Why Choose to Play at Fiat Casinos?
Cryptocurrency use has exploded since cryptocurrencies first emerged in 2011. Digital currencies are now used for everything from shopping to hacking to investing and, of course, gambling. Not everybody is eager to jump aboard the crypto betting train, though. What if you really don’t understand cryptocurrencies and find them way too complicated to get to grips with? What if you’re skeptical about their long-term practical use or simply don’t want to change something that works for you? Are fiat currency casinos still viable in the 2020s?
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What Is a Fiat Currency?
Fiat may be more commonly known as an Italian carmaker, but that’s not really what we’re looking at here. Instead, we’re more interested in the group of currencies known as fiat. Like its motor-inspired counterpart, the word “Fiat” also comes from Italy and means “it shall be”. This term was chosen to represent every type of government-issued currency in the world. In short, when we discuss fiat currencies, we are talking about those like US dollars, euros, and British pounds sterling, not cryptocurrencies or defunct and historical currencies.
Fiat doesn’t just extend to the coins and notes in your pockets and wallets. The term also applies to any digital transactions that are cash. For instance, a bank transfer in US dollars from your bank to your casino still very much qualifies as a fiat currency transaction, even if there is no cold-hard cash involved.
With that said, when we refer to fiat casinos, then we are naturally talking about all online casinos that accept conventional currencies.
The Perks and Pitfalls of Betting with Fiat Currencies
Everything has its pros and cons, and fiat currencies aren’t any different. Choosing to bet with fiat currencies can be advantageous or disadvantageous, depending on how you want to look at it. Allow us to chart a few of the pros and cons for you below.
First, let us look at the downside to betting with fiat currencies. Reasons you may wish to avoid fiat options include:
- Players may be forced into paying currency conversion charges if their fiat currency isn’t accepted at a site.
- Not all online casinos accept a wide variety of currencies, and some payment methods aren’t compatible with a handful of fiat options.
- Fiat currencies can suffer from inflation, which affects their value when betting.
- As they are associated with banks, some fiat currency transactions may incur withdrawal fees, processing fees, and other charges.
- Fiat currency transactions are often slower to be processed than their cryptocurrency counterparts and frequently require clearance of a KYC process.
At the same time, you can look at fiat currencies differently. Here are the pros to choosing to bet with these options online:
- They are more stable than cryptocurrencies in terms of value.
- Fiat currencies are convenient, and you’ll most likely already use them for everything else.
- They are familiar and don’t require an extensive amount of reading to use them.
- Virtually all online casinos accept major fiat currency options. Not all of them accept cryptocurrencies.
- Casinos that are fiat-based tend to be better licensed and more heavily regulated than your run-of-the-mill crypto casino.
- All casino games are designed to run well with fiat options.
- There are more bonuses and promotions tailor-made for fiat users than cryptocurrency ones.
- You don’t have to get used to new values. You already know the value of a cent, a dollar, a euro, a pound, etc.
For some players, the perks of using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies outweigh the generic fiat currency options. However, if you’re not good with technology and ever-changing times, then fiat options are clearly the way to go.
Learn How to Choose a Top Fiat Casino Site
In theory, virtually any casino accepts fiat currency (barring most crypto casinos). However, you should do your homework and be sure to pick a top fiat casino site that is amongst the best in the business. How do you go about doing that? Our team knows all the ins and outs of leading fiat casinos, and we’re going to share a few of the things we look for in them below.
Here is a brief look at the key aspects of the internet’s most trusted fiat casino sites…
Security, Safety, and Licensing
Always check that the casino you intend on joining is protected via licenses and regulations. The UK Gambling Commission, the Malta Gambling Authority, and to a lesser degree, the authorities in Curacao are the ones to look out for.
On top of being licensed, these casinos should be regulated, offer responsible gambling tools, be regulated and audited, and be RNG (random number generator) certified. Lastly, they should be protected with SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption to ensure that your financial transactions remain safe. This is important as fiat transactions are more traceable than cryptocurrency ones.
Easy-to-Use Payment Options
Be sure that your chosen casino accepts the kind of payment method you want to use. Most take onboard a myriad of options, including credit and debit cards, e-wallets, prepaid vouchers, pay-by-mobile/phone methods, coupon codes, bank, and wire transfers, and more. Some fiat casinos even accept cryptocurrencies.
You should be looking for low minimum deposit limits, high maximum withdrawal caps, low minimum withdrawal limits, low to no fees, and as speedy a transaction time as you can possibly get. At the same time, we’d want to see a good mix of fiat currencies accepted, including euros, US dollars, and British pounds, but it is not uncommon to see Japanese yen, Indian rupees, Norwegian krone, Swedish kroner, South African rand, and Canadian, New Zealand, and Aussie dollars are thrown into the mix.
