensure that you don't make a mistake and send the funds to the wrong person.

Zelle And Bitcoin

Zelle's speed in transferring funds also makes it a prime target for criminals, some experts warn. If you're transferring money in exchange for goods and services, a scammer could take your money and not complete the exchange.

Indeed, Zelle does not have the safety features PayPal offers, including protection against being charged for something that wasn't purchased or for not receiving an item that they paid for. If you fall victim to a scam in which you authorize a transfer to someone for goods and services that they do not ultimately provide, there may not be a way to recoup those funds through Zelle. If your account is hacked and money is transferred without your authorization, Zelle recommends you contact your financial institution to see if you can report the fraud and get your money back. You can find out more information about fraud and scams on Zelle's website.

Is Using Zelle a Good Option?

Zelle Bitcoin

Overall, if you need to transfer money quickly, Zelle is a good, no-cost option that works almost instantly. Unlike other P2P transfer apps, Zelle does not charge fees, and easily moves money between banks, making it one of the better options for immediate transfers.

Zelle To Btc

Though it may be a quick and easy option, it's important for users to remember to use it responsibly, making sure to confirm they're sending funds to people they know and trust. If you are going to use Zelle to pay for goods and services provided by someone you haven't met, make sure they are reputable before transfering money, as this is one of the major areas of loss while using money-transfer apps.