While the world has experienced several payment methods, Western Union remains one of the most experienced and trusted payment methods globally. The provider has existed for about 165 years and has stood the test of time, becoming a giant in the payment service industry. Its popularity is so immense that Western Union is accessible in 200+ countries, with 520,000+ agent locations spread all over. From the 200+ countries, Western Union supports almost every currency. It makes it better by providing a currency converter on their website for users to confirm what the other party receives on their end. The most popular currencies include USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, and PLN.
Besides having over 520,000 agent locations, Western Union has more than 150 million customers who use the payment method’s services globally. By far, this is an immense customer base, factoring in other payment methods popularly used in consumer-to-consumer and business-to-business activities. Unfortunately, there is no verifiable data of the amount transacted yearly via the method. However, the company transacted a total of $79 million in 2013, and from those figures, many would expect the company to make even more transactions yearly. Read More
And from the high-level convenience, most online casinos globally have partnered with the provider to allow players to deposit and withdraw funds through the method. There are many reasons behind this which double as the reasons the method is popular among players. Firstly, the service is global, and players can send money to their casino accounts from anywhere in the world. Secondly, the transaction speed is impressive, especially for those players who opt to send online, over the phone, or through the app. In addition, the transactions remain safe and secure, with little information sent out. Finally, the method works well with high-rollers who wish to transfer huge sums of money to the casinos. Western Union transaction limits are high, unlike other methods with a low limit on the amount to transfer per transaction, daily or monthly.
Like the transactions volume, no verifiable figure of the casinos using Western Union is available. However, one may expect an extensive collection of online casinos in the thousands. Players looking to gamble with cryptos will also have their way, with several cryptocurrency exchanges allowing users to buy and sell bitcoins instantly and securely.
The payment company debuted in 1851, and a fun fact is that Western Union started as two major competitors. On the one hand, Ezra Cornell founded the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company. And on the other hand, Hiram Silbey founded the Western Union Telegraph Company. The two companies would go head-to-head before rebranding to one company later after five years. Thanks to its cash transfer and telegram services, Western Union continued making major moves and profits.
In 1871, the company marked a huge milestone by processing its payments independently with its agents instead of having the banking institutions handle every fund transfer. And in 1872, the company launched wire transfer, an electronic mode of cash transfer from one party (person or entity) to another through its network.
Every service was flourishing, up until 2006 when the company abolished the telegram services. By 2006, there was improved traffic on letters, SMS texts, and emails, leaving telegram with reduced usage. About 20,000 telegrams were sent during the year. However, its cash transfer services were doing well with more countries and customers coming up.
There were several reasons why the company was growing. Firstly, the company mastered the art of convenience by having its services spread across many countries and facilitating the transfer of money in a quick, safe, and secure manner. Secondly, its reputation and longevity were other key reasons the company was and is still preferred by users. Finally, despite hefty transactions, users were charged low fees.
Western Union enjoyed a monopoly, unlike other payment methods that debuted later with heightened competition from other like-minded providers. Only after many years would there be other bank transfer modes. However, the payment service retains a grand status to date. Additionally, the provider has improved its services over the years, allowing users to transact in different ways.
It would only be fair to have the payment service accessible in the gambling world that is currently hot on heels, judging from its global status. You will find all kinds of gamblers, including the small-stake and high-stake in casinos. And with transactions an essential part when gambling, Western Union ushers gamblers to many operators the company has partnered with. Gambling fans can deposit and withdraw funds, and although the timeframe may be slightly slow, the fees are low while the limits are high compared to other payment methods.
The payment method is popular in many online casinos and is a perfect option for depositing. One drawback of the provider is that the deposit speeds are not the best. Unlike some payment options with instant timeframes, Western Union deposits will take hours before they are credited to a casino account. However, there are several positives for WU users. Firstly, the limits are high, an aspect favoring the high rollers. Additionally, there are low fees involved in the transactions.
Before diving into the deposit process, it is important to understand the different ways users can transact with the method. They include:
Here is the process of depositing via the payment method:
Deposit fees are dependent on the amount transferred. Unlike other payment providers with a fixed fee, WU transaction fees differ. However, the highlight is that there are no hidden fees, and in every method, a transaction fee will be laid out for the player to pay.
Like deposits, WU withdrawals are a bit complex but are dependable, especially for users looking to withdraw huge sums of money. It is also essential to note that most casino operators require players to use the same payment method on deposits and withdrawals. Therefore, any gambling fan who uses WU to deposit should use the same option when withdrawing. Additionally, online casinos require that every user verifies their account before transacting. Verification requires players to submit several documents to prove their identity, address, and payment method.
Also, gamblers should keep in mind the limits the casino places on the withdrawal amount. However, the highlight is that the provider offers high limits, enabling big-money withdrawals. It is also important to note that big transfers take time and may take over a week, in some cases. Finally, WU withdrawals will incur charges set by the provider.
Here is the process of withdrawing via the payment method:
The withdrawal speed is dependent on various aspects at WU casinos. Firstly, the casinos play a vital role in how fast players receive the funds. Immediately after the player requests a withdrawal, the agents might take some time before providing the MTCN. After providing the player with the MTCN, the method the player chooses to receive funds also plays a key role. For example, online and app transactions might take close to a week.
Besides the payment options, casino bonuses are vital in attracting and retaining players. One highlight about WU is that users will have thousands of casinos partnering with the method. And from the impressive collection of operators, users will come across all types of casino bonuses to claim. Rarely will one find a casino restricting users who deposit with WU from claiming bonuses, unlike other operators that restrict users making Neteller and Skrill deposits.
Before claiming any bonus at a WU casino, the rule of thumb is to check the deposit limits set. For example, one bonus may require a minimum deposit of $50, while another requires a minimum of $30. Should a player deposit $45 on the former promo, they will not be eligible for the bonus.
Among the popular casino bonuses to expect:
While claiming the bonuses, the major tip is to check the T&Cs, which include eligibility, bonus codes, minimum and maximum deposit limits, wagering requirements, game weightings and validity.
Note: Gamblers can only access bonus winnings after meeting the wagering requirements in totality.
One benefit of using WU as your preferred payment option is having a pool of casinos to choose from. As immense as the casino options are, so are the game selections. Additionally, while the method may tend to favor high rollers more, small-stake players can also transact with WU and access games with favorable bet sizes.
The common casino game types at WU casinos are: