Best PayPal Poker Sites

PayPal in a Nutshell

While there are plenty of younger competitors on the market, PayPal is still the world’s most famous online payment brand. Its roots go right back to the dawn of the internet age in the 1990s, when it was founded by a group of soon-to-be-famous tech pioneers, including Elon Musk. 

The company was later acquired by eBay, helping to further popularise it as a way to purchase items and services online. Its global reach now extends to more than 200 countries, and at the time of writing, there are more than 400 million PayPal users around the world. Being a secure, universally accepted payment option has also made PayPal particularly popular with fans of poker sites.

How We Choose PayPal Poker Sites

There are a number of factors we look for when reviewing and recommending poker sites that accept PayPal. These include:

• A valid licence from the UK Gambling Commission
• A smart, user friendly interface
• Good mobile optimisation, ideally including a downloadable app
• Access to a good range of poker rooms and tournaments
• Generous bonuses with no restrictions for users making PayPal deposits
• Generous loyalty scheme
• Clear, player-friendly terms and conditions
• Proactive customer service
• Fast PayPal deposits and withdrawals

The Best Paypal Poker Sites

Here are just some of the PayPal poker sites that have particularly impressed the industry experts here at Compare.bet.

Paddy Power Poker

There are a lot of poker rooms available at Paddy Power, with buy-ins to suit the budgets of pretty much all poker players. As a new customer, you’ll be able to grab a £40 bonus made up of tournament tokens and slots credits, along with entry to a £1,000 freeroll tournament. To access the offer you’ll need to play £20 worth of tournaments or Sit and Gos – that won’t be hard, considering the rich array of Hold’em and Omaha tournaments available. An added perk is the fact that PayPal withdrawals from Paddy Power Poker can be with you in as little as four hours.

PartyPoker

As a long-established name in online poker, this site certainly ticks the welcome bonus boxes. Not only does a minimum deposit of just £10 qualify you for a 100% up to £400 matched deposit, but you’ll also get £40 in free tickets for multi-table tournaments and fast-paced, three-handed Sit and Gos. If you love Omaha, you’ll be in your element at PartyPoker, thanks to its plethora of daily events for this poker variation, including Pot Limit Omaha. There’s also an appealing reward programme that gives you 40% cashback every week if you’ve generated sufficient points.

Grosvenor

Grosvenor calls itself the home of UK poker, which is quite the claim. But this is a site that lives up to expectations. After using PayPal or any other payment method to fund your poker account, you’ll be able to enter daily satellite tournaments that can pave the way for some of the biggest poker events around, such as the 25/25 Series and GUKPT. The ongoing deals deserve plaudits for innovation – you can expect an ever-evolving range of themed promotions, such as a ‘Poker Advent Calendar’ which can let you win tournament tickets, not to mention a rake race with prizes paid out to the leading poker players twice a month.  

PokerStars

Undoubtedly an A-lister among PayPal poker sites, PokerStars greets newbies with £40 in free play credits if you make a minimum £10 deposit. There are more events than you can shake a stick at here, including low buy-in satellites, fast-paced turbo poker rooms, and the famous Sunday Million, which is billed as the world’s biggest weekly poker tournament. What’s more, using PayPal means you won’t have to wait very long for payouts as these are processed within minutes.

Deposit & Withdrawal Limits

PayPal poker is a great option for casual players and high rollers alike. That’s because the minimum deposit limit is typically very low – often between £5 to £10 – while the maximum allowable deposit is often a lot more generous than other payment methods. To take an example, PartyPoker has a £10,000 maximum deposit limit for PayPal transfers, compared to the much tighter £750 cap it places on Paysafecard deposits. High rollers should also be in their element because poker sites accepting PayPal often allow large cashouts through the platform.

Claim a Bonus with Your PayPal Poker Deposit

Keep your eyes peeled when joining a poker site, as there’s always the slim chance that PayPal deposits won’t qualify for welcome bonuses. This isn’t that common – when such exemptions are made, they usually apply to e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller rather than PayPal. Saying that however, it’s always a good idea to read the small print if your heart is set on using PayPal.