Great Games for All Bettors
When playing online, it is important that you can find a great array of games to join. Here’s the good news about playing at fiat casinos. Most software providers have instinctively designed their games to run well with fiat options. Most games are USD-optimized, and the same cannot be said for cryptocurrencies.
What this does is ensure that those who play at fiat casinos are more likely to enjoy a greater selection of games from a wider variety of software developers than their crypto counterparts. You should expect to see everything from slots to table games, live dealers to video poker, and instant win to dice and lottery games. Moreover, these games are likely to be playable in a free demo and be mobile-compatible to boot. It is also rare to see major progressive jackpot cash prizes in crypto games – there are few BTC jackpots, for instance – but all the most renowned progressive slots carry prizes that can be won in USD, EUR, GBP, and others.
Reliable Customer Support
Whatever the issue you happen to be having, fiat casinos should be able to handle it. Most can provide around-the-clock support and assistance via live chat and e-mail. These services will be free of charge. Some may also provide social media or telephone assistance, and there may be costs associated with the latter. Finally, an FAQ (frequently asked questions) guide won’t go amiss at the best fiat casinos around.
Bountiful Bonuses
As touched on, bonuses appear in both crypto and fiat online casinos. However, they do tend to be more prevalent in the latter.
Any fiat casino worth its salt can provide a welcome bonus to all new players. That may be a no deposit offer of free spins or a small sum of cash, a deposit-based deal offering free cash, free spins, or both. Welcome bonuses may expand beyond a first deposit to cover the first several top-ups.
You’ll also likely see re-deposit bonuses, monthly specials, loyalty rewards, other opportunities to bag free spins, tournaments, prize draw competitions, and more. Moreover, these bonuses should come with fair terms and conditions, not least low deposit limits, high win caps, and respectable wagering requirements, if any at all.
Why Don’t All Fiat Casinos Just Accept Cryptocurrencies?
There are online casinos out there that accept both fiat and cryptocurrency payment options. You may be asking, why don’t casinos just accept both? There are several reasons for this.
Some fiat casinos are exceptionally heavily regulated by national licensing authorities. For instance, the UK Gambling Commission doesn’t typically recognize Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Therefore, any UKGC-licensed fiat casino isn’t going to get much change out of accepting BTC, ETH, and other options. They may, therefore, simply opt to accept fiat only as a result. Moreover, in the case of UKGC-licensed casinos, while such sites “can” accept various fiat currencies, they “must” accept the British pound sterling.
Similar rules and regulations about whether cryptocurrencies are legal in one country, or another have seen many online casinos solely accept fiat currencies, often many of them under one roof. Here are three other primary reasons why not all fiat casinos accept cryptocurrencies…
Many Players Know Their Fiat Options
Cryptocurrencies are popular – nobody denies that. However, most people who bet online haven’t got a clue how they work. For the most part, they don’t have one and don’t want one. They are more than happy to wager with the fiat currency they know and trust, and fiat casinos are only too happy to oblige them.
A Less Volatile Market
Everybody knows (even crypto users, though some may deny it) that cryptocurrencies are volatile – sometimes exceptionally volatile. While it is possible for fiat currencies to suffer the same fate (massive inflation, for instance), it is trickier for them to go south as quickly. Crypto users will argue that cryptocurrencies can also rise in value far more often than fiat options, and this is true, too. However, for fiat casinos, the high volatility of the market may make cryptocurrencies less worthwhile for them.
Widespread Availability
As touched on, most software providers have designed their games to run well with many fiat currencies. Moreover, most payment methods accept a myriad of fiat options, and bonuses are easy to grasp when using fiat currencies, too. Given this, coupled with the knowledge that most players know how they work, the widespread availability of fiat currencies makes them too good a currency option for casino sites to break from.
Top Fiat Currencies You May Wish to Consider
Pop along to any fiat casino, and you will notice that three currencies tend to stand out above the rest. Virtually all major fiat casinos accept US dollars. It is not uncommon to see euros and British pound sterling accepted, either. We would typically say that the availability of currencies depends on the licenses behind the sites and the general audience they cater to. Here’s a quick look at what we mean:
- UKGC Licensed Fiat Casinos: Typically accepts GBP, USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, NZD, SEK, NOK
- MGA Licensed Fiat Casinos: Typically accepts GBP, USD, EUR, CAD, SEK. NOK, PLZ, INR, JPY
- Curacao Licensed FIAT Casinos: Typically accepts GBP, USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, NZD, SEK, NOK, PLZ, INR, JPY, ROU, BRR, ZAR, CNY, MEX, DKK, CZK, and more
Always double-check the fiat casino you intend on joining to ensure that it accepts your chosen fiat currency. You can find this information on the payment methods or banking page. If your casino does not accept the same currency that you wish to use, you could be liable for currency conversion rates (which may not be favorable) or exchange fees.