Speaking of welcome bonuses, there are various different types on offer at online poker sites accepting PayPal. You can also enjoy the generous ongoing promotions that are designed to keep existing customers coming back for more. Here are some of the bonuses and promos you’ll find at most sites.

• Matched deposit bonuses, where the operator gives you bonus credits equal to a percentage of your first deposit up to a maximum cap (for example, a bonus of “100% up to £100” means that depositing £50 will get you another £50 in bonus credits)
• Free play, where you’re gifted a number of tournament tickets and credits over a given number of days
• Rakeback, sometimes called cashback, which rewards poker players for gathering loyalty points by giving back a percentage of the rake (that’s the commission the casino site takes from poker games)
• Other promotions, such as boosted prize pools for tournaments, daily mystery gifts like tournament tickets, and the potential to win free entry to main event tournaments

Read the Fine Print

Whenever you receive bonus credits, check the terms and conditions. There will probably be some important restrictions to be aware of at poker sites accepting PayPal, including:

• Wagering requirements, which refer to the number of times you’ll have to bet the bonus credits before you’re able to cash out any winnings made from the bonus 
• Time limits by which you’ll have to make use of free play tickets, bet bonus credits or fulfil your wagering requirements
• Maximum limits on how much you’re able to win using bonus credits

Play Poker on the Go with a Mobile PayPal Poker Site

Virtually all poker sites that accept PayPal will be fully optimised for use on your mobile device, whether it runs on an iOS or Android operating system. But that’s not all. Some well-known brands such as PokerStars also offer native apps for downloading onto your device. Unlike web browser apps, these do take up a bit of storage space on your phone. But it’s worth it, as you’ll be able to play PayPal poker directly through the app, rather than opening the browser. Plus, you have the option of receiving push notifications that keep you updated on the latest bonuses and special offers.

Try Out a New Poker Site

There are quite a few online sites offering PayPal poker these days, but new ones also continue to crop up. We keep up with the latest developments and assess how good they are. This way, we can recommend any new online poker sites that accept PayPal and offer fresh, exciting experiences for poker buffs.

PayPal Alternatives

Want to use an alternative banking method to PayPal, but would prefer to avoid making bank transfers or debit card payments to casino sites? No problem. The majority of online casinos and poker rooms online accept a range of other options, including:

• Neteller
• Skrill
• Payz
• Paysafecard
• Pay by phone bill

How to Stay Safe when Playing Poker with PayPal

As you might expect from a globally renowned brand like PayPal, it has state-of-the-art security protocols in place for its millions of users. Transactions are monitored and signs of fraud are detected quickly. That said, it pays to be savvy whenever dealing with money online. Here are some things to keep in mind for your own security.

Keep an Eye on Your Emails

When you make a PayPal transaction, you’ll receive an email confirming it’s happened. So, if you receive an email for a payment you didn’t make, contact PayPal straight away.

Use 2FA

Two-factor authentication, also known as 2FA, provides you with an additional layer of protection from online fraud. PayPal has exactly this sort of system in place with its Security Key. It means that as well as having to enter your password to access your account, you’ll also be required to input a temporary code sent to you by SMS. 

Beware of Phishing 

If you ever receive an email or text claiming to be from PayPal and asking for your password, don’t reply and don’t open any attachments. You can be sure these are phishing messages sent out to steal sensitive account details.

Play at Licensed Sites

The golden rule with gambling sites is to stick strictly to sites licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. This guarantees the site has the proper security measures in place to keep members safe. At Compare.bet, we will only ever review and recommend gambling sites – including poker sites accepting PayPal – which have the regulatory body’s stamp of approval.

Block Gambling Transactions 

If you struggle with problem gambling, then taking some time away from online poker sites can be a great way to stay safe when playing online. You can do this by blocking your PayPal account from making gambling transactions, which you can enable by getting in touch with PayPal directly. This is similar to the actions taken by individual banks which also allow players to block gambling transactions from being made using their personal account.

Ready to Play at a PayPal Poker Site? 

Has all of this got you interested in a round of Texas Hold’em, Omaha High or any other kind of poker? Great! Just check out our list of the best sites that accept PayPal, compare the bonuses on offer and follow the link to sign up whenever you like!

See our references & visit related external links

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• nsc.og.uk – ‘Setting up two-factor authentication (2FA)’