Fiat vs. Crypto Gambling Under the Microscope
Some players may still be torn between fiat casino betting and cryptocurrency gambling. The pros associated with fiat betting typically tend to appear as cons for crypto gambling. The same is true of fiat casino cons and crypto casino pros.
What we mean is that if you were to look at the weaknesses of fiat casinos, they would typically be reasons to bet with cryptocurrencies and vice-versa. For instance, slower transaction times with fiat options are countered by near-immediate transaction times with cryptocurrencies. Similarly, highly volatile cryptocurrencies are countered by the near stability offered by fiat options.
We wouldn’t want to claim that one is better than the other. Both have reasons why you might choose to bet that way. However, we would go out on a limb and say that if you are not tech-savvy, then fiat casinos are ideal. After all, few would deny that betting with fiat is the easier path to take.
Claim Top Fiat Casino Bonuses Today
Fiat casinos are widely renowned for their bonuses. Whether you are looking for a hot tournament to join, an exciting welcome bonus to make you sign up to the casino world for the very first time or jump ship to a new site, or are simply after a top-up deal you can’t refuse; we’re here to help.
Our team has put together an excellent selection of fiat casinos with the best bonuses around. Here are a few that are well worth a closer inspection:
The Final Word
Whether you prefer cryptocurrencies or fiat casino betting is entirely up to you. Like most things in the internet betting world, everything – and we do mean everything – comes down to preference. If cryptocurrencies are too complicated for you, you can’t go wrong with fiat options. If you prefer straightforward (albeit less anonymous) transactions with a currency you know, and don’t want to have to get involved with crypto wallets and such, then fiat casinos are well suited to your needs.
Again, don’t hesitate to check our top recommended fiat casinos if you’re on the hunt for somewhere safe to play. Each has been reviewed and certified as fair by our team, based on a myriad of criteria. If you are looking for the final word in safety, security, and top fiat casino action, then we’d encourage you to have a look at what we have to offer.
Solved: Common Questions Regarding Fiat Casinos
Before you go, don’t hesitate to check out our brief FAQ (frequently asked questions) guide. We’ve looked at some of the most common questions regarding fiat casinos, and hopefully, we can help you with the answers below.
Is it possible to play at a Fiat casino that also accepts cryptocurrencies?
Yes. While the number of joint fiat/crypto casinos pales in comparison to rule fiat or crypto-only sites, they do exist. In fact, we strongly recommend these sites if you are going to be making them jump from fiat casino gambling to crypto betting, as they give you a sort of learning curve by allowing you to chop and change between your deposit options.
What happens if my Fiat currency isn’t amongst those offered?
Not all currencies appear at fiat casinos. If you want to bet with Indian rupees, but the site only accepts euros, then you’re likely to get charged a conversion fee, either from your bank or the casino in question. Try and get an e-wallet, as they may allow in-house conversion between currencies at no cost. This can help you get around the issue. Alternatively, find a fiat casino that does accept your currency because there are thousands of them out there to choose from.
Don’t you get charged currency conversion fees at Fiat casinos?
You can do. Some casinos know they have an international fan base and convert (often at lower than standard rates) currencies without charge. Some sites are far less general, though, and will hit you with a fee for this service. We tend to avoid recommending those fiat casinos on our page.
Do all payment methods accept “most” Fiat currency options?
Yes and no. The major payment methods certainly accept US dollars, euros, British pounds sterling and over forty of the world’s leading fiat currencies. Some options, such as PayPal, accept US dollars when used conventionally for shopping but not for gambling because they have a policy regarding the types of casinos they can be used for – see below for more information. Others, such as Poli, Interac, and Pay ‘N’ Play, are region-specific, and they often only accept a single currency and no others.
PayPal accepts US dollars, so why can’t I deposit with that at a casino?
As touched on above, PayPal can be used in the US for many things. However, PayPal has a policy whereby it can only be used to deposit (and withdraw) and gambling sites that are licensed by a national authority. So, UK casinos featuring UKGC licenses are fine, but French casinos listed out of Curacao are not. This is often why casino players in the US can use PayPal to buy goods with US dollars but not deposit at casinos with it.
Why can’t I claim a bonus when using Fiat currencies to deposit with Skrill or Neteller?
Some licensing jurisdictions have exceptionally tough regulations to protect players and gamblers. For instance, UKGC licensed casinos are not permitted to offer a wealth of bonuses and promotions – at least not in the same manner that Curacao licensed ones can. They are forbidden from accepting credit card deposits and can’t offer stacks of cash with high wagering requirements. One of those other rules is that UKGC licensed fiat casinos can’t offer bonuses to players who deposit with Skrill, Neteller or a few other e-wallets. If you’re having this issue, this is most likely the reason why.